The Western League, founded in 1885 by Ban Johnson, was an early minor league that eventually led to the creation of the American League. It featured future Hall of Famers like Charles Comiskey, Dizzy Dean, and Connie Mack. After its decline in the 1950s, the league was revived in 1995 as an independent league on the West Coast. The history of the Western and American leagues from 1885 to 1999 is documented in this work, including team and player statistics and photographs.