Federal Baseball League: Historical/Fictional Hybrid

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The Chicago Outlaws--as they were first known--had a pretty successful early run. They dethroned the Pittsburgh Prowlers in 1903 for their first World Series championship, then after barely missing out in 1904 they won it all in both 1905 and 1906. They added another championship in 1908 and another pennant in 1910 (losing to Buffalo) before having a not-so-great decade in the 1910s. They re-branded themselves as the Cardinals in 1921, and won 6 more pennants between 1921 and 1932, winning three more World Series in the process. They did not do so well in the 1930s and 1940s, making only a couple playoff appearances per decade and going to two World Series but losing both. They last won it all in 1928, but have still won more championships than any team not named the New York Knights.



Some notable players on current roster

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The Cincinnati Silverbacks, like your typical expansion team (see: not Atlanta Colonels), struggled for its first few years of existence. They were not terrible, though, as they finished in 2nd place in 7 of their first 12 seasons. Since 1936, they have been a regular contender for the most part. They won the ABC East, but lost to the Knights in the ABC Championship Series, in 1936, 1938, 1939 and 1941. Then in 1942, they won their division again and this time faced the Boston Patriots in the playoffs. Cincinnati defeated Boston and then went on to beat the St. Louis Browns for their first championship. They then lost to Boston in the playoffs in 1943, 1944 and 1946. In 1947, they returned to the World Series and defeated the Cardinals for their second title. They have not been back to the playoffs since, but this is a solid team overall.
They have finished first and been to the playoffs 9 times, the most of any of the four expansion teams. They've also finished in second place 10 times. That is 19 out of 27 seasons they have finished in first or second. The other 8 seasons, they have finished in third twice, fourth 3 times and last place 3 times.


Best Season: 1947 (89-51)
Worst Season: 1925 (50-90)

Some notable players currently on roster


No Hall of Famers

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The Hartford Lions have done alright for themselves. They have only been to two World Series--defeating the Knights in 1911 and losing to the Patriots in 1946. But their overall record is above .500. They have not necessarily won consistently (at least until recently), but they have never been total losers either (they have never lost 90 games in a season, a feat only 7 of the 20 teams can boast, the Knights not being one of them). After only 3 playoff appearances in their first 40 years, they have won the NBC East 5 times in the 1940s, although only advancing to (and losing) one World Series. They also have a 100-win season (in 1949) that is technically not their best record since they have a slightly lower winning percentage than their best, due to 1949 being the first season with a 154-game schedule.
There are rumors that, despite the team being relatively successful in Hartford, the Lions may be on the move soon. They are trying to get a new stadium built, and the city of Hartford is not being very accommodating to them. Their ownership has begun exploring the possibility of moving out west, but nothing has come to fruition yet. Only time will tell.


Best Season: 1911 (93-47)
Worst Season: 1902 (54-86)

Some notable players on current roster

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The Indiana Fireflies have been pretty successful for an expansion team. Their worst season in history was their first. They posted a winning record in their second season. Their overall record is under .500, but not by much. Attendance is good and they are making money. And they have won three World Series in four tries. Their first victory came over the Chicago Cardinals in 1932, becoming the first of the four expansion teams to win a championship. They won the ABC West again in 1933 and 1934 but were bounced in the Championship Series both times by the Knights. Then in 1935, they returned to the World Series and beat the Ravens for their second title. After about a decade of losing baseball, they returned to the World Series in 1945 and defeated the Ravens again. They've finished in first or second every season since then, returning to the World Series in 1950 and losing to the Washington Eagles. They've won their division in the past three seasons.


