The Major League Baseball (MLB) is the oldest professional sports league in the United States. It began in 1876, when the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs was established. Throughout its history, the MLB has gone through several changes, including the number of teams. In 1963, the MLB included 20 teams in two leagues. In this article, we will take a look at how many MLB teams there were in 1963.
How Many MLB Teams Were There in 1963?
In 1963, there were 20 teams in the MLB, all of which were divided into two leagues. The two leagues were the National League (NL) and the American League (AL). The NL had 10 teams, while the AL had 10 teams as well. The teams were the following:
National League
- Atlanta Braves
- Chicago Cubs
- Cincinnati Reds
- Houston Colt .45s
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Milwaukee Braves
- New York Mets
- Philadelphia Phillies
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- St. Louis Cardinals
American League
- Baltimore Orioles
- Boston Red Sox
- Chicago White Sox
- Cleveland Indians
- Detroit Tigers
- Kansas City Athletics
- Los Angeles Angels
- Minnesota Twins
- New York Yankees
- Washington Senators
MLB History
The MLB has a long history that dates back to 1876, when the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs was established. The National League was the first professional baseball league in the United States.
In 1901, the American League was formed, and the two leagues competed against each other for players, fans, and titles. This competition between the two leagues eventually led to the World Series, which is a championship game between the two leagues that is played every year.
Over the years, the number of teams in the MLB has changed. In 1962, the New York Mets and the Houston Colt .45s joined the MLB, bringing the number of teams to 20.
MLB Expansion
The MLB has seen several expansions over the years. In 1969, the Montreal Expos and the San Diego Padres joined the league, bringing the total number of teams to 24. In 1977, two more teams were added, the Seattle Mariners and the Toronto Blue Jays.
In 1993, the Colorado Rockies and the Florida Marlins joined the MLB. In 1998, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Rays joined the league.
In 2012, the Houston Astros moved from the NL to the AL, increasing the number of teams in the MLB to 30. The most recent expansion was in 2017, when the Miami Marlins and the San Diego Padres joined the league.
MLB Reorganization
In 1994, the MLB underwent a major reorganization. The National League and the American League were restructured into three divisions, with the addition of a third division in each league.
The National League was divided into the East, Central, and West divisions. The American League was divided into the East, Central, and West divisions as well.
The reorganization also saw the creation of the Wild Card system, which allowed teams from different divisions to compete against each other for the playoffs.
MLB Playoffs
The MLB playoffs are a series of games that take place between the teams that finish in first or second place in their respective divisions. The playoffs are a single-elimination tournament, and the winner of the tournament is crowned the World Series champion.
The MLB playoffs are divided into two rounds, the Division Series and the Championship Series. The Division Series is a best-of-five series, while the Championship Series is a best-of-seven series.
The winner of the Championship Series advances to the World Series, which is a best-of-seven series that is played between the winners of the National League and the American League.
MLB All-Star Game
The MLB All-Star Game is an annual exhibition game that takes place between the best players from the National League and the American League. The game is usually held in July, and the winner of the game is awarded the Commissioner’s Trophy.
The All-Star Game is also used to determine home-field advantage in the World Series. The team that wins the All-Star Game is given home-field advantage in the World Series, regardless of which team has the better regular-season record.
MLB All-Star Teams
In addition to the All-Star Game, the MLB also has All-Star teams for each league. The teams are composed of the best players from each team in the league.
The All-Star teams are divided into the National League and the American League. Each team has 25 players, with 15 pitchers and 10 position players.
Conclusion
In conclusion, in 1963 there were 20 teams in the MLB, all of which were divided into two leagues. The National League had 10 teams, while the American League had 10 teams as well. The teams were the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Colt .45s, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Braves, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, and St. Louis Cardinals in the National League, and the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Athletics, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, and Washington Senators in the American League.
Since 1963, the MLB has seen several expansions and reorganizations, and the number of teams has increased to 30. The MLB playoffs are a single-elimination tournament, and the winner of the tournament is crowned the World Series champion. The MLB also has an All-Star Game and All-Star teams for each league.