Central Baseball League

Independent baseball league

For other uses, see Central League (disambiguation).

"Texas–Louisiana League" redirects here; not to be confused with Texas–Louisiana League (Negro league).

Central Baseball LeagueSport| Baseball

|

Founded| 1994
Ceased| 2005
No. of teams| 25
Country| United States

The Central Baseball League, formerly the Texas–Louisiana League, was an independent baseball league whose member teams were not affiliated with any Major League Baseball (MLB) franchises.[1]

In 1991, potential owners, Dallas businessman Byron Pierce and U. S. Congressman John Bryant, became frustrated that the Texas League had no plans to expand into other Texas locations, and formed The Texas–Louisiana League. The league began play in 1994. After further expansion into Missouri and Mississippi, the Texas–Louisiana League changed its name to the Central Baseball League. In 12 seasons, the league produced 10 different champions; Alexandria and Edinburg were the only teams to win a title twice.

After the 2005 season, the eight-team Central Baseball League disbanded. Five teams joined the American Association: Pensacola, Shreveport, Fort Worth, Coastal Bend and El Paso; and one joined the United League, San Angelo. Edinburg also received a franchise in the United League, unrelated to the now-defunct Roadrunners of the Central League.

## Teams

[edit]

The following teams were, at one time, either a member of the Central Baseball League or the Texas–Louisiana League.

Prairie
Dogs

Aces

Dillas

Bullfrogs

Aviators

Barracudas

Roadrunners

Diablos

Cats

Bluesmen

Senators

Apaches

Crickets

BaySharks

Pelicans

Bighorns

WhiteWings

Tejanos

Colts

Sports

Mountain Ducks

Wildcatters

Central Baseball League (the United States)

Team Name  | City  | State  | Joined  | Left  | Reason

|
|
|
|
|

Abilene Prairie Dogs | Abilene  | Texas  | 1995  | 1999  | Folded
Alexandria Aces | Alexandria  | Louisiana  | 1994  | 2003  | Folded, returned to the  United League in 2006
Amarillo Dillas | Amarillo  | Texas  | 1994  | 2004  | Folded, returned to the  United League in 2006
Beaumont Bullfrogs | Beaumont  | Texas  | 1994  | 1994  | Folded
Coastal Bend Aviators | Robstown  | Texas  | 2003  | 2005  | Joined the  American Association
Corpus Christi Barracudas | Corpus Christi  | Texas  | 1994  | 1995  | Folded
Edinburg Roadrunners | Edinburg  | Texas  | 2001  | 2005  | Folded
El Paso Diablos | El Paso  | Texas  | 2005  | 2005  | Joined the  American Association
Fort Worth Cats | Fort Worth  | Texas  | 2002  | 2005  | Joined the  American Association
Greenville Bluesmen | Greenville  | Mississippi  | 1998  | 2001  | Folded
Jackson DiamondKats/Senators | Jackson  | Mississippi  | 2000  | 2005  | Folded
Lafayette/Bayou Bullfrogs | Lafayette  | Louisiana  | 1998  | 2000  | Folded
Laredo Apaches | Laredo  | Texas  | 1995  | 1995  | Folded
Lubbock Crickets | Lubbock  | Texas  | 1995  | 1998  | Folded
Mobile BaySharks | Mobile  | Alabama  | 1994  | 1995  | Folded
Pensacola Pelicans | Pensacola  | Florida  | 2004  | 2005  | Joined the  American Association
Pueblo Bighorns | Pueblo  | Colorado  | 1995  | 1995  | Folded
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings | Harlington  | Texas  | 1994  | 2003  | Folded, returned to the  United League in 2006
San Antonio Tejanos | San Antonio  | Texas  | 1994  | 1994  | Transferred to Laredo
San Angelo Colts | San Angelo  | Texas  | 2000  | 2005  | Joined the  United League
Shreveport-Bossier Sports | Shreveport  | Louisiana  | 2003  | 2005  | Joined the  American Association
Springfield-Ozark Mountain Ducks | Ozark  | Missouri  | 1999  | 2003  | Joined the Frontier League
Tyler Wildcatters | Tyler  | Texas  | 1994  | 1997  | Folded

## Texas–Louisiana League champions

[edit]

* 1994 Corpus Christi
* 1995 Lubbock
* 1996 Abilene
* 1997 Alexandria
* 1998 Alexandria
* 1999 Amarillo
* 2000 Rio Grande Valley
* 2001 Edinburg

## Central Baseball League champions

[edit]

* 2002 San Angelo
* 2003 Jackson
* 2004 Edinburg
* 2005 Fort Worth

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Central League (Independent)". Encyclopedia and History – Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-03-13.

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