United League Baseball

(Redirected from United Baseball League)

United League Baseball was an independent baseball league that operated in Texas. The league operated from 2006 to 2009. The league then temporarily merged with the Northern League and the Golden Baseball League to form the North American League from 2011–2012. However, after the North American League folded at the end of the 2012 season, ULB was reformed. It dissolved for a second time in January 2015.

United League Baseball
United League Baseball logo
SportBaseball
Founded2006
Ceased2015
No. of teams4
CountryUSA
Last
champion(s)
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings
Most titlesAmarillo Dillas (3)
Official websiteOfficial website

History

The league began its first season on May 16, 2006, with six teams: the Alexandria Aces, Amarillo Dillas, Edinburg Coyotes, Laredo Broncos, Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings and San Angelo Colts. The San Angelo franchise previously played in the now-defunct Central Baseball League, while the Amarillo Dillas previously played in the now-defunct Texas–Louisiana League. The United League was originally owned by an investor group United Sports Equity LLC followed by former Congressman John Bryant.[citation needed]

In 2013, following the dissolution of the North American League, United League Baseball was reincorporated. The league played an 80-game season from late May to the middle of August, and featured the Edinburg Roadrunners, the Fort Worth Cats, the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings, the San Angelo Colts, the Texas Thunder, and the Alexandria Aces. Alexandria and Texas were shut down mid-season. Edinburg did not field a team for 2014 and they were replaced by the Brownsville Charros.

The San Angelo Colts announced on July 2, 2014, that they had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.[1] Although it was stated at the time that operations would not be affected, the team announced on August 11, 2014, that the final eight games of the 2014 regular season would not be played.[2] Originally scheduled to end August 24, the league's 2014 regular season ended August 15, with the best-of-five championship series between the Cats and the WhiteWings starting August 16.[3] The United League Baseball was looking into possibly expanding to Del Rio, Texas, and was scheduled to meet with city officials in October 2014.

In November 2014, it was announced that the City of Ft. Worth had not renewed the lease at LaGrave Field for the Ft. Worth Cats, thus leaving them without a home for the 2015 season. Through the mismanagement of the league by Bryant and Pierce and having one remaining stadium lease in Harlingen the league was formally disbanded in January 2015.[4]

Franchises

United League Baseball
TeamYears playedLocationHomefieldCapacityNotes
Alexandria Aces2006–2008, 2013Alexandria, LouisianaBringhurst Field3,500Charter member, moved to the Continental Baseball League and later the Texas Collegiate League. Disbanded mid-way through the 2013 season.
Amarillo Dillas2006–2010Amarillo, TexasPotter County Memorial Stadium8,500Charter member
Brownsville Charros2014Harlingen, TexasHarlingen Field4,500
Coastal Bend/McAllen/Texas Thunder2009–2010, 2013Robstown, Texas
McAllen, Texas
Fairgrounds Field5,200Played in the North American League from 2011–2012
Edinburg Coyotes/Roadrunners1996–2010, 2013Edinburg, TexasEdinburg Stadium4,000Charter member, Played in North American League from 2011–2012, rejoined in 2013 and folded after the season.
Fort Worth Cats2013–2014Fort Worth, TexasLaGrave Field4,100Previously played in the All-American Association, Central Baseball League, American Association and North American League.
Harlingen/Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings2006–2010, 2013–2014Harlingen, TexasHarlingen Field4,500Charter member, played in the North American League from 2011–2012
Laredo Broncos2006–2010Laredo, TexasVeterans Field5,000Charter member
San Angelo Colts2006–2010, 2013–2014San Angelo, TexasFoster Field4,200Charter member, had previously played in the Texas–Louisiana League and the Central Baseball League. Played in the North American League from 2011–2012.

Standings

2006 season

TeamWLWin %GB
*** Edinburg Coyotes5733.633---
^ San Angelo Colts4644.51111
^ Alexandria Aces4544.50611.5
^ Laredo Broncos4446.48913
Amarillo Dillas3950.43817.5
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings3852.42219

2007 Winter Season

TeamWLWin %GB
*** Brownsville Toros173.850---
^ Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings1010.5007
Laredo Broncos812.4009
Edinburg Coyotes515.25012

2007 season

TeamWLWin %GB
* Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings2921.580---
Alexandria Aces2722.5511.5
Amarillo Dillas2624.5203
Edinburg Coyotes2525.5004
San Angelo Colts2228.4407
Laredo Broncos2029.4088.5
TeamWLWin %GB
** Alexandria Aces3213.711---
San Angelo Colts2222.5009.5
Amarillo Dillas2124.46711
* Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings2124.46711
Laredo Broncos2125.45711.5
Edinburg Coyotes1827.40014.5

^ Clinched Playoff Spot
* Clinched 1st Half Title
** Clinched 2nd Half Title
*** Clinched Regular Season Title

2008 season

TeamWLWin %GB
^** San Angelo Colts5429.651---
*** Alexandria Aces5035.5885
* Amarillo Dillas5036.5815.5
**** Edinburg Coyotes4144.48214
Laredo Broncos3948.44817
Harlingen WhiteWings2062.24433.5

* Clinched 1st Playoff Seed
** Clinched 2nd Playoff Seed
*** Clinched 3rd Playoff Seed
**** Clinched 4th Playoff Seed
^ Clinched Regular Season Championship

2009 season

TeamWLWin %GB
San Angelo Colts*^4832.600---
Edinburg Roadrunners**4634.5752
Amarillo Dillas***4435.5573.5
Coastal Bend Thunder****3940.4948.5
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings3941.4889.5
Laredo Broncos2357.28825