Best Season: 1948 (93-47)
Worst Season: 1924 (48-92)

Some notable players on current roster


No Hall of Famers

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This team, originally known as the Cleveland Blue Sox, have not been that great over the years. In fact, 1912 was the first season in which they finished with a winning record, and the first that they finished any higher than 5th place. They were never serious playoff contenders in their first 20 years of existence, and frequently threatened to relocate. Despite all of this, the Blue Sox/North Stars franchise is somehow one of the teams that has never lost 90 or more games in a season.
When the league went to divisional play, they somehow won the ABC West division with a 65-75 record, defeated the New York Knights (106-34) in the playoffs, and then beat the Chicago Cardinals (84-56) in the World Series. Following that improbable run, the Blue Sox descended back into mediocrity, not winning another division title until 1937. They returned to the World Series in 1940, but lost to the St. Louis Browns. By this time, the team's unexpected success on the field was not enough to save baseball in Cleveland, and after the 1941 season the team moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota and became the Minnesota North Stars. While they have not been awful for the most part, they also have yet to make the playoffs as the North Stars. And the fan support is not what they hoped it would be, so the team is reportedly considering relocating once again.


Best Season: 1940 (92-48)
Worst Season: 1901 & 1902 (51-89)

Some notable players on current roster

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Few remember them as such, but this team originally debuted in Milwaukee as the Milwaukee Bucks. After four years of poor attendance and poor play (finishing dead last in the NBC all four seasons), the Bucks packed up and moved to New York and became the Bears. They competed with the Knights for the spotlight of New York, and very quickly became the "little brothers of New York," which they are sometimes still called to this day. It took them until 1924 to make their first playoff appearance (by then, the Knights already had 11 playoff appearances and 5 World Series titles). But starting in 1924, they won 10 division titles in the next 12 years. During that stretch, they made 3 World Series (all against the Knights) and won 2 of them. So they at least have the head-to-head bragging rights over the Knights.
They won 5 division titles in a row from 1924 through 1928, and followed that with 2 losing seasons before winning 5 more division titles in a row from 1931 to 1935. They have been decidedly mediocre ever since, only making one playoff appearance since 1935 (they won the NBC East with a 70-70 record in 1945 and quickly got knocked out by the Ravens). Despite owning a 2-1 record against them in the World Series, it is safe to say that the Knights still rule New York and the Bears are indeed their "little brothers."


Best Season: 1926 (91-49)
Worst Season: 1937 (47-93)

Some notable players on current roster

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The New York Knights did not have the greatest start, as they finished dead last in the ABC in 1901, only one game better than the Milwaukee Bucks (who would later become the Knights' neighbors in New York). But the Knights have only finished in last place one time since then: in 1945, when several of their star players were away fighting in World War II. They made their first World Series appearance in 1905, losing to the Chicago Outlaws. They returned to the World Series 2 years later and defeated the Philadelphia Yellow Jackets for their first title. Their next two World Series appearances also ended in defeat: in 1911 to the Hartford Lions and 1916 to the Washington Eagles. But then they won the next four in a row in 1917 through 1920.
In 1921, the league went to divisional play. The Knights went 106-34 for the best record in league history, a record that still stands. However, they were denied a 5th straight championship when the Cleveland Blue Sox--who finished 65-75--swept them and went on to win the World Series themselves. The Knights protested the new playoff system, insisting that they were the true champions and that the league had stolen it from them. Nevertheless, the Blue Sox' championship stood. The Knights went on to lose in the ABC Championship Series again in 1922 (to Buffalo) and 1923 (to Pittsburgh). That became the first of seven years in a row in which the Knights played the Prowlers in the playoffs. The Knights won three of those meetings, going to the World Series in 1924 (defeated the Cardinals), 1927 (lost to the Bears) and 1929 (defeated the Colonels).
After finishing in 3rd place in 1930, the Knights won the ABC East in the next 9 seasons in a row, making the World Series in 7 of those 9 years and winning it all 5 times. 1940 saw them suffer their first losing season since 1913. They bounced back to win their division in 1941 for their 24th playoff appearance in 26 seasons, and defeated the Browns in the World Series. Since then, however, they only made the playoffs one time: in 1947 they won the ABC East but lost to the Silverbacks in the ABC Championship Series.
They are not the powerhouse they once were, but who's to say they won't become one again? Either way, they still rule New York and are the most successful team in league history. There are more Hall of Famers with Knights caps than any other team. They own the best overall record of all 20 teams, they are the only team with over 4,000 wins so far, and they own the best single-season record ever posted (106-34 in 1921). They have the most playoff appearances with 28 (the Cardinals are in second with 17), they have the most World Series appearances with 18 (Cardinals are 2nd with 14), and they have the most World Series championship with 13 (Cardinals are 2nd with 7). However, they are not in the "never lost 90 games in a season club," thanks to their very first season when they lost 91 games. But they have not lost 90 or more ever since then, so they do have that going for them. Not that it matters; in the league's 50-year history so far, the Knights are by far the best team.



