Independent baseball league

Last updated
Independent baseball leagues
Sport Baseball
Founded1993
No. of teams82
CountriesUnited States
Canada

An independent baseball league is a professional baseball league in the United States or Canada that is not overseen by Major League Baseball or its affiliated Minor League Baseball system (historically referred to as organized baseball). [1]

Contents

Independent leagues have flourished in northeastern states, where dense populations can often support multiple franchises. Because they are not subject to the territorial limitations imposed on affiliated minor-league teams, independent clubs can relocate as close to affiliated teams (and one another) as they choose to. For example, the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, cannot have an affiliated team because of its proximity to the Harrisburg Senators and Reading Fightin Phils, leaving the Atlantic League to place a team—the Lancaster Barnstormers—to fill the void. Another example is the greater New York City metropolitan area, where there are many independent teams: the Long Island Ducks, Staten Island FerryHawks, New Jersey Jackals, New York Boulders, and Sussex County Miners.

The Atlantic League considered as the top level of competition among the independent leagues, [2] and has had more marquee players than any other independent league, including Jose Canseco, Mat Latos, Steve Lombardozzi Jr., Francisco Rodríguez, Chien-Ming Wang, Roger Clemens, Rich Hill, Scott Kazmir, Juan González, John Rocker, and Dontrelle Willis. Two former Atlantic League players are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Tim Raines and Rickey Henderson. Gary Carter, another Hall of Famer, managed in the league. The Atlantic League has had many notable managers and coaches, including Wally Backman, Frank Viola, Tommy John, Sparky Lyle, and Bud Harrelson. The Northern League alumni include Leon "Bull" Durham, J. D. Drew, and Darryl Strawberry.

History

Haymarket Park, home to the Lincoln Saltdogs, an independent baseball team in Lincoln, Nebraska Haymarket park.JPG
Haymarket Park, home to the Lincoln Saltdogs, an independent baseball team in Lincoln, Nebraska

Independent leagues are those professional leagues in the United States and Canada not under the purview of organized Minor League Baseball and the Commissioner of Baseball. Independent baseball existed in the early 20th century and has become prominent again since 1993. [3]

Leagues operated mostly autonomously before 1902, when the majority joined the NAPBL. From then until 1915, a total of eight new and existing leagues remained independent. Most joined the National Association after one season of independence. Notable exceptions were the California League, which was independent in 1902 and from 1907 to 1909; the United States Baseball League, which folded during its independent 1912 season; and the Colonial League, a National Association Member that went independent in 1915 and then folded. [4] Another independent league, the Federal League, played at a level considered major league from 1914 to 1915. [5]

Few independent leagues existed between 1915 and 1993. Major exceptions included the Carolina League and the Quebec-based Provincial League. The Carolina League, based in the North Carolina Piedmont region, gained a reputation as a notorious "outlaw league" during its existence from 1936 to 1938. [6] The Provincial League fielded six teams across Quebec and was independent from 1948 to 1949. Similarly to early 20th-century independent leagues, it joined the National Association in 1950, playing for six more years. [4] [7]

Independent leagues saw new growth after 1992, after the new Professional Baseball Agreement in organized baseball instituted more stringent revenue and stadium requirements on members. [8] The Northern League and Frontier League both started play in 1993, and the Northern League's success paved the way for other independent leagues like the Texas-Louisiana League and Northeast League. Over the next eight years, at least 16 independent leagues formed, of which six existed in 2002. [4] As of the 2024 season, there are seven active leagues, with four of them acting as MLB Partner Leagues. [9]

Additionally, Major League Baseball co-operatively operates the MLB Draft League, which operates as an amateur collegiate summer baseball league in the first half of each season and a professional league outside of the structure of Minor League Baseball for the remainder. [10]

Current leagues

Overview of current independent baseball leagues
AffiliationLeagueFirst seasonTeamsGeographical area
MLB Showcase
League		 MLB Draft League 20216 Appalachia, Mid-Atlantic
MLB Partner
Leagues		 American Association of Professional Baseball 200612 Midwest, Manitoba, Texas
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball 199810 Mid-Atlantic, Southeast
Frontier League 199318 Northeast, Midwest, Ontario, Quebec
Pioneer Baseball League 193912 Northern Mountain States, California
Independent Empire Professional Baseball League 20164 Upstate New York
Pecos League 201116 California, Southwest, Southern Mountain States, Great Plains
United Shore Professional Baseball League 20164 Utica, Michigan
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Independent baseball league teams
  • Blue pog.svg American Association
  • Green pog.svg Atlantic League
  • Red pog.svg Frontier League
  • Yellow pog.svg Pioneer League
  • Orange pog.svg Pecos League
  • Cyan pog.svg Empire League
  • Black pog.svg United Shore League (4 teams play in one stadium)
  • Pink pog.svg MLB Draft League

