Golden Baseball League

The Golden Baseball League was an independent minor league in California, Arizona, Utah, and Canada whose member teams were not associated with any Major League Baseball teams. It operated from 2004 to 2010.

The GBL did not use the designated hitter rule; rather, pitchers batted for themselves. Player salaries ranged from $750 to $3,000 per month. Each team's entire payroll was less than a third of what the major league mininum is for one player ($316,000).

The GBL's presenting partner was Safeway Inc. Other investors in the GBL included Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak, former National Football League players Mike Sherrard and Christian Okoye, and executives from Cisco Systems, Taleo, and Draper Fisher Jurvetson, among others. David Kaval was the league's co-founder, chief executive officer and interim president.

In its final years the league operated as a ten-team circuit composed of two divisions. The GBL had planned to add additional teams in California and Arizona, plus teams in Oregon within five to seven years. Following the 2010 season the league merged with the United Baseball League and Northern League to create the North American League. The franchises in Calgary, Chico, Edmonton, Maui and Yuma all survived the move and became the members of the North American League.

Cities Represented

• Calgary, AB: Calgary Vipers 2008-2010, moved from Northern League, moved to North American League
• Chico, CA: Chico Outlaws 2005-2010, moved to North American League
• Edmonton, AB:
  • Edmonton Cracker-Cats 2008, moved from Northern League, became Edmonton Capitals
  • Edmonton Capitals 2009-2010, moved to North American League
• Fullerton, CA:
  • Fullerton Flyers 2005-2006, became Orange County Flyers
  • Orange County Flyers 2007-2010
• Long Beach, CA: Long Beach Armada 2005-2009
• Maui, HI: Maui Na Koa Ikaika 2010, moved to North American League
• Mesa, AZ: Mesa Miners 2005, moved to Reno Silver Sox
• Reno, NV: Reno Silver Sox 2006-2008, moved from Mesa Miners
• St. George, UT: St. George Roadrunners 2007-2010
• San Diego, CA: San Diego Surf Dawgs 2005-2006
• Surprise, AZ: Surprise Fightin' Falcons 2005
• Tijuana, Baja California: Tijuana Cimarrones 2010
• Tucson, AZ: Tucson Toros 2009-2010
• Victoria, BC: Victoria Seals 2009-2010
• Yuma, AZ: Yuma Scorpions 2005-2010, moved to North American League
• Road team: Japan Samurai Bears 2005

2005

The Golden Baseball league was formed in 2004 and began play on May 26, 2005. For their first season, the league was comprised of eight teams that played their home games in city- and university-owned stadiums, with the exception of the Japan Samurai Bears, a traveling team of Japanese players that played all of its games on the road. Three of the GBL's teams, the Chico Outlaws, Long Beach Armada, and Yuma Scorpions, operated in former Western Baseball League cities. On May 9, Major League Baseball's all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, signed a contract to play for the GBL's San Diego Surf Dawgs. The season ended with a four team championship tournament on Labor Day Weekend. The tournament ended with the Surf Dawgs winning two games on the final day, knocking off the Mesa Miners in the second game to wrap up their championship season.

2005 Standings

California Division							Arizona Division
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager		Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager
San Diego Surf Dawgs	52	38	.578	0	Terry Kennedy		Mesa Miners	51	39	.567	0	Les Lancaster
Chico Outlaws	49	41	.544	3	Mark Parent		Yuma Scorpions	47	43	.522	4	Benny Castillo
Long Beach Armada	49	41	.544	3	Darrell Evans		Surprise Fightin' Falcons	45	45	.500	6	Ozzie Virgil
Fullerton Flyers	34	56	.378	18	Garry Templeton		Japan Samurai Bears	33	57	.367	18	Warren Cromartie

Playoffs

• Double elimination Semifinals San Diego 9, Chico 0; Mesa 8, Long Beach 0; Chico 7, Long Beach 0 (Long Beach is eliminated); Mesa 2, San Diego 0; San Diego 2, Chico 1 (Chico is eliminated)
• Championship Game San Diego 9, Mesa 6

2006

For the 2006 season, the returned as a six team league. The Mesa Miners and Surprise Fightin' Falcons suspended operations, and the Japan Samurai Bears also would not return. However, a new team, the Reno Silver Sox, became their first club in Nevada and went on to capture the league title.

2006 Standings

First Half							Second Half
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager		Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager
Reno Silver Sox	25	15	.625	0	Les Lancaster		Fullerton Flyers	26	14	.650	0	Garry Templeton
Chico Outlaws	22	18	.550	3	Mark Parent		Chico Outlaws	24	16	.600	2	Mark Parent
Long Beach Armada	22	18	.550	3	Darrell Evans		Reno Silver Sox	22	18	.550	4	Les Lancaster
Yuma Scorpions	18	22	.450	7	Benny Castillo		San Diego Surf Dawgs	19	21	.475	7	Terry Kennedy
Fullerton Flyers	17	23	.425	8	Garry Templeton		Long Beach Armada	15	25	.375	11	Darrell Evans
San Diego Surf Dawgs	16	24	.400	9	Terry Kennedy		Yuma Scorpions	14	26	.350	12	Benny Castillo

Championship Series

• Reno defeated Fullerton 3 games to 1

2007

The St. George Roadrunners replaced the San Diego Surf Dawgs in 2007, and the Chico Outlaws won the championship that season, defeating the Long Beach Armada 3 games to 1 in the finals.