Some notable players on current roster

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We just had a lot of good to say about the best team in baseball. Now, we have very little to say about the worst team in baseball.
This franchise was known for 45 years as the Dover Green Sox. As inept as teams like the Kentucky Kings and Cleveland Blue Sox have looked at times, the Green Sox have taken the cake. They have the worst all-time record of all 20 teams (although the Blue Sox/North Stars franchise is at a close second), they are the only team to have never won 80 or more games in their history (their best season was 1917 when they went 78-62; worst record of all teams' best records), and they are the only team (including the four expansion teams) to have never once made the playoffs. They have only finished less than 10 games out of first place 3 times; they finished 6 games back in 1916, 1931 and 1933. Attendance dwindled in the 1940s and they ran out of money, finally moving to Orlando in 1946 and becoming the Seals. At least they are making money in Florida, even though they are not necessarily winning. They've finished in last place the past two seasons, and don't really have much star power on their roster.



Some notable players on current roster

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The Philadelphia Yellow Jackets have had their ups and their downs over the years. On one hand, they have a winning record overall and they only have 3 last-place finishes in 50 seasons of team history. And they also are undefeated in the NBC Championship Series, winning it all three times they have played in it. But they also own a couple records that they would rather not. For one, they own the worst record ever posted by any team: the 1934 Yellow Jackets went 41-99, and had to win their final game of the season to avoid becoming the first (and would still be the only) team to lose 100 games in a season. But the good news for that squad is that they were in the World Series 2 years later.
And as for the World Series: they are 0-6 in it. They have won 6 pennants, and lost the World Series every time they have played in it. They lost to the Virginia Beach Captains (their only appearance) in 1904, the New York Knights (their first championship) in 1907, the Knights again (their 3rd straight) in 1919, the Prowlers in 1923 and the Knights in both 1936 and 1938.



Some notable players on current roster

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Originally, this was the best team in baseball. They won the first two World Series and played in the first three. Then they went to two more, participating in a total of 5 World Series in the league's first 8 seasons. But after 1908, they did not make it back to the playoffs until 1923, when they won the ABC West, beat the Knights in the playoffs and beat the Yellow Jackets in the World Series. This was the first of a 9-season stretch from 1923 to 1931 where the Prowlers won their division. In those 9 seasons, they went to 5 World Series and won 2 of them (1923 vs. Philadelphia and 1925 vs. Toledo). They lost to the Cardinals twice and the Eagles once in those other World Series. But now they have not made the playoffs since 1931, and they have only finished above .500 twice in that stretch. They are also running low on money, and there are rumors that they are considering moving out west.



