Baseball - Expansion, Integration, Steroids

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This period also was marked by new efforts by players to obtain better pay and conditions of employment. A portent of things to come was the formation in 1946 of the American Baseball Guild. 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class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/baseball">baseball</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/sports/baseball">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref229944"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball#ref229944">A national pastime</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref30429"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/History">History</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref30430"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/History#ref30430">Origin</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref30431"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/History#ref30431">Early years</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref30432"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/History#ref30432">Professional baseball</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30433"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/League-formation">League formation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30434"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/League-formation#ref30434">Survival and growth</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30435"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/The-postwar-period">The postwar period</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30436"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/The-postwar-period#ref30436">Movement and expansion</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30437"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/The-minor-leagues">The minor leagues</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229945"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/The-minor-leagues#ref229945">Labor issues</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30440"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/The-minor-leagues#ref30440">Rise of the players</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref229946"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Black-players-in-baseball">Black players in baseball</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229947"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Black-players-in-baseball#ref229947">Segregation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229948"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Integration">Integration</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref229949"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Integration#ref229949">Women in baseball</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref30443"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Amateur-baseball">Amateur baseball</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref30442"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Amateur-baseball#ref30442">Baseball abroad</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229950"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Amateur-baseball#ref229950">Baseball in Latin America</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229951"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Amateur-baseball#ref229951">Baseball in Asia and the Pacific</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229952"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Amateur-baseball#ref229952">European baseball</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229953"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Amateur-baseball#ref229953">International competition</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref229954"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Analyzing-baseball">Analyzing baseball</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref229955"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Analyzing-baseball#ref229955">The scorecard</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref229956"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Analyzing-baseball#ref229956">Records and statistics</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref229957"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Awards">Awards</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref229958"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Awards#ref229958">Fantasy baseball</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref30444"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Awards#ref30444">Play of the game</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref30445"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Awards#ref30445">Field of play and equipment</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229959"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Awards#ref229959">Grounds</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30446"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Awards#ref30446">The ball and bat</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30447"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves">Gloves</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30448"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref30448">Protective gear</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref229960"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref229960">Umpires</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref30450"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref30450">Principles of play</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30451" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref30451">Offense</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref30460"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref30460">The batting order</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref229961"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref229961">Getting on base</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref229962"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref229962">Advancing base runners and scoring</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref30461"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref30461">Substitutions</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30462" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref30462">Defense</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref30467"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref30467">Defensive positions</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref30468"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Outfielders">Outfielders</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref30469"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Outfielders#ref30469">Infielders</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref30470"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Outfielders#ref30470">The battery</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref229963"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Outfielders#ref229963">Outs</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref229964"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Outfielders#ref229964">The putout</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref229965"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Outfielders#ref229965">The force play</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref30471"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Pitching">Pitching</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref30474"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Pitching#ref30474">The pitching repertoire</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref229966"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Pitching#ref229966">Pitching with men on base</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref229967"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Pitching#ref229967">Substitutions</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref229968"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Baseball-and-the-arts">Baseball and the arts</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref302559"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/World-Series-results">World Series results</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref302560"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" 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Editor of the <i>Writing Baseball</i> series. Author of <i>Extra Innings: Writing on Baseball</i> and <i>The Pirates Reader.