Were the orioles a minor league team before coming to the major league?

Answer 1

The town of Baltimore has a rich baseball history, both of major league teams and minor league teams. Baltimore began as a major league baseball town, then became a minor league baseball town, and finally, back to a Major League Baseball town.

The first Baltimore Orioles team began in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association, a major league at the time. They played in the AA through 1891 when the AA folded. They joined the National League and played until 1899 when they, along with the Washington Senators, Cleveland Spiders, and Louisville Colonels were contracted turning the NL into a league of 8 teams from 12 teams.

The Orioles of the 1890s won three consecutive National League pennants (1894-1896) and had players such as John McGraw, Wilbert Robinson, Willie Keeler, Hughie Jennings, and Dan Brouthers, all future Hall of Famers.

When the American League began play as a major league in 1901, Baltimore was awarded a team. McGraw and Robinson and several of the players from the Orioles teams of the 1890s were on this team along with future Hall of Famers Joe McGinnity and Roger Bresnahan.

The Orioles moved to New York and became the Highlanders (and eventually, the Yankees) for the 1903 season. They were replaced by a team, also known as the Orioles, that played minor league ball in the International League through the 1953 season. This team won 9 International League titles and had the great Babe Ruth as a member for the first half of the 1914 season.

The 1954 season saw major league baseball return to Baltimore when the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Orioles.