National League (1876-1999)

The National League was a major professional baseball league in the United States and Canada. The league was founded in 1876 with eight teams in the United States. The league was renamed in 1892 the National League and American Association after absorbing the American Association. The league was renamed the National League in 1904. The league had since expanded to 16 teams in the United States and Canada by the time of its merger with the American League to form Major League Baseball in 2000.

Map

Final Teams (1999)

DivisionTeamVenueMunicipality
Central DivisionChicago CubsWrigley FieldChicago
Cincinnati RedsRiverfront StadiumCincinnati
Houston AstrosAstrodomeHouston
Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee County StadiumMilwaukee
Pittsburgh PiratesThree Rivers StadiumPittsburgh
St. Louis CardinalsBusch Memorial StadiumSt. Louis
Eastern DivisionAtlanta BravesCenter Parc StadiumAtlanta
Expos de MontréalStade olympiqueMontréal
Florida MarlinsHard Rock StadiumMiami Gardens, Florida
New York MetsShea StadiumQueens, New York
Philadelphia PhilliesVeterans StadiumPhiladelphia
Western DivisionArizona DiamondbacksChase FieldPhoenix
Colorado RockiesCoors FieldDenver
Los Angeles DodgersDodger StadiumLos Angeles
San Diego PadresSan Diego StadiumSan Diego
San Francisco GiantsCandlestick ParkSan Francisco

Franchise Histories

  • Boston Red Stockings (1876-1879) from National Association → Boston Beaneaters (1880-1906) → Boston Doves (1907-1910) → Boston Rustlers (1911) → Boston Braves (1912-1935) → Boston Bees (1936-mid-season 1941) → Boston Braves (mid-season 1941-1952) → Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965) → Atlanta Braves (1966-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • Chicago White Stockings (1876-1887) from National Association → Chicago Black Stockings (1888-1889) → Chicago Colts (1890-1900) → Chicago Cubs (1901-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • Cincinnati Red Stockings (1876-mid-season 1877) → Suspended operations (mid-season 1877-mid-season 1877) → Cincinnati Red Stockings (mid-season 1877-1877) → Suspended operations (1878-DNP) → Cincinnati Red Stockings (1878-1879)
  • Hartford Dark Blues (1876) from National Association → Brooklyn Hartfords (1877)
  • Louisville Grays (1876-1877)
  • New York Mutuals (1876) from National Association
  • Philadelphia Athletics (1876) from National Association
  • St. Louis Browns (1876-1877) from National Association → Suspended operations until 1882 and transferred to American Association → St. Louis Browns (1892-1900) from American Association → St. Louis Cardinals (1901-1904) → St. Louis Maroons (1905) → St. Louis Cardinals (1906-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • Indianapolis Blues (1878)
  • Milwaukee Grays (1878)
  • Providence Grays (1878-1885)
  • Buffalo Bisons (1879-1885)
  • Cleveland Blues (1879-1884)
  • Syracuse Stars (1879-mid-season 1879)
  • Troy Trojans (1879-1882) → New York Gothams (1883-1884) → New York Giants (1885-1888) → New York Nadjies (1889) → New York Giants (1890-1957) → San Francisco Giants (1958-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • Cincinnati Stars (1880)
  • Worcester Rugby Legs (1880-1882) → Philadelphia Phillies (1883-1909) → Philadelphia Live Wires (1910) → Philadelphia Phillies (1911-1941) → Philadelphia Phils (1942) → Philadelphia Phillies (1943-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • Detroit Wolverines (1881-1888)
  • St. Louis Maroons (1885-1886) from Union Association → Indianapolis Hoosiers (1887-1889)
  • Kansas City Cowboys (1886)
  • Washington Senators (1886-1889)
  • Pittsburgh Alleghenys (1887-1890) from American Association → Pittsburgh Pirates (1891-mid-season 1891) → Pittsburg Pirates (mid-season 1891-1902) → Pittsburg Buccaneers (1903) → Pittsburgh Pirates (1904-mid-season 1911) → Pittsburgh Pirates (mid-season 1911-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • Cleveland Spiders (1889) from American Association → Cleveland Kids (1890) → Cleveland Spiders (1891-1899)
  • Brooklyn Bridegrooms (1890) from American Association → Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers (1891) → Brooklyn Bridegrooms (1892-1907) → Brooklyn Dodgers (1908-1910) → Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers (1911-1913) → Brooklyn Robins (1914-1931) → Brooklyn Dodgers (1932-1957) → Los Angeles Dodgers (1958-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • Cincinnati Reds (1890-1952) from American Association → Cincinnati Redlegs (1953-1958) → Cincinnati Reds (1959-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • Baltimore Orioles (1892-1899) from American Association
  • Louisville Colonels (1892-1899) from American Association
  • Washington Senators (1892-1999) from American Association
  • Houston Colt .45s (1962-1964) → Houston Astros (1965-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • New York Mets (1962-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • Expos de Montréal (1969-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • San Diego Padres (1969-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • Colorado Rockies (1993-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • Florida Marlins (1993-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • Arizona Diamondbacks (1998-1999) → Transferred to Major League Baseball
  • Milwaukee Brewers (1998-1999) from American League → Transferred to Major League Baseball

