Golden Baseball League

The Golden Baseball League is an independent minor league in California and Arizona, whose member teams are not associated with any Major League Baseball teams. It formed in 2004 and began play on May 26, 2005.

Related Topics:
Minor league - California - Arizona - Major League Baseball - 2004 - May 26 - 2005

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The GBL's presenting partner is Safeway Inc. Other investors in the GBL include Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak, former NFL players Mike Sherrard and Christian Okoye, and executives from Cisco Systems, Taleo, and Draper Fisher Jurvetson, among others.

Related Topics:
Safeway Inc. - Wheel of Fortune - Pat Sajak - NFL - Mike Sherrard - Christian Okoye - Cisco Systems - Taleo - Draper Fisher Jurvetson

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The league is comprised of eight teams that play their home games in city- and university-owned stadiums, with the exception of the Japan Samurai Bears, a traveling team of Japanese players that will play all 90 of its games during the 2005 season on the road. Three of the GBL's teams, the Chico Outlaws, Long Beach Armada, and Yuma Scorpions, operate in former Western Baseball League cities.

Related Topics:
Japan Samurai Bears - Chico Outlaws - Long Beach Armada - Yuma Scorpions - Western Baseball League

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The GBL is planning to add additional teams in California and Arizona, plus teams in Oregon and northern Mexico, within five to seven years.

Related Topics:
Oregon - Mexico

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Salaries for GBL players range from $750 to $3,000 per month. Each team's entire payroll is less than a third of what the major league minimum is for one player ($316,000).

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The GBL does not use the designated hitter rule; rather, pitchers bat for themselves.

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On May 9, 2005, Major League Baseball's all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, signed a contract to play the 2005 season with the GBL's San Diego Surf Dawgs.

Related Topics:
May 9 - 2005 - Major League Baseball - Stolen base - Rickey Henderson - San Diego Surf Dawgs

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