Some notable players on current roster

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The St. Louis Browns are an interesting team. They won the first two NBC pennants, although they lost in the World Series to the Prowlers both times. Then in the next 30 years, they made two playoff appearances: losing in the World Series to the Buffalo Destroyers in 1914, and losing to the New York Bears in the NBC Championship Series in 1927. During that stretch, they set the record for most losses in a season with 94 in 1910, and then matched it in 1911. That record stood until 1929 when the Patriots lost 97 games.
Then in 1934, the golden age of St. Louis baseball began. From 1934 through 1942, they won the NBC West each year except 1935 (when they finished 2 games out of first). Out of those 8 playoff appearances, they advanced to the World Series 6 times and won it twice: they beat the Knights in 1937 for their first championship (after previously going 0-4 in the World Series), and then they beat the Blue Sox in 1940.
Since 1942, they have only finished with a winning record once, and that was in 1949 when they won their division, went to the World Series and lost to the Boston Patriots.
The Browns are tied with the Prowlers for 3rd most World Series appearances with 10, but their overall World Series record is 2-8.



Some notable players on current roster

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You could make an argument as to which northern Ohio team was more successful. Neither one has really been all that successful, but you can argue for both. For one, the Ravens are still here, while the Blue Sox moved away. The Ravens have a better overall record than the Blue Sox/North Stars franchise (even though it is still a losing record). The Ravens also have more playoff appearances and more pennants than their former neighbors. But the Blue Sox won a World Series once, while the Ravens are one of the five teams (along with the Atlanta Colonels, Orlando Seals, Trenton Tigers and Philadelphia Yellow Jackets) who have never won a World Series. They have been there four times, but lost to the Knights in 1917, the Prowlers in 1925, the Fireflies in 1935 and the Fireflies again in 1945. They most recently made the playoffs in 1948, losing in the NBC Championship Series to the Eagles. They also have one of the only two teams in history to win 100 games: the 1945 team won 101 games, giving them the best record in NBC history, and only topped by the 1921 New York Knights.



Some notable players on current roster

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The Trenton Tigers entered the league in 1926, joining the NBC alongside the Atlanta Colonels. While the Colonels were immediately successful, the Tigers stunk up the joint for their first few years. They finally finished with an even .500 record in 1935, their 10th season. They got their first winning record in 1936, and won their first division title in 1937. They won the NBC East again in 1940, 1943 and 1944, but lost in the NBC Championship Series each time. They are one of only two teams (the other being the Green Sox/Seals franchise) to have never appeared in a World Series.



Some notable players on current roster


No Hall of Famers

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Mediocrity has defined this team well. In 50 years, they have won 3,514 games and lost 3,514 games. They have only appeared in one World Series (all the way back in 1904), which they won. They have only been to the playoffs twice since then: in 1930 and 1945, and they lost in the ABC Championship Series both times. Playing in the same division as the New York Knights has not made life easy on them. They have had some good teams, but the Knights have just been too good to overcome.



Notable players on current roster

[ericnease84]

The Washington Eagles have been pretty successful, all things considered. Their all-time record is above .500. They set the league record for most wins with 98 in 1912, which stood until the Knights won 106 in 1921. The Eagles have the third most championships with 6, only trailing the Knights and Cardinals. They won their first in 1909, against the Buffalo Destroyers. Then in 1912 and 1913, they won back to back championships against first Boston and then Buffalo again. They lost in the World Series for the first time in 1915 (to Baltimore in their only appearance), and then returned to the World Series in 1916 and won it over the Knights. Their next World Series appearance came in 1930, when they defeated the Prowlers. And then their next appearance came just this past season in 1950, when the now-defending champions beat the Indiana Fireflies, handing them their first Fall Classic loss.



Some notable players on current roster

[ericnease84]

The 1951 season opened with the Boston Patriots jumping out to an early lead in the ABC East, while the Silverbacks, Fireflies and Prowlers were all in the running in the west. Over in the NBC, the Lions and Tigers battled it out for the East division title, while the Cardinals and Colonels went head to head for the West. The Philadelphia Yellow Jackets tried to fight their way into the playoff race, but faded in the end as the Lions edged out the Tigers. The Cardinals came out on top in the NBC West. In the ABC, the Patriots won 103 games to easily win their division, while the Silverbacks won the ABC West by four games. The Lions and Patriots won their respective championship series, and the Patriots took down the Lions in a seven-game World Series.

