NL Makes History

New major sports teams do not just appear out of nowhere. When a new team reaches the playing field it is usually the result of years of planning. The award of a new franchise is only a small part of the process.

Today we look at the awarding of two new clubs that the National League made on May 27, 1969. The National League chose to admit its new clubs from opposite ends of the continent. They chose to admit San Diego, California and Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Many critics believed the league had made two big mistakes.

San Diego, who for the preceding 33 years been a member in good standing of the Pacific Coast League, was described as a sleepy town with Los Angeles to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Mexican border to the south. Through the years the team has proving those critics as very much wrong.

Montreal was described as a French speaking city that did not understand the game. Although Montreal had been a member of the International League for many years, critics believed the city only got the team because they wanted to cross the Canadian border before the American League did. For many years the team proved those naysayers wrong, coming close to the World Series on a couple occassions. Although the city fell on rough times losing its team to Washington, DC a few years ago. I firmly believe the city will return to the big leagues soon.

Tomorrow we will change things up with a trip to the movies.