|
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. First announced on November 1, 1994, the UL founders were Bob Mrazek, a former five-term Congressman from Long Island; John Bryant, a Congressman from Dallas; Richard Moss, a player agent, and Andrew Zimbalist, an economist at Smith College.〔(New League Plans Partnership for Clubs and Players ) The New York Times. September 01, 1994.〕 By August 1995, the league introduced former Texas Rangers president Mike Stone as its CEO, Curt Flood as its commissioner and eight franchises (seven in the United States and one in Canada): *Long Island (possibly named the New York Kongs and using a proposed stadium at Suffolk County Community College); *Los Angeles (possibly named the Los Angeles Blaze and using the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum); *Washington (projected to play at R.F.K. Stadium〔(Trying League of Their Own ) The Washington Post. November 01, 1994.〕); *New Orleans (projected to play in the Superdome); *Central Florida (projected to play at the Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee.〔(Baseball League Picks Kissimmee ) Orlando Sentinel. August 18, 1995.〕); *Puerto Rico (presumably to play at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan); *Portland, Oregon; *Vancouver (projected to play in B.C. Place). By 1998, the UL planned to expand to the Far East, with two teams in Japan, one in South Korea and one in Taiwan. The league also announced a twenty-year TV contract with Liberty Sports and a 154-game schedule to begin in 1996.〔(New League Gets TV Deal and Schedule ) The New York Times. August 18, 1995.〕 On April 12, 1996, just before its scheduled debut, the UL 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== 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「United Baseball League (proposed)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|