Editing Northwest League (section)

==History==
The Northwest League (or the ''Northwestern League'') has existed in various forms since 1890, and has been in its current incarnation since 1955.<ref name=hmsnwlben>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UhtOAAAAIBAJ&pg=6934%2C1994658 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |title=Northwest League goes back to 1890 |last=Missildine |first=Harry |date=April 20, 1972 |page=22 |access-date=October 5, 2020 |archive-date=January 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102183921/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UhtOAAAAIBAJ&pg=6934%2C1994658 |url-status=live }}</ref> The current NWL is the descendant of the [[Western International League]] (WIL), a [[Class B (baseball)|Class B]] league from 1937 to 1951 (with a stoppage during World War II) and Class A from 1952 to 1954. The&nbsp;league reformed as the Northwest League and dropped to Class B for the 1955 season.<ref name=sgbinblg>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bvNXAAAAIBAJ&pg=4188%2C2047436 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=Washington |title=Spokane gets berth in new ball league |date=November 8, 1954 |page=18 |access-date=October 5, 2020 |archive-date=January 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102183921/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bvNXAAAAIBAJ&pg=4188%2C2047436 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=iofibpp>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VKwnAAAAIBAJ&pg=4826%2C3131513 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |title=Indians "on first" in baseball plans |date=November 9, 1954 |page=14 |access-date=October 5, 2020 |archive-date=January 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102183943/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VKwnAAAAIBAJ&pg=4826%2C3131513 |url-status=live }}</ref> The WIL had ten teams in its final season, with four in Canada. 

In 1955, the Northwest League was formed, with seven charter teams: [[Salem Senators]], [[Eugene Emeralds]], [[Yakima Bears (original)|Yakima Bears]], [[Spokane Indians]], [[Tri-City Atoms|Tri-City Braves]], [[Wenatchee Chiefs]], and [[Lewiston Broncs]].<ref name=nwlbegtosh>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=B_pXAAAAIBAJ&pg=4711%2C3368264 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=Washington |title=Northwest loop begins to shape into a tight seven-team battle |date=June 11, 1955 |page=8 |access-date=October 5, 2020 |archive-date=January 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102183951/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=B_pXAAAAIBAJ&pg=4711%2C3368264 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=tnyomlbb>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HfpVAAAAIBAJ&pg=4068%2C4925923 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |location=Oregon |last=Rodman |first=Bob |title=29 years of minor league baseball |date=June 17, 1981 |page=1E |access-date=October 5, 2020 |archive-date=January 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102183937/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HfpVAAAAIBAJ&pg=4068%2C4925923 |url-status=live }}</ref> The league switched to the short season schedule in 1966;<ref name=workagr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bcleAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eTIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6128%2C247855 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |title=Broncs get confirmation from A's on '66 working agreement |date=March 2, 1966 |page=13 |archive-date=September 7, 2023 |access-date=September 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230907220904/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bcleAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eTIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6128,247855 |url-status=live }}</ref>
between then and 1982, the NWL fluctuated between four, six, and eight clubs. In 1983, the league returned to an eight-team circuit, which it maintained through 2019.

The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in North America|COVID-19 pandemic]] before ultimately being cancelled on June&nbsp;30.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Message From Pat O'Conner|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/message-from-minor-league-baseball-president-ceo-pat-o-conner-313052288|website=Minor League Baseball|date=March 13, 2020|access-date=May 5, 2020|archive-date=January 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102184027/https://www.milb.com/milb/news/message-from-minor-league-baseball-president-ceo-pat-o-conner-313052288|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=2020can>{{cite news|title=2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved|url=https://www.milb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-shelved|website=Minor League Baseball|date=June 30, 2020|access-date=July 1, 2020|archive-date=January 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102183939/https://www.milb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-shelved|url-status=live}}</ref> As part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues, the Northwest League was promoted to High-A, reduced to six teams, and <!--temporarily-->renamed the "High-A West" for the 2021 season.<ref name=JMayo2-12-2021>{{cite web|last=Mayo|first=Jonathan|title=MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/new-minor-league-baseball-structure|website=Major League Baseball|date=February 12, 2021|access-date=February 12, 2021|archive-date=December 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228130534/https://www.mlb.com/news/new-minor-league-baseball-structure|url-status=live}}</ref> The&nbsp;two dropped teams were the [[Boise Hawks]] and [[Salem-Keizer Volcanoes]]. Following MLB's acquisition of the rights to the names of the historical minor leagues, the High-A West was renamed the Northwest League in&nbsp;2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/minor-league-baseball-historical-league-names-to-return-in-2022|title=Historical League Names to Return in 2022|website=Minor League Baseball|date=March 16, 2022|access-date=March 16, 2022|archive-date=March 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325180745/https://www.milb.com/news/minor-league-baseball-historical-league-names-to-return-in-2022|url-status=live}}</ref>