THAT’S THE WAY I SAW IT

MINOR LEAGUE PLAYOFF SYSTEM YEARS AGO

As you look at Minor League Baseball history years ago, I believe you would notice that the playoff system was simple and consistent.

Usually a Minor League had eight teams. Several years the Minor’s had over fifty leagues. There was only one division in the league. The Midwest has two divisions with 14 teams.

If a league tried less than eight they didn’t last long. In 1955 the Kitty League tried six teams. That was their last year as Madisonville, KY never finished the season.

The season ended with a standing first to last. There was no second half winner. No second half second place winner. Then they started a Shaughnessy-type playoff. First place team played the third place team and the second played the fourth. The winners of these then played each other. These matches were for three games only and playoff took about seven days if weather was favorable.

Yes, I believe the Minor League Playoffs system was simple and consistent-sounds like I don’t believe in change.