</i></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Richard Frank Peterson</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Robert-W-Peterson/5782" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Robert W. Peterson</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Author of <em>Only the Ball Was White: A History of Legendary Black Players and All-Black Professional Teams.</em></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Robert W. 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They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-02-12T00:00:00CST" >Feb 12, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/baseball/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm 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content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/54751/1f2e4d35165331544858e9dd45306ffa" rel="nofollow">Baseball welcomes another season, with most pitchers and catchers reporting Wednesday</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 12, 2025, 6:59 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="3" id="ref30435">  <span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="9163" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/7064-004-419FCDAB/Roy-Campanella-Jack-Lohrke-Brooklyn-Dodgers-New-1950.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/54751/9163"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/7064-004-419FCDAB/Roy-Campanella-Jack-Lohrke-Brooklyn-Dodgers-New-1950.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/7064-004-419FCDAB/Roy-Campanella-Jack-Lohrke-Brooklyn-Dodgers-New-1950.jpg?w=300" alt="Roy Campanella and Jack Lohrke" data-width="318" data-height="300" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/7064-004-419FCDAB/Roy-Campanella-Jack-Lohrke-Brooklyn-Dodgers-New-1950.jpg" data-href="/media/1/54751/9163">Roy Campanella and Jack Lohrke</a><span>Roy Campanella of the Brooklyn Dodgers tagging out Jack Lohrke of the New York Giants, 1950.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The years following the conclusion of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-II" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">World War II</a> were marked by rising attendance, the growth of the minor leagues, and in 1947 the racial <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="integration" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/integration" data-type="MW">integration</a> of the game (for more on the integration of baseball, <em>see</em> Black players in baseball, below). This period also was marked by new efforts by players to obtain better pay and conditions of employment. A portent of things to come was the formation in 1946 of the <span id="ref402545"></span>American Baseball Guild. Although the guild failed in appeals to national and state labor relations boards, its very existence led to reforms before the 1947 season: a minimum major league salary of $5,000, no salary cuts during a season for a major league player moved to the minors, weekly spring-training expense money of $25, a 25 percent limit on annual salary cuts, and establishment of a players’ pension fund.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="170294" data-asm-type="video"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="video" video-id="160012"><a data-id="160012" class="gtm-assembly-link d-flex justify-content-center" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9" href="/video/Newsreel-footage-Major-League-Baseball-All-Star-Game-1955/-170294"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/12/160012-138-F40D0329/Newsreel-footage-Major-League-Baseball-All-Star-Game-1955.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop" alt="What were the highlights of the 1955 Major League Baseball All-Star Game?" loading="lazy"><script type="application/json"> { "sources": [ { "file" : "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/FwW7NXSj.m3u8" } ], "image": "https://cdn.britannica.com/12/160012-138-F40D0329/Newsreel-footage-Major-League-Baseball-All-Star-Game-1955.jpg" ,"tracks": [ { "file" : "//assets-jpcust.jwpsrv.com/tracks/YIKBLi2z", "label": "English" } ] ,"adfile": "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/THuVKFkc.m3u8" } </script><div class="btn btn-xl btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%)"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="play_arrow"></em></div></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><span class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mr-5 d-inline font-sans-serif md-video-caption" video-control="160012">What were the highlights of the 1955 Major League Baseball All-Star Game?</span><span>Newsreel footage of highlights of the 1955 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="/sports/baseball/images-videos">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Landis’s <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="successor" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/successor" data-type="EB">successor</a> as commissioner, <span id="ref402546"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Happy-Chandler" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Albert B. (“Happy”) Chandler</a> (1945–51), assured the soundness of the pension fund in 1950 by signing a six-year contract for broadcasting <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/World-Series" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">World Series</a> and All-Star games; the <span id="ref782524"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/television-broadcasting" class="md-crosslink ">television</a> portion alone amounted to $1 million a year, with a large proportion earmarked for the pension fund. Radio and television rights for regular-season games remained with each club. Later commissioners included <span id="ref953893"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ford-Frick" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ford C. Frick</a> (1951–65), <span id="ref953894"></span>William D. Eckert (1965–69), <span id="ref953895"></span>Bowie Kuhn (1969–84), <span id="ref953896"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Peter-Ueberroth" class="md-crosslink ">Peter Ueberroth</a> (1984–89), <span id="ref953897"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/A-Bartlett-Giamatti" class="md-crosslink ">A. Bartlett Giamatti</a> (1989), <span id="ref953898"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fay-Vincent" class="md-crosslink ">Fay Vincent</a> (1989–92), and <span id="ref953889"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bud-Selig" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Allan H. (“Bud”) Selig</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> </section> <section data-level="3" id="ref30436"> <h2 class="h3">Movement and expansion</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="170289" data-asm-type="video"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="video" video-id="160008"><a data-id="160008" class="gtm-assembly-link d-flex justify-content-center" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9" href="/video/1959-World-Series-Newsreel-footage-game-victory-1959/-170289"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/160008-138-8A6857F8/1959-World-Series-Newsreel-footage-game-victory-1959.