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On September 5th, 1901 the 'National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues' in the United States organized into a group of 14 leagues and 96 teams. This league would eventually become the foundation of the Minor League of professional baseball. Although the league had been called the Minors for years, the name ‘Minor League Baseball’ was not adopted by the organization until 1999.
By 1914 the number of leagues expanded to 41. The St. Louis Cardinals was the first team to purchase a Minor League in hopes of establishing a pool of players to develop for the majors. All of the Major League teams now own at least one Minor League team.
Both world wars caused disruption in Minor League play. During WWI, the number of leagues dropped to nine. World War II had a similar effect causing the number of leagues to drop to 10. In 1943, Philip K. Wrigley, owner of the Chicago Cubs, noticed the dwindling number of leagues in the minors and sought a solution to his financial situation if the drought of players spread to the Majors Leagues. The All American Girls Baseball League was formed in hope of keeping fans interested in the game. Not until after the WWII did the Minor League regain its strength and popularity by adding 59 leagues with over 450 teams.
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