National League team history

From BR Bullpen

From the time of its first formation at the Grand Central Hotel in New York, NY on February 2, 1876 at the urging of William Hulbert, there have been a total of 38 teams that have played ball in the National League. This is a complete listing of the teams to have been a part of the league at one time or another:

  • December 10, 1876-December 5, 1877:
    • Boston Red Caps, Chicago White Stockings, Hartford Dark Blues, St. Louis Brown Stockings, Cincinnati Red Stockings, and Louisville Grays.
    • Following the 1876 season, the New York and Philadelphia franchises are dropped because both teams refused to travel west due to financial difficulties. Hartford played the 1877 season in New York, while keeping its name.
  • February 6 - March 8 , 1878:
    • Boston Red Caps, Chicago White Stockings, Cincinnati Red Stockings, Indianapolis Hoosiers, and Milwaukee Grays
    • Louisville drops out because of the previous year's betting scandal, leaving the league with an uneven number of teams.
  • March 8-December 4, 1878:
    • Boston Red Caps, Chicago White Stockings, Cincinnati Red Stockings, Indianapolis Hoosiers, Milwaukee Grays and Providence Grays.
    • Providence is added to give the league an even number of teams again.
  • January 26-February 14, 1879:
    • Boston Red Caps, Buffalo Bisons, Chicago White Stockings, Cincinnati Red Stockings, Cleveland Forest Citys, Milwaukee Grays, Providence Grays, Syracuse Stars and Troy Trojans.
    • Troy joins the league.
  • February 14-September 10, 1879:
    • Boston Red Caps, Buffalo Bisons, Chicago White Stockings, Cincinnati Red Stockings, Cleveland Forest Citys, Providence Grays, Syracuse Stars and Troy Trojans.
    • Milwaukee resigns from the league. The 1879 season will be played with 8 teams for the first time since the league's inaugural season.
  • September 10, 1879-February 5, 1880:
    • Boston Red Caps, Buffalo Bisons, Chicago White Stockings, Cincinnati Red Stockings, Cleveland Forest Citys, Providence Grays and Troy Trojans.
    • Syracuse leaves the league.
  • February 5-October 6, 1880:
    • Boston Red Caps, Buffalo Bisons, Chicago White Stockings, Cincinnati Red Stockings, Cleveland Forest Citys, Providence Grays, Troy Trojans and Worcester Ruby Legs.
    • Worcester joins the league.
  • October 6-December 8, 1880:
    • Boston Red Caps, Buffalo Bisons, Chicago White Stockings, Cleveland Forest Citys, Providence Grays, Troy Trojans and Worcester Ruby Legs.
    • Cincinnati leaves the league.
  • December 8, 1880-December 6, 1882:
    • Boston Red Caps, Buffalo Bisons, Chicago White Stockings, Cleveland Forest Citys, Detroit Wolverines, Providence Grays, Troy Trojans and Worcester Ruby Legs.
    • Detroit joins the league. For the first time, the league will have the same teams for two consecutive seasons (1881 and 1882).
  • November 19-November 28, 1885:
    • Boston Beaneaters, Chicago White Stockings, Detroit Wolverines, New York Giants, Philadelphia Quakers, Providence Grays and St. Louis Maroons.
    • Buffalo drops out.
  • November 28, 1885-January 16, 1886:
    • Boston Beaneaters, Chicago White Stockings, Detroit Wolverines, New York Giants, Philadelphia Quakers and St. Louis Maroons.
    • Providence drops out.
  • February 9, 1886-February 8, 1887:
    • Boston Beaneaters, Chicago White Stockings, Detroit Wolverines, Kansas City Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Quakers, St. Louis Maroons and Washington Statesmen.
    • Kansas City joins. The league is back to having 8 teams.
  • October 14-November 21, 1888:
    • Boston Beaneaters, Chicago White Stockings, Detroit Wolverines, Indianapolis Hoosiers, New York Giants, Philadelphia Quakers, Pittsburgh Alleghenies and Washington Statesmen.
    • Detroit drops out.
  • November 21, 1888-November 14, 1889:
    • Boston Beaneaters, Chicago White Stockings, Cleveland Spiders, Indianapolis Hoosiers, New York Giants, Philadelphia Quakers, Pittsburgh Alleghenies and Washington Statesmen.
    • Former American Association member Cleveland joins.
  • November 14, 1889-December 17, 1891:
    • Boston Beaneaters, Brooklyn Bridegrooms, Chicago White Stockings, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Spiders, New York Giants, Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Innocents (Pirates in 1891).
