Crane originally wanted the Astros to stay in the National League, where the franchise has competed since its inception in 1962.

Sega was extremely successful in this generation and began a new franchise, Sonic the Hedgehog, to compete with Nintendo's Mario series of games.

The format of the competition changed several times over the life of the competition and in total 24 clubs or franchises competed.

These two franchises have competed for over 20 years in the Pacific International League and many of the major tournaments in the Northwest.

Both franchises have participated in post-season play and competed in the League Championship Series.

The new franchise competed in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union, the highest level of play in Eastern Canada.

The franchise competed for three seasons in the North American Soccer League in the early 1980s.

Baseball's economic state makes contraction "absolutely inevitable," Selig added, "as certain franchises simply cannot compete and cannot generate enough revenues to survive."

"The present salary situation is out of hand and small-market franchises cannot compete in this environment," Vincent said here today during his state-of-the-game address at the annual winter meetings.

"And yet small-market franchises must compete on the field and in the player-compensation arena with the larger market teams," he said.