1952 saw a surprising team up top: the Orlando Seals, the last remaining team that had never been in the playoffs before. They had a good sized lead in the ABC East by mid June, although the New York Knights were closing in. The Knights kept it close and got to within a couple games at times, but in the end the Seals would not be denied. They won 99 games and captured the ABC East division crown, becoming the last of the 20 teams to make it into the playoffs. In the ABC West, the Silverbacks and Prowlers were battling for the division...and a winning record. In the end, Cincinnati went 77-77, which was good enough to win the division by a single game over the 76-78 Prowlers. Over in the NBC, the Lions repeated as East division champions, while the Cardinals repeated as West division champions.
The Lions and Cardinals faced off in the playoffs for the second year in a row, and the Lions emerged victorious for their second consecutive NBC pennant. And over in the ABC, the 99-win Seals took on the 77-win Silverbacks. So of course, the Silverbacks welcomed the Seals to the playoff picture by sweeping them. They then faced the Lions in the World Series: the 100-54 Hartford Lions vs. the 77-77 Cincinnati Silverbacks. So, of course the Silverbacks took the series in five games, winning their third World Series and remaining undefeated in the Fall Classic.

After the 1952 season, we had another team about to be on the move. Seeking a new and slightly larger market, the Toledo Ravens announced that they were moving 60 miles north to Detroit, Michigan at the conclusion of the 1953 season. They had been unable to secure a new stadium in Toledo, and they were able to get one built in Detroit. Construction is under way, and it is expected to be ready for them for the 1954 season. They have not announced whether they will remain the Ravens or be renamed.

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The New York Knights started off 1953 with a bang, going 10-1 to open up the season and build a huge lead in their division. In fact, both NBC divisions also looked like blowouts, with the Trenton Tigers and Atlanta Colonels taking huge leads as well. The Cincinnati Silverbacks and Indiana Fireflies were battling it out in the ABC West, before the Fireflies faded away and the defending champs cruised to another title. The Knights held off the Boston Patriots to return to the playoffs, finally (the Seals, bless their hearts, went 75-78 in "defense" of their first division title). Over in the NBC, the Colonels cruised to a division championship. The Tigers had a much harder time, as the defending NBC champion Lions made a late run, but it was too little too late.
In other news, the Charlotte Roadrunners became the first team ever to lose 100 games in a season, going 54-100.
Both championship series went a full five games. The Trenton Tigers defeated the Atlanta Colonels to win their first ever NBC pennant, and to leave the poor Orlando Seals as the only team to never appear in a World Series (at least they do have a playoff appearance now, but still have never won a playoff game). And in the ABC, the Silverbacks took the Knights to the woodshed in Game 5 to return to the World Series, in the first ever World Series matchup between two expansion teams. In six games, the Silverbacks defeated the Tigers to repeat as World Series champions.

After the season ended, the Ravens' time in Toledo came to an end as they made good on their announcement and officially relocated to Detroit. They announced long-term plans to re-brand the franchise, but at least for now they would be known as the Detroit Ravens.

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Over the next couple years, the league continued to evolve. Soon after the Ravens announced their pending move from Toledo to Detroit, the ABC announced that they would be expanding to 12 teams. At the same time, they had a couple franchises of their own that were looking to move again. An ownership group based in Kansas City, Missouri was attempting to land one of the expansion teams, but Kansas City was not on the final list for expansion. So, this group switched gears and tried to lure one of the existing teams to Kansas City. The Minnesota North Stars, Buffalo Destroyers and Pittsburgh Prowlers were all exploring the possibility of new homes, which was going to make the expansion decision all the more difficult. Finally, the Prowlers were convinced to move to Kansas City. However, they still had a loyal fan base that did not want to lose them. After some long negotiations, a deal was made: the Prowlers would move to Kansas City, but their history would be left behind in Pittsburgh, and one of the two expansion teams would be placed in Pittsburgh, picking up the Prowlers' history as their own. The Prowlers would take their existing players and personnel and move to Kansas City and essentially start as an expansion team, but with an established team.
The announcement of this arrangement was made prior to the 1953 season, but there was no set timetable yet as they still needed to settle on the other team. They wound up placing that new team in Houston, Texas. With that announcement, the expansion was set for the 1955 season.

