Writers have long posited the American League East is the toughest division in MLB;[1][2] throughout its 46-year existence, an East branch team has gone to play at the World Series 25 times, and 14 of those teams have been crowned World Series champions. Since the 1995 season when the wild-card playoff berth was released, the AL East has produced the wild-card group for the American League in 13 out of the 17 years (the West branch three, along with the Central division just one).
After the Major Leagues split into divisions for the 1969 season, the American League, unlike the National League, divide its 12 teams purely on geography. The six teams located in the Eastern Time Zone were placed at the East division, and another six were put in the West branch.
In September 1971, American League owners approved the move of the second Washington Senators franchise to Arlington, Texas to become the Texas Rangers. The owners subsequently debated if the Chicago White Sox or Milwaukee Brewers should move to the East division for 1972, together with the Rangers moving to the West. The White Sox requested that they are moved to the East, saying they were an original American League franchise and wanted to play more games from other old-line A.L. teams, five of which were at the East.
The Oakland Athletics objected to moving the White Sox into the East; owner Charlie Finley was a Chicago native who desired to continue to make three trips per season with his club into the Windy City. The Minnesota Twins went a step further and objected to switching either the White Sox or Brewers. The Twins wanted to keep nearby Chicago and Milwaukee as division rivals, mentioning the National League’s lack of geographical accuracy in forming its divisions as a reason why the Rangers shouldn’t have been changed from the East. The Twins also noted the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys played in the NFC East.
The White Sox’ pleas fell on deaf ears, and the Brewers, who began as the Seattle Pilots in 1969, were moved into the East.
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