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.
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 The following teams were, at one time, either a member of the Central Baseball League or the Texas–Louisiana League.
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 1994 Corpus Christi 1995 Lubbock 1996 Abilene 1997 Alexandria 1998 Alexandria 1999 Amarillo 2000 Rio Grande Valley 2001 Edinburg
Central Baseball League champions 2002 San Angelo 2003 Jackson 2004 Edinburg 2005 Fort Worth
References