    • Indianapolis and Washington are dropped. Former American Association members Brooklyn and Cincinnati join. The Reds will drop out following the 1890 season, but are back in the league by the time the 1891 season starts; they are the same franchise as today's Cincinnati Reds; Brooklyn is the ancestor of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
  • December 17, 1891-March 8, 1900:
    • Baltimore Orioles, Boston Beaneaters, Brooklyn Grooms (Bridegrooms, Superbas), Chicago White Stockings (Colts, Orphans), Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Spiders, Louisville Colonels, New York Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Browns (Perfectos 1899) and Washington Senators.
    • The demise of the American Association results in Baltimore, Louisville, St. Louis and Washington joining the league. The league now has 12 teams and will have the same alignment of cities for 8 seasons - its first extended period of franchise stability. St. Louis is the ancestor of today's St. Louis Cardinals.
  • March 8, 1900-March 18, 1953:
    • Boston Beaneaters (Doves, Rustlers, Braves and Bees), Brooklyn Superbas (Dodgers and Robins), Chicago Orphans (Cubs in 1902), Cincinnati Reds, New York Giants, Philadelphia Phillies (Blue Jays), Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals.
    • Baltimore, Cleveland, Louisville and Washington are contracted from the league which goes back to 8 teams. Until 1953, these 8 teams will remain in the same cities, although some team names will change.
  • October 17, 1960-January 1, 1966:
    • Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Colt .45s (Astros in 1965), Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Braves, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants.
    • The expansion of 1962 adds teams in Houston and New York, bringing the number of teams to 10. The two new teams started play in 1962, even if they were created and added to the league a year earlier.
  • January 1, 1966-May 27, 1968:
    • Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants.
    • The Milwaukee Braves relocate to Atlanta.
  • May 27, 1968-July 5, 1991:
    • Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Montréal Expos, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants.
    • The expansion of 1969 adds teams in Montréal and San Diego, who will begin play in 1969. The league now has 12 teams, split into two divisions. Chicago, Montréal, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and St. Louis form the Eastern Division and Atlanta, Cincinnati, Houston, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco form the Western Division.
  • July 5, 1991-March 9, 1995:
    • Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Montréal Expos, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants.
    • The expansion of 1993 adds teams in Colorado and Florida, bringing membership to 14 teams; both teams will begin play in 1993. Florida will join the NL East and Colorado the NL West, but there will be three divisions starting in 1994, with the creation of the Central Division.
  • March 9, 1995-November 6, 1997:
    • Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Montréal Expos, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants.
    • Arizona joins through the expansion of 1998 but will not begin play until 1998.
  • November 6, 1997-November 22, 2004:
    • Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Montréal Expos, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants.
    • After the rejection of Radical Realignment, for the first time in 105 years, 10 months and 20 days, a baseball team, the Milwaukee Brewers, moves from one major league to another. This ensures both leagues have an even number of teams. The National League now has 16 teams, split among three divisions.
  • November 22, 2004-December 31, 2012:
    • Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins (became Miami Marlins in 2012), Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals
    • The Montréal Expos relocate to Washington
  • January 1, 2013-Present:
    • Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals.
    • 15 years and 26 days after Milwaukee moved to the National League, the Houston Astros move to the American League. For the first time since 1997, both leagues have the same number of teams, 15.

See also[edit]

Further Reading[edit]

  • Ed Coen: "Setting the Record Straight on Major League team Nicknames", in Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Volume 48 Number 2, Fall 2019, pp. 67-75.

Related Sites[edit]

Retrieved from "https://www.baseball-reference.com/bpv/index.php?title=National_League_team_history&oldid=1149423"