 | Notable Events in
International League History | |
|
| 1884 |
The IL (then called the Eastern League) is founded. Inaugural members include: Allentown, PA; Baltimore, MD; Harrisburg, PA; Newark, NJ; Reading, PA; Richmond, VA; Trenton, NJ; & Wilmington, DE. |
| 1899 |
Rochester becomes a permanent member of the IL. |
| 1901 |
The National Association (now Minor League Baseball) is formed. |
| 1902 |
Harry O'Hagan (Rochester) records baseball's first unassisted triple play. |
| 1914 |
Babe Ruth compiles a 23-8 record as a pitcher for Baltimore and Providence. |
| 1921 |
Baltimore sets the IL record by winning 119 games. |
| 1923 |
Baltimore's Lefty Grove sets the International League records for most strikeouts (330) and walks (186) in a season. |
| 1925 |
Jack Dunn's Baltimore Orioles win their 7th straight pennant, the end of the greatest dynasty in IL history. |
| 1930 |
July 3 - Buffalo plays the IL's first night game. |
| 1930 |
Joe Hauser sets IL record with 63 HR for Baltimore. |
| 1931 |
The Rochester Red Wings, led by manager Billy Southworth, win their 4th IL pennant in a row. |
| 1933 |
Buffalo defeats Rochester in first Governors' Cup Series. |
| 1938 |
May 6-7 - Newark's Bob Seeds has an outstanding two-game run, collecting 7 HR and 17 RBI in wins over Buffalo. |
| 1946 |
Jackie Robinson plays for the IL's Montreal club, one year before breaking Major League Baseball's "color barrier". |
| 1947 |
The International League inducts 9 members into the inaugural class of the IL Hall of Fame. 51 former players, managers, and executives were enshrined through 1963. |
| 1954 |
Baltimore leaves the IL to join the American League as the League becomes truly "international" with the addition of a team in Havana, Cuba. |
| 1958 |
Rocky Nelson (Toronto) wins his third IL Most Valuable Player Award (he is the only player to win the award more than twice). |
| 1961 |
Long-time IL member Syracuse returns to the IL, replacing Montreal. |
| 1965 |
Toledo returns to the IL after a 76-year absence, replacing Richmond. |
| 1966 |
Atlanta leaves the IL to join Major League Baseball. Richmond replaces Atlanta on the IL roster. |
| 1969 |
The New York Mets move their Jacksonville, FL franchise to Norfolk, Virginia. |
| 1972 |
Tidewater represents the IL in the Kodak World Baseball Championship in Hawaii. |
| 1973 |
Pawtucket replaces Louisville as an IL member. |
| 1977 |
Columbus returns to the League after a six-year absence. |
| 1981 |
April 18 - Pawtucket and Rochester begin the longest game in professional baseball history. The game is suspended at 4:07 AM on April 19 after the 32nd inning. Play is resumed on June 23rd with Pawtucket winning 3-2 in the 33rd inning. |
| 1981 |
The Columbus Clippers become the first team to win three consecutive Governors' Cup Championships. |
| 1983 |
Tidewater defeats Denver and Portland to win the Triple-A World Series in Louisville. |
| 1988 |
IL begins interlocking schedule with Triple-A American Association, together forming the Triple-A Alliance. |
| 1989 |
The Maine Guides move to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. |
| 1989 |
First baseman Carlos Quintana starts games for both Pawtucket and Boston on the same day. |
| 1991 |
IL leaves Triple-A Alliance to return to 8-team League. |
| 1993 |
The IL expands from eight teams to 10, with the addition of expansion clubs in Charlotte and Ottawa. |
| 1993 |
The IL becomes the first minor league to attract more than 4 million fans in a single season. |
| 1998 |
The League expands to 14 teams with the addition of former American Association members Buffalo, Indianapolis, and Louisville and an expansion club in Durham. |
| 1998 |
The IL becomes the first minor league to attract more than 6 million fans in a single season. |
| 2001 |
The terror attacks of Sept. 11 bring a halt to the Governors' Cup Finals. The series is cancelled after one game, with Louisville declared the winner. |
| 2003 |
The Durham Bulls win a second consecutive Governors' Cup Crown behind manager Bill Evers. |
| 2006 |
The Toledo Mud Hens win their 2nd consecutive Governors' Cup, earning the right to play in the first Bricktown Showdown versus PCL Champion Tucson. |
| 2008 |
The Ottawa Lynx relocate to Allentown, PA. The new team, known as the IronPigs, represents the entire Lehigh Valley region. |