* Clinched 1st Playoff Seed
** Clinched 2nd Playoff Seed
*** Clinched 3rd Playoff Seed
**** Clinched 4th Playoff Seed
^ Clinched Regular Season Championship

2010 season

TeamWLWin %GB
Amarillo Dillas*^5239.571---
Edinburg Roadrunners**5039.5611
Laredo Broncos***4745.5115.5
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings****4745.5115.5
San Angelo Colts4645.5056
Coastal Bend Thunder3160.34221

* Clinched 1st Playoff Seed
** Clinched 2nd Playoff Seed
*** Clinched 3rd Playoff Seed
**** Clinched 4th Playoff Seed
^ Clinched Regular Season Championship

Playoffs

2014 Playoff Results

ULB Championship
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings3
Fort Worth Cats0

2013 Playoff Results

Format: When the league returned for the 2013 season the United League paired the top two regular season teams in a best of 5 ULB Championship series.

ULB Championship
Edinburg Roadrunners3
Fort Worth Cats2

2010 Playoff Results

Format: for the 2010 season the United League playoffs consisted of 4 teams competing in 2 rounds, with the top 4 regular season teams making the playoffs. In the first round the regular season champion faced the 4th seed while seed 2 faced seed 3 in the best of 3 series. The winners then advanced to the championship best-of-five series.

1st RoundULB Championship
      
1Amarillo Dillas2
4Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings0
1Amarillo Dillas3
2Edinburg Roadrunners1
2Edinburg Roadrunners2
3Laredo Broncos1

2009 Playoff Results

Format: for the 2009 season the United League playoffs consisted of 4 teams competing in 2 rounds, with the top 4 regular season teams making the playoffs. In the first round the regular season champion faced the 4th seed while seed 2 faced seed 3 in the best of 3 series. The winners then advanced to the championship best-of-five series.

1st RoundULB Championship
      
1San Angelo Colts2
4Coastal Bend Thunder0
1San Angelo Colts2
3Amarillo Dillas3
2Edinburg Roadrunners1
3Amarillo Dillas2

2008 Playoff Results

Format: for the 2008 season the United League playoffs will consist of 4 teams competing in 2 rounds. In the first round the top two teams at the end of the first half of the season will host the two remaining teams with the best overall winning percentage throughout the season in a best-of-three series. The winners then advance to the championship which will be played at both parks, with the lower seed hosting game one and the higher seed hosting games two and three of the best-of-three series.

1st RoundULB Championship
      
1Amarillo Dillas2
4Edinburg Coyotes0
1Amarillo Dillas2
3Alexandria Aces1
2San Angelo Colts1
3Alexandria Aces2

2007 Playoff Results

Format: for the 2007 season the United League played in a split season format, crowning a first half champion and a second half champion. The champions then played for the ULB Championship. If one team was to win both halves, the team with the second-best overall season record would have qualified for the playoffs as a wild card. The championship series was the best 4 out of 7 games, to be played home and away in a 2–3–2 site format, with home field advantage awarded to the first half champion.

ULB Championship
Alexandria Aces4
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings0

2006 Playoff Results

Format: for the 2006 season the top four teams in the regular season standings made the playoffs, including the regular season champion and 3 wild card teams. The playoffs then commenced with two rounds of games to determine the United League champion:

  • 1st Round – Best 2 out of 3 games
  • Championship – Best 3 out of 5 games
1st RoundULB Championship
      
1Edinburg Coyotes2
4Laredo Broncos1
1Edinburg Coyotes1
3Alexandria Aces3
2San Angelo Colts1
3Alexandria Aces2

ULB Champions

Key

BoldWinning team of the Finals
Had or tied for the best regular season record for that season
Team (X)Denotes the number of times the team has won
(also includes past names of franchise, if applicable)
YearChampionResultRunner-upMost Valuable Player
2006Alexandria Aces (1)3–1Edinburg CoyotesJosh Tranum (Alexandria Aces)
2007Alexandria Aces (2)4–0Rio Grande Valley WhiteWingsPalmer Karr (Alexandria Aces)
2008Amarillo Dillas (1)2–1Alexandria AcesDanny Bravo (Amarillo Dillas)
2009Amarillo Dillas (2)3–2San Angelo ColtsKeanon Simon (Amarillo Dillas)
Dustin Taylor (Amarillo Dillas)
2010Amarillo Dillas (3)3–1Edinburg RoadrunnersKevin Butler (Amarillo Dillas)
Carlos Figueroa (Amarillo Dillas)
2013Edinburg Roadrunners (1)3–2Fort Worth CatsN/A
2014Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings (1)3–0Fort Worth CatsN/A

All-star game

United League Baseball hosted an annual All-Star Game which rotated host cities throughout the league. Its format in 2008 featured the United League all-stars versus the Golden League all-stars. In 2006 the first All-Star Game pitted the best team against the all-stars from the rest of the United League. In 2007 the second All-Star Game pitted Team North (All-Stars from Alexandria, Amarillo and San Angelo) against Team Rio Grande (All-Stars from Edinburg, Laredo and Rio Grande Valley).

The ULB's all-star festivities were a two-day event, the first day featuring various celebrations and recognitions, followed on the second day by the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game.

Game Results

Most Valuable Players

Home Run Derby Winners

League awards

Most Valuable Player

Manager of the Year

Pitcher of the Year

Rookie of the Year

Playing Surface of the Year

References