Defunct leagues

Overview of former independent baseball leagues
LeagueFirst seasonLast seasonGeographical area
All-American Association 20012001 Southern United States
Arizona–Mexico League 20032003 Arizona, Mexico
Atlantic Coast League 19951995 Southeastern United States
Big South League 19961997 Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee
Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball 20052019 Northeast, Quebec, Ontario
Canadian Baseball League 20032003Canada
Carolina League 19361938 North Carolina's Piedmont region
Central Baseball League 19942005 Southern United States
Continental Baseball League 20072010 Southwestern United States
Empire State League 19871987 New York
Freedom Pro Baseball League 20122013 Arizona
Golden Baseball League 20052010 Hawaii, Western United States, Western Canada, Mexico
Golden State League 19951995 California
Great Central League 19941994 Upper Midwest
Heartland League 19961998 Midwestern United States, Northeastern United States, Southeastern United States
Inter-American League 19781979 United States, Dominican Republic, Panama, Puerto Rico, Venezuela
Mid-America League 19951995 Midwestern United States
Mount Rainier Professional Baseball League 20152015 Washington, Oregon, Montana
North Atlantic League 19951996 Northeastern United States, Canada
North American League 20112012 Western United States, Texas, Illinois, Canada
North Central League19941995 Upper Midwest, Canada
North Country Baseball League 20152015 New York, Maine
Northeast League 19952004 Northeastern United States, Canada
Northern League 19932010 Upper Midwest, Kansas, Canada
Pacific Association 20132019 California
Prairie League 19951997 Upper Midwest, Canada
South Coast League 20072007 Southeastern United States
Southeastern League 20022003 Southeastern United States
Southwest Baseball League19951997 Southwestern United States
Thoroughbred Baseball League20172017 Kentucky
United League Baseball 20062014 Texas
Western Baseball League 19952002 Pacific States

Outside of North America

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Map of independent baseball leagues and teams in Japan
   Shikoku Island League Plus
   Baseball Challenge League
   Nihonkai League Baseball

Independent baseball leagues and teams exist outside of North America, though rarer.

In Japan, the Japan Independent Baseball League Organization, which consists of the Shikoku Island League Plus and Baseball Challenge League, operates independently from Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). [11] Japan also has a variety of independent semi-professional leagues consisting of industrial teams, where the players are regular employees of the company that own the team and are additionally paid to play baseball for the company on the side. [11] South Korea also has series of small independent leagues. [12]

Additionally, as of 2024, two Japanese teams without affiliation to NPB teams play within NPB's minor leagues (the Eastern League and the Western League). [11] Similarly, within KBO Futures League, the minor league of Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), there is an unaffiliated team that consists only of South Korean military personnel. [13]

A select number of Japanese independent teams also participate in the off-season Miyazaki Phoenix League alongside Japanese and Korean minor league teams.

Overview of Japanese independent baseball leagues
LeagueFirst seasonTeamsGeographical area
Shikoku Island League Plus 20054 Shikoku
Baseball Challenge League 20068 Chūbu, Kantō, Tōhoku
Nihonkai League Baseball 20222 Chūbu

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "What Is Independent Baseball?". FloBaseball. 10 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "Indy Ball 101". IndyBallIsland.com. 21 June 2018.
  3. ↑ Kraus, Rebecca S. (2012). Minor League Baseball: Community Building Through Hometown Sports. Routledge. p. 43. ISBN   978-0789017567. Archived from the original on June 23, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Kraus, Rebecca S. (2012). Minor League Baseball: Community Building Through Hometown Sports. Routledge. p. 44. ISBN   978-0789017567. Archived from the original on June 23, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  5. ↑ Thorn, John (May 4, 2015). "Why Is the National Association Not a Major League … and Other Records Issues". Our Game. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  6. ↑ R.G. (Hank) Utley, Scott Verner (1999). The Independent Carolina Baseball League, 1936–1938: Baseball Outlaws. McFarland. ISBN   0786423188. Archived from the original on May 5, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  7. ↑ Bjarkman, Peter C. (2005). Diamonds Around the Globe: The Encyclopedia of International Baseball. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 78–79. ISBN   0313322686. Archived from the original on June 29, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  8. ↑ Kraus, Rebecca S. (2012). Minor League Baseball: Community Building Through Hometown Sports. Routledge. p. 47. ISBN   978-0789017567. Archived from the original on June 23, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Partner Leagues". MLB.
  10. ↑ "2024 MLB Draft League Informational FAQ". MLB Draft League. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 Karasawa, Yuri (March 31, 2024). "What is Minor League Baseball in Japan Like?". JapanBall.com.
  12. ↑ Kang, Hyun-kyung (April 6, 2017). "Independent baseball club helps players get second chance in KBO League". The Korea Times.
  13. ↑ Kim, Hyo-Kyung; Park, So-Young (April 16, 2019). "Military service looms over KBO". Korea JoongAng Daily .
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