PCL vs IL (inter-locking schedule)?

[Orioles1966]

My memory isn't as good as it used too be but seems too me the IL played the PCL (maybe it was the American Association)? Anyone recall the years it happened(if it did)?

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by Orioles1966

My memory isn't as good as it used too be but seems too me the IL played the PCL (maybe it was the American Association)? Anyone recall the years it happened(if it did)?

All instances of regular season interleague play in the minor leagues that I'm aware of:

*1959-1961: Texas League and Mexican League (known as the 'Pan-American Association')
1975-1976: Carolina League and Western Carolinas League
*1988-1991: American Association and International League (known as the 'Triple-A Alliance')
2012-2015: (independents) Can-Am League and American Association

Those marked by an * had the champions of each league meeting in a post-season series.

The winter leagues have also had some seasons where there was interleague play; most recently, the Dominican League and the Puerto Rican League, from 2008-09 to 2009-10. There was interleague play between some of the winter leagues back in the 1960s, but I don't have the specifics handy (and the winter leagues structure was different back then).

[Orioles1966]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

All instances of regular season interleague play in the minor leagues that I'm aware of:

*1959-1961: Texas League and Mexican League (known as the 'Pan-American Association')
1975-1976: Carolina League and Western Carolinas League
*1988-1991: American Association and International League (known as the 'Triple-A Alliance')
2012-2015: (independents) Can-Am League and American Association

Those marked by an * had the champions of each league meeting in a post-season series.

The winter leagues have also had some seasons where there was interleague play; most recently, the Dominican League and the Puerto Rican League, from 2008-09 to 2009-10. There was interleague play between some of the winter leagues back in the 1960s, but I don't have the specifics handy (and the winter leagues structure was different back then).

The Dixie Association(Southern/Texas Leagues) played one season(1971) . Was there ever another time when two leagues merged and then went their separate ways?

I thought the Texas League and Mexican League played some games against each other(maybe 20 years ago)?

[Orioles1966]

I should have merged my Triple A Leagues (two separate conferences)together along with merging the Double A Leagues. Watching Columbus Clippers play the Toledo Mud Hens 20 times a year get's old in a hurry. This is the major complaint about minor league hockey(too many games between the same teams).

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by Orioles1966

The Dixie Association(Southern/Texas Leagues) played one season(1971) .

I don't include that because it was actually a temporary, one-year merger of the two leagues, operating together in scheduling, standings, and playoff purposes as one league (the Dixie Association). In contrast to what several reference sources show, the published schedule and the contemporary standings published in The Sporting News clearly show it as single, unified entity.

Here is the final regular season standing from the Sept. 25, 1971, issue of The Sporting News:

East Division

x-Charlotte          92 50 .648 --
z-Asheville          90 51 .638  1½
  Montgomery         73 69 .514 19
  Jacksonville       63 77 .450 28
  Savannah           57 84 .404 34½
  Columbus           51 91 .359 41

Central Division

x-Arkansas           75 64 .540 --
  Memphis            69 70 .496  6
  Shreveport         69 73 .486  7½
  Birmingham         48 93 .340 28

West Division

x-Amarillo           88 54 .620 --
  Dallas-Fort Worth  82 59 .582  5½
  Albuquerque        67 75 .472 21
  San Antonio        63 77 .450 24

It's clearly shown as a three-division, unified league (and the first-ever instance of a minor league having three divisions). That is in contrast to how the standings are often shown, which is a separate listing for the Southern League and another for the Texas League. (This is one of my few big disagreements with the Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball.)

Originally Posted by Orioles1966

The Dixie Association(Southern/Texas Leagues) played one season(1971) . Was there ever another time when two leagues merged and then went their separate ways?

Arguably, it also happened with the independent Northern League and Northeast League from 1999 to 2002. The Northeast League joined the Northern League, with its clubs staying together as a group, organized together as the 'Eastern Division' while the Northern League clubs stayed together as the 'Central Division', and together both these operated under the Northern League banner.

There was no regular season play the "Divisions" (really conferences, as each was divided into two divisions), though the playoff champions from each met for the Northern League championship.

After 2002 the 'Eastern Division' clubs left and reformed as the Northeast League (which was later renamed the Can-Am League).

Originally Posted by Orioles1966

I thought the Texas League and Mexican League played some games against each other(maybe 20 years ago)?

That was only for All-Star Games, not regular season play. The Mexican League and Texas League met in two All-Star Games in 2000. This was also supposed to happen in 2001, but was cancelled, and the two dates were used for each league to play its own respective All-Star Game.

(The Mexican League and Texas League were also scheduled to play two All-Star Games in both the 1994 and 1995 seasons, but I am not sure if these games were actually played as intended.)

[joefromchicago]

Originally Posted by Orioles1966

I thought the Texas League and Mexican League played some games against each other(maybe 20 years ago)?

They did, but it was more like 60 years ago.