Seasons and Champions

SeasonNational League Championship
1876Chicago White Stockings
1877Boston Red Stockings
1878Boston Red Stockings
1879Providence Grays
1880Chicago White Stockings
1881Chicago White Stockings
1882Chicago White Stockings
1883Boston Beaneaters
1884Providence Grays
1885Chicago White Stockings
1886Chicago White Stockings
1887Detroit Wolverines
1888New York Giants
1889New York Nadjies
1890Brooklyn Bridegrooms
1891Boston Beaneaters
1892Boston Beaneaters 5-0-1 Cleveland Spiders (best-of-nine)
1893Boston Beaneaters
1894Baltimore Orioles
1895Baltimore Orioles
1896Baltimore Orioles
1897Boston Beaneaters
1898Boston Beaneaters
1899Brooklyn Bridegrooms
1900Brooklyn Bridegrooms
1901Pittsburg Pirates
1902Pittsburg Pirates
1903Pittsburg Buccaneers
1904New York Giants
1905New York Giants
1906Chicago Cubs
1907Chicago Cubs
1908Chicago Cubs
1909Pittsburg Pirates
1910Chicago Cubs
1911New York Giants
1912New York Giants
1913New York Giants
1914Boston Braves
1915Philadelphia Phillies
1916Brooklyn Robins
1917New York Giants
1918Chicago Cubs
1919Cincinnati Reds
1920Brooklyn Robins
1921New York Giants
1922New York Giants
1923New York Giants
1924New York Giants
1925Pittsburgh Pirates
1926St. Louis Cardinals
1927Pittsburgh Pirates
1928St. Louis Cardinals
1929Chicago Cubs
1930St. Louis Cardinals
1931St. Louis Cardinals
1932Chicago Cubs
1933New York Giants
1934St. Louis Cardinals
1935Chicago Cubs
1936New York Giants
1937New York Giants
1938Chicago Cubs
1939Cincinnati Reds
1940Cincinnati Reds
1941Brooklyn Dodgers
1942St. Louis Cardinals
1943St. Louis Cardinals
1944St. Louis Cardinals
1945Chicago Cubs
1946St. Louis Cardinals after tiebreaker:
St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 Brooklyn Dodgers (best-of-three)
1947Brooklyn Dodgers
1948Boston Braves
1949Brooklyn Dodgers
1950Philadelphia Phillies
1951New York Giants after tiebreaker:
New York Giants 2-1 Brooklyn Dodgers (best-of-three)
1952Brooklyn Dodgers
1953Brooklyn Dodgers
1954New York Giants
1955Brooklyn Dodgers
1956Brooklyn Dodgers
1957Milwaukee Braves
1958Milwaukee Braves
1959Los Angeles Dodgers after tiebreaker:
Los Angeles Dodgers 2-0 Milwaukee Braves (best-of-three)
1960Pittsburgh Pirates
1961Cincinnati Reds
1962San Francisco Giants after tiebreaker:
San Francisco Giants 2-1 Los Angeles Dodgers (best-of-three)
1963Los Angeles Dodgers
1964St. Louis Cardinals
1965Los Angeles Dodgers
1966Los Angeles Dodgers
1967St. Louis Cardinals
1968St. Louis Cardinals
1969New York Mets 3-0 Atlanta Braves (best-of-five)
1970Cincinnati Reds 3-0 Pittsburgh Pirates (best-of-five)
1971Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 San Francisco Giants (best-of-five)
1972Cincinnati Reds 3-2 Pittsburgh Pirates (best-of-five)
1973New York Mets 3-2 Cincinnati Reds (best-of-five)
1974Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 Pittsburgh Pirates (best-of-five)
1975Cincinnati Reds 3-0 Pittsburgh Pirates (best-of-five)
1976Cincinnati Reds 3-0 Philadelphia Phillies (best-of-five)
1977Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 Philadelphia Phillies (best-of-five)
1978Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 Philadelphia Phillies (best-of-five)
1979Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0 Cincinnati Reds (best-of-five)
1980Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 Houston Astros (best-of-five)
1981Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 Expos de Montréal (best-of-five)
1982St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 Atlanta Braves (best-of-five)
1983Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 Los Angeles Dodgers (best-of-five)
1984San Diego Padres 3-2 Chicago Cubs (best-of-five)
1985St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 Los Angeles Dodgers (best-of-seven)
1986New York Mets 4-2 Houston Astros (best-of-seven)
1987St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 San Francisco Giants (best-of-seven)
1988Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 New York Mets (best-of-seven)
1989San Francisco Giants 4-1 Chicago Cubs (best-of-seven)
1990Cincinnati Reds 4-2 Pittsburgh Pirates (best-of-seven)
1991Atlanta Braves 4-3 Pittsburgh Pirates (best-of-seven)
1992Atlanta Braves 4-3 Pittsburgh Pirates (best-of-seven)
1993Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 Atlanta Braves (best-of-seven)
1994Season not finished (best record: Expos de Montréal 74-40)
1995Atlanta Braves 4-0 Cincinnati Reds (best-of-seven)
1996Atlanta Braves 4-3 St. Louis Cardinals (best-of-seven)
1997Florida Marlins 4-2 Atlanta Braves (best-of-seven)
1998San Diego Padres 4-2 Atlanta Braves (best-of-seven)
1999Atlanta Braves 4-2 New York Mets (best-of-seven)

Temple Cup Champions

SeasonTemple Cup Championship
1894New York Giants 4-0 Baltimore Orioles (best-of-seven)
1895Cleveland Spiders 4-1 Baltimore Orioles (best-of-seven)
1896Baltimore Orioles 4-0 Cleveland Spiders (best-of-seven)
1897Baltimore Orioles 4-1 Boston Beaneaters (best-of-seven)

Chronicle-Telegraph Cup Champions

SeasonChronicle-Telegraph Cup Championship
1900Brooklyn Bridegrooms 3-1 Pittsburg Pirates (best-of-five)