Game 136 Yanks (Kluber) vs Baltimore (Akin)

The history of the DL/IL is rather interesting. Although there was a rudimentary form of the DL as far back as 1915, it wasn't until 1941 that anything resembling what we have now came into being.

At that point, teams were limited to two players at a time on the DL, and it had to be for 60 days. So you had to be seriously injured. This was lowered to 30 days in 1950, but still only two players at a time. If more than two were hurt, you either played short-handed while they recovered, cut them, or have them play through it.

In 1966, the 15-day DL was introduced. Somewhere in that time frame, a three-tier system was established. A team was allowed to have two players on the 15-day DL, only one of which could be a pitcher; three players on the 21-day DL; and two players on the 30-day DL. It seems hard to believe now, but this system was in effect until August 1990. At that point limits on the number of players were dropped.

Even though it's obvious just from personal memory, players simply did not go on the IL nearly as often even a generation ago. It would have been physically impossible to field a major league team under the old rules if players were injured as frequently as they are today.

Imagine today's Yankees-- or any team for that matter-- trying to function under the system in effect when Mattingly and Winfield and Henderson were playing. Let alone the system when Mantle, Ford, Berra et al were active.