A forgotten legacy of MLB expansion in 1961-62 is that it mostly killed racial discrimination in promoting black prospects. In the 1950s, it was still common for black players to log an extra year or two battering minor league competition - teams still hesitant to integrate fast.
Open to correction on that one. I had thought it either started or expanded some time in the Fifties. Whole premise of the draft wouldn't make sense before farm systems.
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It was there before the farm systems evolved, I believe. There were minor leagues. Rule 5 originated as a way for players to move out of the minor leagues, was adapted to the minor league system as that evolved.
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There was a rules change about 1958-1959, which changed the length of time that an organization could hold a player without putting him on a major league roster. I'm not clear on the details, but wonder if you may be confusing the effects of THAT with effects of expansion.
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Could be, or at least the two may both be factors. My point is the time frame, which is why expansion seems a likely culprit.
End of conversation
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