<P> The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league, established in 1954 and based in the Midwestern United States . It is a Class A league that plays a full season; its players are typically players in their second or third year of professional play . </P> <P> The Midwest League began as the Illinois State League (1947--1948), then became the Mississippi--Ohio Valley League (1949--1955). In 1956, the Mississippi--Ohio Valley League was renamed the Midwest League . Today, the league has 16 teams in two divisions . The Lansing Lugnuts and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers franchises jointly have won the most league championships, with nine each . </P> <P> The Midwest League directly evolved from two earlier leagues in the region . In 1947, the Class D Illinois State League (ISL) began operation with six Illinois teams--the Belleville Stags, Centralia Cubs, Marion Indians, Mattoon Indians, Mount Vernon Braves and the West Frankfort Cardinals . In 1949, the ISL changed its name to the Mississippi--Ohio Valley League after Marion moved their franchise to Kentucky and became the Paducah Chiefs . In 1954, the Mississippi - Ohio Valley League expanded, adding teams in Clinton and Dubuque, Iowa . The Mississippi - Ohio Valley League was then renamed Midwest League in 1956 . </P> <P> The original teams in 1956, the first year of Midwest League play, were: Clinton Pirates, Decatur Commodores, Dubuque Packers, Kokomo Dodgers, Lafayette Red Sox, Mattoon Phillies, Michigan City White Caps and the Paris Lakers . Mattoon is the oldest franchise in the MWL, evolving into today's Fort Wayne TinCaps, while Clinton is the oldest MWL locale . </P>

In 1995 this city in the mid-west was home to two teams