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop" alt="What were the highlights of game 3 in the 1959 World Series?" loading="lazy"><script type="application/json"> { "sources": [ { "file" : "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/eIhigQVm.m3u8" } ], "image": "https://cdn.britannica.com/08/160008-138-8A6857F8/1959-World-Series-Newsreel-footage-game-victory-1959.jpg" ,"tracks": [ { "file" : "//assets-jpcust.jwpsrv.com/tracks/OpN82vOe", "label": "English" } ] ,"adfile": "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/Bxpkyi04.m3u8" } </script><div class="btn btn-xl btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%)"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="play_arrow"></em></div></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><span class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mr-5 d-inline font-sans-serif md-video-caption" video-control="160008">What were the highlights of game 3 in the 1959 World Series?</span><span>Learn about the highlights of game 3 in the 1959 World Series by watching this newsreel footage. The Los Angeles Dodgers bested the Chicago White Sox 3−1 in the contest, the first World Series game to be played on the U.S. West Coast.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="/sports/baseball/images-videos">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The postwar boom was short-lived, however. America was going through tremendous changes. Millions were moving out of the cities and to the suburbs, and population centers in the South and West were growing. Americans had more time and money to enjoy themselves, which they did through <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="vacationing" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/vacationing" data-type="EB">vacationing</a> and outdoor recreation. Moreover, the rapid growth of television preoccupied the country. Baseball was slow to adapt. Major league clubs were located only as far west as St. Louis and no farther south than Washington, D.C. Many of the <span id="ref782528"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/baseball-park" class="md-crosslink ">ballparks</a> had fallen into disrepair, were outdated, and were inconvenient for surburbanites driving in for a game. Despite exciting play on the field, attendance began to wane. The added revenue from radio and television broadcast rights could not offset the losses at the gate. The 1950s saw the first franchise changes since 1903. In 1953 the <span id="ref782526"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Atlanta-Braves" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Braves</a>, always overshadowed in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/New-England" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">New England</a> by the Red Sox, moved from Boston to Milwaukee (in 1966 the franchise moved again, to Atlanta, Georgia), where they were offered a new stadium. The next year the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/St-Louis-Cardinals" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">St. Louis Browns</a>, themselves overshadowed by the Cardinals, moved to Baltimore and became the Orioles. In 1955 the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Oakland-Athletics" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Philadelphia Athletics</a> franchise was moved to Kansas City, Missouri (and in 1968 to Oakland, California). The impact of these moves was slight compared with the move of the <span id="ref782525"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Los-Angeles-Dodgers" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Dodgers</a> and <span id="ref782527"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/San-Francisco-Giants" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Giants</a> from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/New-York-City" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">New York City</a> to California (the Dodgers to Los Angeles and the Giants to San Francisco) in 1958. Frustrated in his attempts to win city support for a new stadium, Dodger owner <span id="ref782529"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Walter-OMalley" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Walter O’Malley</a> jumped at an offer to relocate the team to Los Angeles, which was then the third largest city in the country. O’Malley persuaded the Giants to move to San Francisco in order to maintain their rivalry and ease the travel burden on National League teams.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Despite the betrayal felt by fans in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Brooklyn-borough-New-York-City" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Brooklyn</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Manhattan-New-York-City" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Manhattan</a>, the moves were a successful business decision for the clubs. The decade of franchise movement was followed by several rounds of expansion that lasted into the 1990s. Expansion began in 1961 when the Washington (D.C.) Senators were moved to Minneapolis–St. Paul and renamed the <span id="ref402552"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Minnesota-Twins" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Twins</a>, and a new franchise was granted to Washington (also named the Senators); however, it lasted only until 1971, when it was transferred to Dallas–Fort <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="Worth" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/Worth" data-type="EB">Worth</a> and renamed the <span id="ref402553"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Texas-Rangers-American-baseball-team" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Texas Rangers</a>. Another American League franchise was awarded to Los Angeles (later moved to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Anaheim" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Anaheim</a> as the California Angels, now known as the <span id="ref782530"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Los-Angeles-Angels-of-Anaheim" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim</a>) in 1961, and in 1962 the National League also expanded to 10 teams with new franchises in New York City (the <span id="ref402554"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/New-York-Mets" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mets</a>) and Houston, Texas (the Colt .45s; after 1964, the <span id="ref402555"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Houston-Astros" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Astros</a>). The 154-game season had been expanded in the American League to 162 in 1961; the National League followed suit in 1962.