MINOR LEAGUES ARE POSTING SOME MAJOR ATTENDANCE NUMBERS

          Attendance at Minor League Baseball games exceeded the
     17 million mark before the end of June, the first time that 
     has happened so early in the season in more than 45 years,
     according to NAPBL figures.  The attendance is for the 15
     leagues in the U.S. and Canada that are affiliated with MLB
     teams, plus the AAA Mexican League (NAPBL).

                   

  
 
    

    
Through 
      June '97
    
Through 
      June '96
    

  
  
 
    
 
      
LEAGUE
    
    
 
      
G
    
    
 
      
AVG.
    
    
 
      
TOTAL
    
    
 
      
G
    
    
 
      
AVG.
    
    
 
      
TOTAL
    
    
 
      
%
    
  
  
 
    
CLASS 
      AAA
  
  
 
    
American 
      Assn.
    
 
      
305
    
    
 
      
5,855
    
    
 
      
1,785,781
    
    
 
      
311
    
    
 
      
5,490
    
    
 
      
1,707,295
    
    
 
      
+ 
        5
    
  
  
 
    
International
    
 
      
384
    
    
 
      
5,487
    
    
 
      
2,107,107
    
    
 
      
367
    
    
 
      
5,633
    
    
 
      
2,067,373
    
    
 
      
+ 
        2
    
  
  
 
    
Mexican
    
 
      
713
    
    
 
      
2,923
    
    
 
      
2,083,757
    
    
 
      
762
    
    
 
      
2,664
    
    
 
      
2,029,912
    
    
 
      
+ 
        3
    
  
  
 
    
Pacific 
      Coast
    
 
      
392
    
    
 
      
4,330
    
    
 
      
1,697,323
    
    
 
      
393
    
    
 
      
4,590
    
    
 
      
1,803,710
    
    
 
      
- 
        6
    
  
  
 
    
CLASS 
      AA
  
  
 
    
Eastern
    
 
      
382
    
    
 
      
4,211
    
    
 
      
1,608,856
    
    
 
      
365
    
    
 
      
4,211
    
    
 
      
1,439,433
    
    
 
      
+12
    
  
  
 
    
Southern
    
 
      
377
    
    
 
      
3,256
    
    
 
      
1,227,633
    
    
 
      
390
    
    
 
      
3,003
    
    
 
      
1,171,343
    
    
 
      
+ 
        5
    
  
  
 
    
Texas
    
 
      
299
    
    
 
      
3,500
    
    
 
      
1,046,426
    
    
 
      
306
    
    
 
      
3,715
    
    
 
      
1,136,680
    
    
 
      
- 
        8
    
  
  
 
    
CLASS 
      A
  
  
 
    
California
    
 
      
400
    
    
 
      
2,866
    
    
 
      
1,146,328
    
    
 
      
405
    
    
 
      
2,575
    
    
 
      
1,042,702
    
    
 
      
+10
    
  
  
 
    
Carolina
    
 
      
308
    
    
 
      
2,985
    
    
 
      
919,484
    
    
 
      
297
    
    
 
      
2,932
    
    
 
      
870,831
    
    
 
      
+ 
        6
    
  
  
 
    
Florida 
      State
    
 
      
527
    
    
 
      
1,194
    
    
 
      
629,320
    
    
 
      
521
    
    
 
      
1,152
    
    
 
      
600,424
    
    
 
      
+ 
        5
    
  
  
 
    
Midwest
    
 
      
508
    
    
 
      
2,694
    
    
 
      
1,368,787
    
    
 
      
544
    
    
 
      
2,760
    
    
 
      
1,501,181
    
    
 
      
- 
        9
    
  
  
 
    
South 
      Atlantic
    
 
      
543
    
    
 
      
2,118
    
    
 
      
1,150,185
    
    
 
      
552
    
    
 
      
1,893
    
    
 
      
1,044,687
    
    
 
      
+10
    
  
  
 
    
A-SHORT 
      SEASON
  
  
 
    
New York-Penn
    
 
      
94
    
    
 
      
2,489
    
    
 
      
233,926
    
    
 
      
83
    
    
 
      
2,538
    
    
 
      
210,647
    
    
 
      
+11
    
  
  
 
    
Northwest
    
 
      
54
    
    
 
      
3,468
    
    
 
      
187,268
    
    
 
      
51
    
    
 
      
4,054
    
    
 
      
206,763
    
    
 
      
- 
        9
    
  
  
 
    
ROOKIE
  
  
 
    
Appalachian
    
 
      
57
    
    
 
      
1,233
    
    
 
      
70,286
    
    
 
      
55
    
    
 
      
1,214
    
    
 
      
66,767
    
    
 
      
+ 
        5
    
  
  
 
    
Pioneer
    
 
      
50
    
    
 
      
1,824
    
    
 
      
91,195
    
    
 
      
44
    
    
 
      
1,640
    
    
 
      
72,141
    
    
 
      
+26
    
  
  
 
    

  
  
 
    
TOTALS 
      
    
 
      
5,393
    
    
 
      
3,218
    
    
 
      
17,353,662
    
    
 
      
5,446
    
    
 
      
3,116
    
    
 
      
16,971,889
    
    
 
      
+ 
        2