The Northwest League of Professional Baseball (or simply the Northwest League or NWL) is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 (with time out for WWII) and class A from 1952-1954. The league changed its name and dropped back down to class B for the 1955 season.
The Northwest League (or the Northwestern League) has existed in various forms since 1901, and has been in its current incarnation since 1955.
The original seven charter teams were the Salem Senators, Eugene Emeralds, Yakima Bears, Spokane Indians, Tri-City Braves, Wenatchee Chiefs, and the Lewiston Broncs. At the time of its 50th anniversary season in 2004, five of the seven original cities were still in the league.
The league is classified as a Short-Season A league, which means that its season does not start until June, after major-league teams have signed their amateur draft picks to professional contracts, and ends in September. It has eight teams, each of which is associated with an MLB team.
Read more about Northwest League: Current Teams, Former Northwest League Teams (1955-), Notable Alumni
Famous quotes containing the words northwest and/or league:
“I got my first clear view of Ktaadn, on this excursion, from a hill about two miles northwest of Bangor, whither I went for this purpose. After this I was ready to return to Massachusetts.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“I am not impressed by the Ivy League establishments. Of course they graduate the best—it’s all they’ll take, leaving to others the problem of educating the country. They will give you an education the way the banks will give you money—provided you can prove to their satisfaction that you don’t need it.”
—Peter De Vries (b. 1910)