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Along with this first round of expansion came an era of superb <span id="ref782532"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/pitching-baseball" class="md-crosslink ">pitching</a> that dominated the league for a generation. The earned run averages for <span id="ref782531"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/pitcher-baseball" class="md-crosslink ">pitchers</a> during this era averaged 3.30, and the major league batting average fell as low as .238 in 1968. Several changes in the game were believed to account for the resurgence of pitching; the strike zone was expanded in 1963; managers explored more strategic uses of the relief pitchers; and new glove technology improved defensive play. At the same time, a new generation of large multipurpose <span id="ref782632"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/stadium" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">stadiums</a> came into use. These stadiums typically used artificial <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="turf" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/turf" data-type="EB">turf</a> that was harder and faster than natural grass. As a result, new emphasis was placed on speed in the field and on the base paths. Fearing that the dominance of pitching was hurting fan interest in the game, the major league tried to improve hitting by lowering the mound and narrowing the strike zone in 1969. In hopes of further increasing offensive play, the American League introduced the designated hitter in 1973. The changes did increase offensive output, but pitching still dominated through much of the 1970s.</p><div class="module-spacing"> </div><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In 1969 new franchises were awarded to Montreal (the <span id="ref402556"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Washington-Nationals" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Expos</a>, the first major league franchise outside the United States) and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/San-Diego-California" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">San Diego</a>, California (the <span id="ref402557"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/San-Diego-Padres" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Padres</a>), bringing the National League to 12 teams. In the American League in 1969, new franchises in Kansas City, Missouri (the <span id="ref402558"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kansas-City-Royals" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Royals</a>), and Seattle, Washington (the Pilots), brought that league to 12 teams, and both leagues were divided into Eastern and Western divisions.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Play-offs between division winners determined the league pennant winners, who then played in the World Series, which was extended into late October. California, which had had no major league baseball prior to 1958, had five teams by 1969. Of the new franchises, only Seattle failed outright and was moved to Milwaukee, where it became the <span id="ref402559"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Milwaukee-Brewers" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Brewers</a> (moved to the National League in a 1998 reorganization). A franchise was again granted to Seattle (the <span id="ref402560"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Seattle-Mariners" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mariners</a>) and to Toronto (the <span id="ref402561"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Toronto-Blue-Jays" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Blue Jays</a>), bringing the number of American League teams to 14 in 1977. In 1993 the National League also was brought to 14 with the addition of teams in Denver (the <span id="ref402562"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Colorado-Rockies" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Colorado Rockies</a>) and Miami (the <span id="ref402563"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Miami-Marlins" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Florida Marlins</a>). In 1998 the <span id="ref790023"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Arizona-Diamondbacks" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> (located in Phoenix) joined the National League, and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Tampa-Bay" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Tampa Bay</a> (Florida) Devil Rays (now known as the <span id="ref790021"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tampa-Bay-Rays" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Tampa Bay Rays</a>) began play in the American League.</p><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In 1994 both leagues were reconfigured into East, Central, and West divisions. The play-off format was changed to include an additional round and a <span id="ref1136140"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Wild-Card-team" class="md-crosslink ">Wild Card</a> (the team with the best record among the non-division-winning teams in each league). The play-offs were again expanded in 2012, when a second Wild Card was added to each league. ***Under the revised system, the two Wild Card teams play a one-game play-off, with the winner advancing to the best-of-five-games division series.</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">An explosion of offense occurred in the mid-1980s and after. In particular, <span id="ref782633"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/home-run" class="md-crosslink ">home runs</a> increased dramatically, reaching record-breaking numbers from 1985 to 1987 and again in the late 1990s. The reasons for the change from dominant pitching to hitting were not entirely clear. Many claimed the ball had been engineered to fly farther; others claimed that continual expansion had diluted the quality of pitching. The improved off-season conditioning (that now often included weight lifting) made players stronger and quicker with their bats. The 1990s also saw another generation of new <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="ballparks" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/ballparks" data-type="EB">ballparks</a>, many of which featured small dimensions that were more to the liking of power hitters.</p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD10 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">During the later half of the 20th century, expansion was perceived by baseball executives as both a source of added revenue for clubs (large entry fees were charged to new franchises) as well as a means of generating new interest in the game. In 2001, however, concerns over economically underperforming clubs prompted owners to announce plans to eliminate two teams (widely believed to be the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Minnesota-Twins" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Minnesota Twins</a> and the since-relocated <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Washington-Nationals" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Montreal Expos</a>). The plan was put on hold after the player’s union pursued legal action to prevent the move, and a 2002 Minnesota <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/injunction" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">court order</a> that forced the Twins to play out the lease at their home stadium effectively ended the talk of <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="contraction" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/contraction" data-type="EB">contraction</a> for the foreseeable future.</p><span class="marker MOD10 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-simplify-root"></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":4,"pagesTotal":15,"pageId":54751,"pageLength":1464,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.36"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.133.36' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"A","adLeg":"A","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":4,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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