List of American Association (1902–1997) champions explained

The American Association was a Minor League Baseball league that operated in the United States from 1902 to 1962 and from 1969 to 1997. A champion was determined at the end of each season.

From 1902 to 1932 and in 1935, champions were the regular-season pennant winners—the team with the best win–loss record at the conclusion of the regular season. In 1933 and 1934, the top two teams competed in a postseason series to determine a champion. The Shaughnessy playoff system, in which the top four teams qualified for postseason play, was adopted from 1936 to 1962. The American Association dissolved after the 1962 season, but it was reorganized in 1969. After crowning that year's pennant winner as champion, it divided its teams into two divisions, and the division champions played for the league title from 1970 to 1980. A variety of postseason playoff formats were used over the next 17 seasons before the league disbanded for a final time following the 1997 campaign.

The Louisville Colonels won 15 American Association championships, more than any other team, followed by the Indianapolis Indians (12); the Columbus Red Birds (10); the Minneapolis Millers (9); the St. Paul Saints (8); the Denver Zephyrs (7); the Kansas City Blues (6); the Milwaukee Brewers (5); the Omaha Royals (4); the Evansville Triplets and Louisville Redbirds (3); the Oklahoma City 89ers and Tulsa Oilers (2); and the Buffalo Bisons, Iowa Cubs, Springfield Redbirds, and Toledo Mud Hens (1).

History

The American Association, which was founded in 1902,^[1] determined a league champion at the end of each season. Champions from 1902 to 1932 were simply the regular-season pennant winners—the team with the best win–loss record at the conclusion of the regular championship season. The first league champions were the Indianapolis Indians, who won by two games over the Louisville Colonels in 1902.^[2]

The first championship playoffs were held in 1933.^[3] The top two teams, based on winning percentage, competed for the championship in a best-of-seven series. The first playoff championship was won by the Columbus Red Birds, who defeated the Minneapolis Millers, 4–2, in 1933.^[3] Similar playoffs were held in 1934, but the league returned to recognizing the regular-season pennant winner as champion in 1935.^[3]

The American Association adopted the Shaughnessy playoff system in 1936. Under this expanded playoff format, the four teams with the highest winning percentage competed for the championship.^[4] From 1936 to 1962, the first round typically consisted of a series between the first and third-place teams and a series between the second and fourth-place teams, though other seedings were occasionally used. The winners of these semifinals then faced one another for the championship. With few exceptions, each series during this period was the best-of-seven games. The first four-team playoff was won in 1936 by the Milwaukee Brewers, who defeated Indianapolis, 4–1.^[3]

The circuit disbanded after the 1962 season, but was reorganized for 1969.^[1] The first champions in this second iteration of the league were the regular-season pennant winners.^[3] The Omaha Royals won by virtue of a six-game lead over the Tulsa Oilers.^[5] The American Association divided its teams into two divisions, East and West, in 1970. From 1970 to 1980, the winners of each division met in a best-of-seven series (sometimes five) to determine a champion.^[3]

Across the league's last 17 seasons, 1981 to 1997, three different postseason formats were utilized. Some seasons ended with the East and West Division champions facing off in a single round. Some saw wild card berths awarded to the second-place team from each division. After a series between the division champions and a series between the wild card teams, the winners would play for the league championship. Still in others, the league played without divisions, and the top four teams qualified for the playoffs. In these scenarios, the first round consisted of a series between the first and fourth-place teams and between the second and third-place teams, with the winners competing for the league title.^[3] Most rounds during this period were best-of-five series, though some final rounds and fewer semifinals were sometimes the best-of-seven. The circuit permanently disbanded after the 1997 season.^[1] The final American Association championship was won by the Buffalo Bisons, who defeated the Iowa Cubs, 3–0.^[3]

Champions

Pre-playoff champions (1902–1932)

Record

Regular-season win–loss record
GA	Games ahead of the second-place team

Year!scope="col"

