Pro baseball back in Long Beach

By Claire Howie
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer

When the Long Beach Breakers folded along with the Western League after the 2002 season, fans thought they had seen the last of professional baseball in Long Beach. Not the case, thanks to the Golden Baseball League, pro baseball is coming back to Blair Field.

Hometown baseball is coming back to Long Beach, but there is one major problem, the team doesn't have a name. Fans have the opportunity to name the team and design a team mascot in the Golden Baseball League's "Name the Team" contest. The 10 finalists will be announced November 16th and the winning name and mascot will be chosen on Nov. 30. The "Name the Team" contest winner can choose team merchandise in addition to a $500 cash prize or two season tickets for 2005.

Entry forms are available online at www.goldenbaseball.com and must be submitted by Monday Nov. 8, 2004.

The team is one of eight charter teams throughout California and Arizona under the Golden Baseball League.

Dave Kaval and Amit Patel, classmates at Stanford Business School and co-founders of the Golden Baseball League, dreamed of bringing minor league baseball back to suburbia. From their dream arose a professional, independent baseball league that will compete at the class-A level starting in May 2005.

"We are excited about bring professional baseball back to communities across California and western Arizona," Kaval said.

Seven of the proposed eight charter cities and stadiums have been announced. Three teams are based in Arizona at Desert Sun Stadium in Yuma, Surprise Stadium in Surprise and Hohokam Stadium in Mesa. The four California teams will be located at Nettleton Stadium in Chico, Goodwin Field in Fullerton, Tony Gwynn Stadium in San Diego and Blair Field in Long Beach. There is still one charter city yet to be announced, it is rumored that the league is hoping for a stadium somewhere in the Bay Area.

What makes this league different from the Western League? What will ensure its success?

The GBL will be run under a different ownership structure than any of its predecessors. Unlike most independent baseball leagues, the Golden League will have centralized ownership, meaning the league supports each of the individual teams, rather than the teams supporting the league. The single entity ownership structure is meant to provide financial stability and encourage the long-term success of the club.

Also, private investors have already raised in excess of $5 million to get the league started and support each of the teams within the league for a minimum of three years. Investors include the host of "Wheel of Fortune," Pat Sajak, former Kansas City Chief's running back Christain Okoye and former NFL wide receiver Mike Sherrard.

Mike Malinas has been hired as the general manager for the currently nameless franchise that will begin playing at Blair Field in May. Malinas was last a General Manager for the Modesto A's. There is no question about his managing skills, while with the A's, the franchise broke single-season attendance records and was recognized for franchise excellence with Baseball America's Bob Freitas Award.

The GBL and each of the individual clubs under its ownership believe that community support and involvement are essential to the league's success. Players will spend time at schools, camps and community events. In addition to integrating the players, the league will promote and support youth sports, literacy programs and drug awareness programs within the local communities surrounding each team.

Also, each team hopes to foster community support by including as many local players as possible on the roster. The strongest players will be chosen first for the team, but if two players are equally skilled and only one is local, the local player is more likely to make the team. A source within GBL expects to see some former Long Beach State Dirtbags at the Long Beach tryouts.

Those interested in trying out or receiving information about tryouts should fill out the registration form online. The team will hold open tryouts, however the dates of the first tryouts will not be released until sometime this November.

"I am really excited about this opportunity and starting team operations," Malinas said. "When I interviewed with the league, I asked to be considered for the Long Beach team. Blair Field is just a great place to watch baseball. I really like the city of Long Beach and believe that with the collective efforts of the community our team can be successful."

For more information on the Golden Baseball League visit www.goldenbaseball.com.