The United Baseball League, also known simply as the United League (UL), was a planned third
major league that was formed in 1994, but folded in 1996 without playing a game.
Formation
First announced on November 1, 1994, the UL founders were
Bob Mrazek, a former five-term Congressman from
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
;
John Bryant, a Congressman from
Dallas; Richard Moss, a player agent, and
Andrew Zimbalist
Andrew S. Zimbalist (born October 16, 1947) is a U.S. economist and author of twenty-four books. He is the Robert A. Woods Professor of Economics at Smith College.
Biography
Zimbalist received his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, ...
, an economist at
Smith College
Smith College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smith (Smith College ...
. The UL originally planned to have ten teams, eight in the U.S. and one each in Canada and Mexico.
By August 1995, the league introduced former
Texas Rangers president Mike Stone as its
CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
, and former star
Curt Flood as its commissioner. "We need an alternative league," Flood said. "America deserves an alternative league. I wish there was one when I played. Baseball's owners have shut me out for 25 years." Eight franchises were announced, seven in the U.S. and one in Canada.
Announced franchises
Further developments
The league also announced a twenty-year TV contract with Liberty Sports and a 154-game schedule to begin March 28, 1996. Co-founder Richard Moss said the plan was for the UL to expand to 16 teams, including Japan and Korea, within three years.
Mike Casey, identified as the owner of the New Orleans franchise, announced former big-leaguer
Paul Blair would be the club's assistant general manager. Casey's son-in-law, former
Boston Red Sox pitching prospect Ed Riley, became the first signing for the proposed club; later, reports indicated the team had offered the disgraced
Pete Rose $500,000 a year to serve as its manager.
By December 1995, Dick Moss announced that the league had been put off until 1997. (By January 1996, Casey's franchise was apparently located not in New Orleans but in
Worcester, Massachusetts; Riley turned up in the "transactions" column of sports pages nationwide as being acquired by the
Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs of the
Northeast League "from Worcester of the United Baseball League".) Finally, on April 12, 1996, the league ceased operations, citing stadium problems. Also, Liberty Sports had merged with the
Fox Television Network, who promptly announced a deal with
Major League Baseball starting in 1997.
United League Strikes Out
The Gainesville Sun April 12, 1996.
References
{{reflist
Defunct major baseball leagues in the United States