Formed in 1876 and 1901 respectively, the National and American Leagues are two of the more storied catalogies in global sporting history.

Together, the pair combine to make the Major Leagues - the summit for baseballers the globe over.

Today, there are 30 Major League Baseball franchises spread across 17 of America's 50 states, with teams found as far north-east as New England as well as in the south-western warmth of San Diego.

However, this was not always the case, as like America itself, the game's birth was actually a rebirth, and it took navigating a bloody Civil War to create this current lay of the land.

But with every solidified franchise born into a big city, there have been several in smaller markets that find themselves in much more precarious positions

And it is these teams - not the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox of the world - that are often left with a tough decision to make: fold or head for greener pastures?

From a set of single-season Federal League entities to a pair of New York National Leaguers that headed West, here is every defunct or relocated franchise in Major League history.

Franchise
League

First season

Last season

Seasons played

Eventual status
Louisville Colonels NL 1882 1899 18 Defunct
Baltimore Orioles NL 1882 1899 18 Defunct
Cleveland Spiders NL 1887 1899 13 Defunct
Washington Senators NL 1891 1899 9 Defunct
Milwaukee Brewers AL 1901 1901 1 St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles AL 1901 1902 2 Defunct
Indianapolis Hoosiers FL 1914 1914 1 Newark Peppers
Kansas City Packers FL 1914 1915 2 Defunct
Chicago Whales FL 1914 1915 2 Defunct
Baltimore Terrapins FL 1914 1915 2 Defunct
St. Louis Terriers FL 1914 1915 2 Defunct
Brooklyn Tip-Tops FL 1914 1915 2 Defunct
Pittsburgh Rebels FL 1914 1915 2 Defunct
Buffalo Blues FL 1914 1915 2 Defunct
Newark Peppers FL 1915 1915 1 Defunct
Boston Braves NL 1876 1952 77 Milwaukee Braves
St. Louis Browns AL 1902 1953 52 Baltimore Orioles
Philadelphia Athletics AL 1901 1954 54 Kansas City Athletics
New York Giants NL 1883 1957 75 San Francisco Giants
Brooklyn Dodgers NL 1884 1957 74 Los Angeles Dodgers
Washington Senators AL 1901 1960 60 Minnesota Twins
Milwaukee Braves NL 1953 1965 13 Atlanta Braves
Kansas City Athletics AL 1955 1967 13 Oakland Athletics
Seattle Pilots AL 1969 1969 1 Milwaukee Brewers
Washington Senators AL 1961 1971 11 Texas Rangers
Montreal Expos AL 1969 2004 36 Washington Nationals