Just prior to the 1954 season, the Buffalo Destroyers also announced that they were moving for 1955 as well. The team was losing money and had not been playing well lately and needed a fresh start. With the void left in northern Ohio by the departure of first the Blue Sox and now the Ravens, the Destroyers announced that they would be moving to Cleveland for 1955.

The 1954 season began with the ABC knowing that they would have a much different look in 1955. The NBC was looking into expanding to 12 teams as well, but they were not ready to make any announcements yet. They had a few teams looking to relocate as well, as the Trenton Tigers were struggling to stay afloat where they were. They were in active talks to move out west, but needed to have at least one more team move as well for logistical reasons. The other option would be to place one or both expansion teams out west and let the Tigers move when the NBC expanded.

The Prowlers, in their final season in Pittsburgh, jumped out to an early lead in the ABC West division. The Knights, Patriots and Seals battled it out for the ABC East. It soon became evident that the Patriots and Prowlers were clearly the teams to beat in their divisions. Over in the NBC, without the distraction of the coming expansion and relocations, the Lions and Cardinals both were running away with their respective divisions and on a collision course to meet in the playoffs yet again.
The Patriots went through a tough stretch in August, allowing the Knights to get within striking distance of them, even with all three teams struggling just to maintain a .500 record. The Seals sunk to the bottom of the division, but the Captains and the soon-to-be-moved Destroyers stayed in the hunt. In the end, the Knights finished with a 78-76 record to win their division. The Prowlers, Lions and Cardinals easily won their divisions.

In the playoffs, the Prowlers took care of business against the Knights, and the Cardinals got revenge on the Lions for 1951 and 1952 by defeating them and moving on. The Prowlers and Cardinals faced off in the World Series, and the Pittsburgh Prowlers took it in six games.

On the heels of their championship, the Prowlers went ahead and went through with their "move." It was announced that the new Pittsburgh expansion team, while continuing the Prowlers' history and legacy, would not carry on the Prowlers' name. They would be known as the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Prowlers would take their players and personnel and begin a new history in Kansas City as the Kansas City Cyclones. The second expansion team in Houston would be known as the Houston Railmen. And the Buffalo Destroyers made official their move west to Cleveland, where they would be re-branded as the Cleveland Coyotes.

Got all that straight? Anyone confused yet?

We still need to straighten out alignment of the divisions. Both new teams were added to the ABC West. To even out the divisions at six teams apiece, the Baltimore Blackbirds would be moving from the ABC West to the ABC East for 1955. So, the ABC now looks as follows:

ABC EAST
Baltimore Blackbirds
Boston Patriots
Cleveland Coyotes
New York Knights
Orlando Seals
Virginia Beach Captains

ABC WEST
Cincinnati Silverbacks
Houston Railmen
Indiana Fireflies
Kansas City Cyclones
Minnesota North Stars
Pittsburgh Penguins

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For technically being an expansion team (but also somehow being the defending champions), the Pittsburgh Penguins were oddly competitive in 1955. The Kansas City Cyclones--technically an expansion team but with pretty much the same roster that actually won the World Series (they did deal a few players back to Pittsburgh for continuity's sake for the fans)--did not look so good. Meanwhile, the Knights dominated the ABC East again, with the new Cleveland Coyotes and the Boston Patriots competing with them. In the end, the Knights won their division, while the ABC West went to the Indiana Fireflies, who won it with a 79-75 record. The Penguins, along with the other expansion team the Houston Railmen, finished at 77-77. The Kansas City Cyclones came in last place with a record of 67-87. There was not much of any playoff races in the NBC, as the Lions and Cardinals once again dominated their divisions to meet up in the playoffs for the fourth time this decade. The Knights and Lions both swept their respective playoff series to face off in the World Series. For all their success over the years, this was the Knights' first World Series appearance since 1941. The Lions, meanwhile, had been unsuccessful in two World Series in the 1950s already. The Knights made it three, beating the Lions in six games to win the 1955 World Series.