Champion	Record		Runner-up
1902	Indianapolis Indians	96–45
1903	St. Paul Apostles	88–46			^[6]
1904	St. Paul Apostles	95–52			^[7]
1905	Columbus Senators	100–52			^[8]
1906	Columbus Senators	91–57			^[9]
1907	Columbus Senators	90–64			^[10]
1908	Indianapolis Indians	92–61			^[11]
1909	Louisville Colonels	93–75			^[12]
1910	Minneapolis Millers	107–61			^[13]
1911	Minneapolis Millers	99–66			^[14]
1912	Minneapolis Millers	105–60			^[15]
1913	Milwaukee Brewers	100–67			^[16]
1914	Milwaukee Brewers	98–68			^[17]
1915	Minneapolis Millers	92–62			^[18]
1916	Louisville Colonels	101–66			^[19]
1917	Indianapolis Indians	90–63			^[20]
1918	Kansas City Blues	43–30			^[21]
1919	St. Paul Saints	94–60			^[22]
1920	St. Paul Saints	115–49			^[23]
1921	Louisville Colonels	98–70			^[24]
1922	St. Paul Saints	107–60			^[25]
1923	Kansas City Blues	112–54			^[26]
1924	St. Paul Saints	96–70			^[27]
1925	Louisville Colonels	106–61			^[28]
1926	Louisville Colonels	105–62			^[29]
1927	Toledo Mud Hens	101–67			^[30]
1928	Indianapolis Indians	99–68			^[31]
1929	Kansas City Blues	111–56			^[32]
1930	Louisville Colonels	93–60			^[33]
1931	St. Paul Saints	104–63			^[34]
1932	Minneapolis Millers	100–68			^[35]

Playoff era champions (1933–1962, 1969–1997)

Score

Score of the championship series
P	Regular-season pennant winner
E	East Division winner
W	West Division winner

Year!scope="col"

Champion	Score	Runner-up	Other playoff teams
1933		4–2		—	^[36]
1934		4–3		—	^[37]
1935		—		—	^[38]
1936		4–1			^[39]
1937		4–2			^[40]
1938	Kansas City Blues	4–3			^[41]
1939		4–1			^[42]
1940		4–2			^[43]
1941		4–1			^[44]
1942		4–0			^[45]
1943		3–0			^[46]
1944		4–0			^[47]
1945		4–2			^[48]
1946		4–0			^[49]
1947		4–3			^[50]
1948	St. Paul Saints	4–3			^[51]
1949		4–3			^[52]
1950		4–3			^[53]
1951		4–2			^[54]
1952	Kansas City Blues	4–3			^[55]
1953	Kansas City Blues	4–3			^[56]
1954		4–1			^[57]
1955		4–0			^[58]
1956		4–0			^[59]
1957		4–2			^[60]
1958		4–0			^[61]
1959		4–3			^[62]
1960		4–2			^[63]
1961		4–2			^[64]
1962		4–2			^[65]
1969		—		—
1970		4–1		—	^[66]
1971		4–3		—	^[67]
1972	Evansville Triplets	3–0		—	^[68]
1973	Tulsa Oilers	4–3		—	^[69]
1974	Tulsa Oilers	4–3		—	^[70]
1975	Evansville Triplets	4–2		—	^[71]
1976		4–2		—	^[72]
1977		4–2		—	^[73]
1978		4–1		—	^[74]
1979	Evansville Triplets	4–2		—	^[75]
1980	Springfield Redbirds	4–1		—	^[76]
1981		4–0			^[77]
1982		4–2		—	^[78]
1983		4–0			^[79]
1984		4–1			^[80]
1985		4–1		—	^[81]
1986		4–3		—	^[82]
1987		4–1			^[83]
1988		3–1		—	^[84]
1989		3–2		—	^[85]
1990		3–2		—	^[86]
1991	Denver Zephyrs	3–2		—	^[87]
1992		4–0		—	^[88]
1993	Iowa Cubs	4–3		—	^[89]
1994		3–1			^[90]
1995		3–2			^[91]
1996		3–1			^[92]
1997	Buffalo Bisons	3–0			^[93]

Wins by team

Team	Wins	Year(s)
Louisville Colonels	15	1909, 1916, 1921, 1925, 1926, 1930, 1939, 1940, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1954, 1960, 1961, 1962
Indianapolis Indians	12	1902, 1908, 1917, 1928, 1949, 1956, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994
Columbus Red Birds (Columbus Senators)	10	1905, 1906, 1907, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1950
Minneapolis Millers	9	1910, 1911, 1912, 1915, 1932, 1935, 1955, 1958, 1959
St. Paul Saints (St. Paul Apostles)	8	1903, 1904, 1919, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1931, 1948
Denver Zephyrs (Denver Bears)	7	1957, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1991
Kansas City Blues	6	1918, 1923, 1929, 1938, 1952, 1953
Milwaukee Brewers	5	1913, 1914, 1936, 1947, 1951
Omaha Royals	4	1969, 1970, 1978, 1990
Evansville Triplets	3	1972, 1975, 1979
Louisville Redbirds		1984, 1985, 1995
Oklahoma City 89ers	2	1992, 1996
Tulsa Oilers		1973, 1974
Buffalo Bisons	1	1997
Iowa Cubs		1993
Springfield Redbirds		1980
Toledo Mud Hens		1927