2007 Standings

First Half							Second Half
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager		Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager
Chico Outlaws	25	13	.658	0	Mark Parent		Long Beach Armada	25	13	.658	0	Darrell Evans
Long Beach Armada	23	15	.605	2	Darrell Evans		Yuma Scorpions	21	17	.553	4	Benny Castillo
Yuma Scorpions	21	17	.553	4	Benny Castillo		Chico Outlaws	19	19	.500	6	Mark Parent
Orange County Flyers	19	19	.500	6	Garry Templeton		Orange County Flyers	18	20	.474	7	Garry Templeton
Reno Silver Sox	18	20	.474	7	Les Lancaster		St. George Roadrunners	16	22	.421	9	Cory Snyder
St. George Roadrunners	7	31	.184	18	Cory Snyder		Reno Silver Sox	15	23	.395	10	Les Lancaster

Championship Series

• Chico defeated Long Beach 3 games to 1

2008

For the 2008 season, two Canadian teams from the Northern League, the Calgary Vipers and the Edmonton Cracker-Cats, joined the Golden Baseball League and the circuit split into two divisions.

2008 Standings

First Half
North Division							South Division
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager		Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager
Calgary Vipers	26	18	.591	--	Mike Busch		Orange County Flyers	28	15	.651	--	Gary Carter
Edmonton Cracker-Cats	22	22	.500	4	Brent Bowers		Yuma Scorpions	25	19	.568	3.5	Mike Marshall
Reno Silver Sox	18	26	.409	8	Jeffrey Leonard		Long Beach Armada	21	22	.488	7	Steve Yeager
Chico Outlaws	15	27	.357	10	John Macalutas		St. George Roadrunners	18	26	.409	10.5	Cory Snyder

Second Half
North Division							South Division
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager		Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager
Edmonton Cracker-Cats	29	15	.659	--	Brent Bowers		Long Beach Armada	26	18	.591	--	Steve Yeager
Calgary Vipers	19	24	.442	9.5	Mike Busch		St. George Roadrunners	25	19	.568	1	Cory Snyder
Chico Outlaws	19	25	.432	10	John Macalutas		Orange County Flyers	23	20	.535	2.5	Gary Carter
Reno Silver Sox	12	32	.273	17	Jeffrey Leonard		Yuma Scorpions	23	21	.523	3	Mike Marshall

Playoffs

• Semifinals (Best of five): Calgary 3, Edmonton 0; Orange County 3, Long Beach 2

• Championship Series: Orange County 3, Calgary 2

2009

For the 2009 season, the Reno Silver Sox folded, the Edmonton Cracker-Cats were replaced by the Edmonton Capitals, and the Tucson Toros and Victoria Seals began play.

2009 Standings

First Half
North Division							South Division
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager		Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager
Calgary Vipers	26	13	.667	--	Morgan Burkhart		St. George Roadrunners	25	15	.625	--	Cory Snyder
Edmonton Capitals	23	18	.561	4	Brent Bowers		Long Beach Armada	20	18	.526	4	Garry Templeton
Chico Outlaws	19	19	.500	6.5	Kory DeHaan		Orange County Flyers	17	20	.459	6.5	Phil Nevin
Victoria Seals	17	24	.415	10	Darrell Evans		Tucson Toros	17	21	.447	7	Tim Johnson
							Yuma Scorpions	10	27	.270	13.5	Boris Villa

Second Half
North Division							South Division
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager		Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager
Calgary Vipers	23	14	.622	--	Morgan Burkhart		Tucson Toros	21	14	.600	--	Tim Johnson
Edmonton Capitals	21	20	.512	4	Brent Bowers		St. George Roadrunners	23	19	.548	1.5	Cory Snyder
Victoria Seals	15	26	.366	10	Darrell Evans		Long Beach Armada	20	18	.526	2.5	Garry Templeton
Chico Outlaws	14	25	.359	10	Kory DeHaan		Orange County Flyers	20	19	.513	3	Phil Nevin
							Yuma Scorpions	19	20	.487	4	Boris Villa

Playoffs

• Semifinals (Best of five): Calgary 3, Edmonton 1; Tucson 3, St. George 2

• Championship Series: Calgary 3, Tucson 1

2010

The Maui Na Koa Ikaika and the Tijuana Cimarrones joined the league while the Long Beach Armada left. The Chico Outlaws won the championship that season, defeating the Maui Na Koa Ikaika in the finals.

2010 Standings

North Division							South Division
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager		Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager
Chico Outlaws	55	30	.647	0	Garry Templeton		Maui Na Koa Ikaika	56	26	.683	0	Cory Snyder
Calgary Vipers	53	35	.602	3.5	Morgan Burkhart		Orange County Flyers	51	35	.593	7	Paul Abbott
Edmonton Capitals	51	38	.573	6	Brent Bowers		Tucson Toros	46	43	.517	13.5	Tim Johnson
Victoria Seals	45	43	.511	11.5	Kip Gross		Yuma Scorpions	41	49	.456	19	Darryl Brinkley
St. George Roadrunners	23	58	.284	30	Darrell Evans		Tijuana Cimarrones	10	74	.119	47	Enrique Brito

Playoffs

• First Round: Maui defeated Calgary
• First Round: Chico defeated Orange County
• Finals: Chico defeated Maui

League Champions

• 2005 San Diego Surf Dawgs
• 2006 Reno Silver Sox
• 2007 Chico Outlaws
• 2008 Orange County Flyers
• 2009 Calgary Vipers
• 2010 Chico Outlaws