"One of the first minor leagues in history, the Western League (previously the Northwestern League) was founded in 1885 and was the predecessor of today's American League. Numerous Hall of Famers spent time in the Western League, including Charles Comiskey, Dizzy Dean, and Connie Mack. The League's demise in the minors came in the 1950s, but it was revived in 1995 as an independent league on the West Coast with no relation to the majors." "This work documents the Western League's history from 1885 through 1999. Included are photographs of teams and individuals as well as in-depth statistics."--Jacket.