Prior to the 1956 season, it was announced that the Trenton Tigers would be moving to San Francisco for the 1958 season. They needed the extra time for two reasons: one was to get a stadium built, and the other was due to needing to find another team to make the move out west with them. There were a couple possibilities, but nothing was definite yet. The Bears were considering a move, as they could not properly compete with the much more successful Knights. The Lions, despite their recent success, were another due to their inability to get a new stadium in Hartford. A third possibility was the St. Louis Browns, who were also having stadium issues in St. Louis. There were two additional ABC teams that were considering moves as well (as if enough of them had not already), but since the two conferences did not play each other in the regular season, it was not feasible for one of them to be the second team to move along with the Tigers.

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Toward the end of the 1956 season, it was announced that there were two teams that would soon be on the move. The St. Louis Browns announced that the 1956 season would be their last in St. Louis, as they were moving to Milwaukee for the 1957 season. The New York Bears, also looking for a change of scenery, agreed to simultaneously move to St. Louis to replace the Browns. Both teams would keep their names and identities, and their histories would move with them.
The Bears' agreement did not help the Trenton Tigers, though. Originally, the Bears were going to move to Los Angeles to be the second team to go with the Tigers, who were already set to head for San Francisco for the 1958 season. But when the Bears agreed to move to St. Louis instead, that left the Tigers looking for another moving partner again. The only announcement was that negotiations were ongoing for a second team, which would not be announced until toward the beginning of the 1957 season. Plan A was to find and announce a second team to move west with the Tigers. Plan B was to delay the Tigers' move for one more year, have them stay in Trenton for 1958 and then move to San Francisco for 1959, and the league would expand and one of the two expansion teams would be placed in Los Angeles.
Expansion was in the plans anyway, and 1959 was the tentative year to have it happen. With the Bears' move, one of the two expansion teams was promised to the New York area. The other was still up in the air, especially with the possibility of needing to place it in Los Angeles.

As all of this was being worked out, the 1956 season was being played. Neither the Bears nor the Browns were playing particularly well, especially after their pending moves were announced. The Knights ran away with the ABC East, winning their division with relative ease. The Fireflies, Silverbacks and North Stars were competing for the ABC West, and the Fireflies prevailed in the end. The Lions took the ABC East again, and the Cardinals won 104 games to capture the NBC West. On the other end of the spectrum, the Roadrunners set a new mark for futility by finishing 52-102, breaking their own record from 1953.

The playoffs were the same four teams as 1955, with the Lions and Cardinals for the NBC and the Knights and Fireflies for the ABC. The Knights defeated the Fireflies for their second straight ABC pennant, but they did not get a rematch with the Lions. The Cardinals swept the Lions to take the NBC pennant. The Cardinals then swept the Knights in the World Series.

After the season, the St. Louis Browns became the Milwaukee Browns, and the New York Bears became the St. Louis Bears. The announcement was also made that the rest of the expansion and relocation was figured out. The Hartford Lions--unable to get a stadium built in Hartford--would be the second team to move out west. They would be moving to Los Angeles after the 1957 season, and the Trenton Tigers would be moving to San Francisco after the 1957 season. The NBC would expand for the 1958 season as well, and the two teams would be placed in the New York City area and in Dallas, Texas. The divisions would be realigned for the 1958 season as well, but for 1957 only one change would be made: the Bears would switch to the NBC West and the Charlotte Roadrunners would move to the NBC East.