Minor League history: Illinois State League

The Illinois State League saw the light in 1947 and lasted two years before it changed its name in the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League in 1947. Eventually, the league became the current Midwest League. 

In its two years of existence, the Illinois State League operated as a class D league.
The league was created with completely new franchises and operated in Southern Illinois.
The charter franchises were in the Illinois cities of Belleville, Centralia, Marion, Mattoon, Mount Vernon and West Frankfort.After the Marion Indians moved to the State of Kentucky to become the Paducah Chiefs, the league changed its name into Mississippi-Ohio Valley League. Subsequently, the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League operated through 1955 and in 1956 changed names to become the Midwest League.

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