July 10, 1968 – The National League of Major League Baseball announced that it would split into 2 divisions of six teams each for the 1969 season. The decision came after the American League separated its teams into divisions in a similar fashion. Warren Giles, President of the NL stated that New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, St Louis, and the expansion team from Montreal would comprise one group. At the same time, San Francisco, LA, San Diego, Cincinnati, Houston, and Atlanta would round out group 2.
As a compromise, the American League increased their scheduled games to 162 from 156 to match the NL so that consistency would be between the two opposing Leagues. The NL would move to three geographical divisions in 1994 as the Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins had been recently added and the Milwaukee Brewers moved over from the AL.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
My Book 10-Year Anniversary (NFL in the 1970s)
In 2008, I decided to write a book. I wanted this book to be
How Premier League football has become a hit with US fans
Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Arsenal in April 2026 became the most-watched Premier League
Every Generation Thinks It Has Finally Cleaned Up The Game
Eight Chicago White Sox players threw the 1919 World Series, and baseball responded by
NBA Gambling Scandal Timeline: Every Case, 1951–2026
Every major NBA gambling scandal has followed the same sequence: unusual money moves, someone
Top 10 Overall Number One Draft Picks – NBA and ABA
Welcome to the Total Sports Recall podcast as on this episode we move to
How Does Luis de la Fuente’s Spain Compare to the 2010 World Cup Winners?
Spain are world champions again. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in extra-time as
1970s Rivalry (Pittsburgh Steelers v. Dallas Cowboys)
The Pittsburgh Steelers, then known as the Pittsburgh Pirates, joined the NFL in 1933.
Could the Heartland Support Another Women’s Professional Basketball League?
Every great idea begins with a simple question. What if? What if another women’s
