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.
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.
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. 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. 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. 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.
Franchises United League BaseballTeamYears playedLocationHomefieldCapacityNotesAlexandria Aces2006–2008, 2013Alexandria, Louisiana Bringhurst Field 3,500Charter member, moved to the Continental Baseball League and later the Texas Collegiate League. Disbanded mid-way through the 2013 season.Amarillo Dillas2006–2010 Amarillo, Texas Potter County Memorial Stadium 8,500Charter memberBrownsville Charros2014Harlingen, TexasHarlingen Field4,500Coastal Bend/McAllen/Texas Thunder2009–2010, 2013Robstown, TexasMcAllen, Texas Fairgrounds Field 5,200Played in the North American League from 2011–2012Edinburg Coyotes/Roadrunners1996–2010, 2013Edinburg, Texas Edinburg 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 2011–2012Laredo Broncos2006–2010Laredo, Texas Veterans Field 5,000Charter memberSan 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
Team W L Win % GB *** Edinburg Coyotes 57 33 .633 --- ^ San Angelo Colts 46 44 .511 11 ^ Alexandria Aces 45 44 .506 11.5 ^ Laredo Broncos 44 46 .489 13 Amarillo Dillas 39 50 .438 17.5 Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings 38 52 .422 19
2007 Winter Season
Team W L Win % GB *** Brownsville Toros 17 3 .850 --- ^ Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings 10 10 .500 7 Laredo Broncos 8 12 .400 9 Edinburg Coyotes 5 15 .250 12
2007 season Team W L Win % GB * Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings 29 21 .580 --- Alexandria Aces 27 22 .551 1.5 Amarillo Dillas 26 24 .520 3 Edinburg Coyotes 25 25 .500 4 San Angelo Colts 22 28 .440 7 Laredo Broncos 20 29 .408 8.5
Team W L Win % GB ** Alexandria Aces 32 13 .711 --- San Angelo Colts 22 22 .500 9.5 Amarillo Dillas 21 24 .467 11 * Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings 21 24 .467 11 Laredo Broncos 21 25 .457 11.5 Edinburg Coyotes 18 27 .400 14.5
^ Clinched Playoff Spot * Clinched 1st Half Title ** Clinched 2nd Half Title *** Clinched Regular Season Title
2008 season
Team W L Win % GB ^** San Angelo Colts 54 29 .651 --- *** Alexandria Aces 50 35 .588 5 * Amarillo Dillas 50 36 .581 5.5 **** Edinburg Coyotes 41 44 .482 14 Laredo Broncos 39 48 .448 17 Harlingen WhiteWings 20 62 .244 33.5
* Clinched 1st Playoff Seed ** Clinched 2nd Playoff Seed *** Clinched 3rd Playoff Seed **** Clinched 4th Playoff Seed ^ Clinched Regular Season Championship
2009 season
Team W L Win % GB San Angelo Colts*^ 48 32 .600 --- Edinburg Roadrunners** 46 34 .575 2 Amarillo Dillas*** 44 35 .557 3.5 Coastal Bend Thunder**** 39 40 .494 8.5 Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings 39 41 .488 9.5 Laredo Broncos 23 57 .288 25
* Clinched 1st Playoff Seed ** Clinched 2nd Playoff Seed *** Clinched 3rd Playoff Seed **** Clinched 4th Playoff Seed ^ Clinched Regular Season Championship
2010 season
Team W L Win % GB Amarillo Dillas*^ 52 39 .571 --- Edinburg Roadrunners** 50 39 .561 1 Laredo Broncos*** 47 45 .511 5.5 Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings**** 47 45 .511 5.5 San Angelo Colts 46 45 .505 6 Coastal Bend Thunder 31 60 .342 21
* 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 WhiteWings 3 Fort Worth Cats 0
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 Roadrunners 3 Fort Worth Cats 2
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.
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.
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.
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 Aces 4 Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings 0
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
ULB Champions
Key BoldWinning team of the Finals†Had or tied for the best regular season record for that seasonTeam (X)Denotes the number of times the team has won (also includes past names of franchise, if applicable)
Year Champion Result Runner-up Most Valuable Player2006Alexandria Aces (1) 3–1Edinburg Coyotes†Josh 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 Colts†Keanon 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/A2014Rio 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 2006 – United League Baseball All-Stars 12, Edinburg Coyotes 2 (Edinburg, Texas) 2007 – Team North 10, Team Rio Grande 1 (Amarillo, Texas) 2008 – United League Baseball All-Stars 8, Golden League 5 (San Angelo, Texas)
Most Valuable Players 2006 – Edwin Maldonado, Laredo Broncos 2007 – Jonathan Reynoso, Amarillo Dillas 2008 – Luany Sanchez, Laredo Broncos
Home Run Derby Winners 2006 – Jose Olmeda, Edinburg Coyotes 2007 – Juan Lebron, Laredo Broncos 2008 – Andres Rodriguez, San Angelo Colts
League awards
Most Valuable Player 2006 – John Anderson, San Angelo Colts 2007 – Nelson Teilon, Edinburg Coyotes 2008 – Danny Bravo, Amarillo Dillas 2010 – Levy Ventura, Rio Grande Valley
Manager of the Year 2006 – Vince Moore, Edinburg Coyotes; Ricky VanAsselberg, Alexandria Aces 2007 – Ricky VanAsselberg, Alexandria Aces 2008 – Brady Bogart, Amarillo Dillas 2009 – Doc Edwards, San Angelo Colts 2010 – Dan Firova, Laredo Broncos
Pitcher of the Year 2006 – Ryan Harris, Edinburg Coyotes; Santo Hernandez, Alexandria Aces 2007 – Adam Cox (baseball), Alexandria Aces 2009 – Brian Henschel, San Angelo Colts 2010 – Wardell Starling, Edinburg Roadrunners
Rookie of the Year 2007 – Ronnie Gaines, San Angelo Colts 2009 – Trent Lockwood, Amarillo Dillas 2010 – Adam De La Garza, Amarillo Dillas; Jonathan Cisneros, Laredo Broncos
Playing Surface of the Year 2007 – Foster Field, San Angelo Colts 2010 – Foster Field, San Angelo Colts
References
External links United League Baseball official website