And just this week, league officials talked of creating an affiliated minor league, with teams in Europe.

But the N.B.A.'s new ball will be different from the ones used by its other affiliated leagues.

As of 2005, there were 6,500 registered players, 350 teams and 21 affiliated leagues in the WFAI.

Of the roughly 230 umpires in the affiliated minor leagues each year, 15 or so retire.

Full-time work in the affiliated leagues is the career path to the majors.

Centennial Field has been home to affiliated minor league and summer collegiate baseball teams through the years.

They compete in 40 affiliated leagues around the country.

Wilson played in the affiliated minor leagues until 2002, then went on to play in the independent leagues until 2007.

In 1946 the New England League regained its status as an affiliated minor league.

It includes nearly all the historical material found in his first book (independent baseball) as well as the time in the affiliated minor leagues.