See also

• List of International League champions
• List of Pacific Coast League champions

References

Specific

General

• Web site: American Association Playoff Results. Triple-A Baseball. June 6, 2022. unfit. https://web.archive.org/web/20210228135223/http://www.tripleabaseball.com/PostSeasonAA.jsp. February 28, 2021.
• Book: O'Neal, Bill . 1991 . The American Association: A Baseball History, 1902–1991 . Eakin Press . 0-89015-812-6 . 352–363.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Notable Events in American Association History. Triple-A Baseball. June 5, 2022. unfit. https://web.archive.org/web/20210414185147/https://www.triple-abaseball.com/AATimeline.jsp. April 14, 2021.
2. Web site: 1902 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
3. Web site: American Association Playoff Results. Triple-A Baseball. June 6, 2022. unfit. https://web.archive.org/web/20210228135223/http://www.tripleabaseball.com/PostSeasonAA.jsp. February 28, 2021.
4. News: A. A. Playoff May Be All-Western Affair. The Minneapolis Star. Minneapolis. July 28, 1936. 16. Newspapers.com.
5. Web site: 1969 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
6. Web site: 1903 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
7. Web site: 1904 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
8. Web site: 1905 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
9. Web site: 1906 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
10. Web site: 1907 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
11. Web site: 1908 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
12. Web site: 1909 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
13. Web site: 1910 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
14. Web site: 1911 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
15. Web site: 1912 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
16. Web site: 1913 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
17. Web site: 1914 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
18. Web site: 1915 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
19. Web site: 1916 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
20. Web site: 1917 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
21. Web site: 1918 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
22. Web site: 1919 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
23. Web site: 1920 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
24. Web site: 1921 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
25. Web site: 1922 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
26. Web site: 1923 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
27. Web site: 1924 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
28. Web site: 1925 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
29. Web site: 1926 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
30. Web site: 1927 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
31. Web site: 1928 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
32. Web site: 1929 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
33. Web site: 1930 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
34. Web site: 1931 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
35. Web site: 1932 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
36. Web site: 1933 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
37. Web site: 1934 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
38. Web site: 1935 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
39. Web site: 1936 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
40. Web site: 1937 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
41. Web site: 1938 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
42. Web site: 1939 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
43. Web site: 1940 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
44. Web site: 1941 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
45. Web site: 1942 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
46. Web site: 1943 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
47. Web site: 1944 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
48. Web site: 1945 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
49. Web site: 1946 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
50. Web site: 1947 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
51. Web site: 1948 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
52. Web site: 1949 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
53. Web site: 1950 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
54. Web site: 1951 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
55. Web site: 1952 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
56. Web site: 1953 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
57. Web site: 1954 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
58. Web site: 1955 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
59. Web site: 1956 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
60. Web site: 1957 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
61. Web site: 1958 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
62. Web site: 1959 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
63. Web site: 1960 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
64. Web site: 1961 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
65. Web site: 1962 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
66. Web site: 1970 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
67. Web site: 1971 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
68. Web site: 1972 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
69. Web site: 1973 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
70. Web site: 1974 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
71. Web site: 1975 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
72. Web site: 1976 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
73. Web site: 1977 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
74. Web site: 1978 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
75. Web site: 1979 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
76. Web site: 1980 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
77. Web site: 1981 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
78. Web site: 1982 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
79. Web site: 1983 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
80. Web site: 1984 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
81. Web site: 1985 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
82. Web site: 1986 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
83. Web site: 1987 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
84. Web site: 1988 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
85. Web site: 1989 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
86. Web site: 1990 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
87. Web site: 1991 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
88. News: Baseball. The Courier-Journal. Louisville. September 13, 1992. C 2. Newspapers.com.
89. Web site: 1993 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
90. Web site: 1994 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
91. Web site: 1995 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
92. Web site: 1996 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.
93. Web site: 1997 American Association. Stats Crew. June 5, 2022.