Northern League

The Northern League is an Independent minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwest, the East Coast, and parts of Canada. None of its member teams is associated with any Major League Baseball teams.

The first Northern League was formed in 1902, but folded in 1905. Some of its member teams joined the Northern Copper Country League[?] in the following year, then joined the Central International League[?] in 1912. This league was renamed as the Northern League the following year, but the league again disbanded because of a lack of manpower during World War I.

The league did not re-emerge until 1933. The league did not operate during 19432[?], 1944 and 1945, and finally folded again in 1971.

The current incarnation was recreated in 1993. In 1998, its eight teams merged with the Northeast League[?]. The Northeast League had begun in 1995.

Member Teams

• Adirondack Lumberjacks[?]
• Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs[?]
• Allentown Ambassadors[?]
• Berkshire Black Bears[?]
• Brockton Rox[?]
• Duluth-Superior Dukes[?]
• Elmira Pioneers[?]
• Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks[?]
• Gary SouthShore Railcats[?]
• Joliet JackHammers[?]
• Lincoln Saltdogs[?]
• Masschusetts Mad Dogs[?]
• New Jersey Jackals[?]
• Quebec Les Capitales[?]
• Schaumburg Flyers[?]
• Sioux City Explorers[?]
• Sioux Falls Canaries[?]
• St. Paul Saints
• Winnipeg Goldeyes[?]

---

English football also has a Northern League, for semi-professional and amateur teams. Currently sponsored by Unibond, the Premier division is two divisions below the Football League. Originally founded in 1900, the Northern League ran as one of three major amateur competitions (with the Isthmian League and the Southern League) in tandem with the (professional) Football League until the professional game was broadened in the 1950s.