National League facts for kids

Shea Stadium prior to the start of a New York Mets game in 2008. Shea had the best attendance in the National League that year, garnering over 53,000 fans per game on average.

The National League (or NL) is one of the two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB). As of 2016, the NL has 15 teams. At the end of each season, five of these teams go to the "post-season" where one will win the National League championship. The champions of the National League plays against the champions of the American League in the World Series. The team that wins the World Series is the champion of Major League Baseball.

Differences

The only big difference between the National League and the American League (AL) is that the AL uses the "Designated Hitter" (or DH). The Designated Hitter is a player who does not play in the field, but is used to bat for the worst hitter in his team's "lineup", usually the pitcher. The NL does not use the Designated Hitter, and all players in the side must bat and field for themselves.

Related pages

• American League

Images for kids

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  The National League logo from 1957-61, with eight stars representing the eight pre-expansion franchises.

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  Morgan Bulkeley, the first president of the National League

See also

In Spanish: Liga Nacional para niños