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
Bracket Busters: Upsets to Watch in March Madness
As the calendar flips to March, college basketball fans brace themselves for the annual
The Story of the 1967 Los Angeles Rams
From 1956 to 1965, the LA Rams were not a good football team, posting
Great Wide Receivers From The 70s Before the 1978 Rule Change
Pro football has provided a showcase for the many different wide receivers who buckled
In The Beginning: An Interview With Joseph T. Sternaman
And, you may ask, who is Joseph T. Sternaman? Sternaman was more commonly known
Michael Jordan: Domination Through March Madness
Widely regarded as the greatest basketball player ever, Michael Jordan first captivated fans across
Triumph and Tragedy: The 1936 Olympics in Berlin
In the annals of Olympic history, few editions have been as impactful and controversial
The Pine Tar Incident: George Brett’s Legendary Home Run
The Pine Tar Game stands as a monumental moment in baseball history, encapsulating the
NCAA’s Men’s Basketball Teams With Perfect Records (A Brief Overview)
The quest for perfection in college basketball has been an elusive one. Since Bill