Golden State League

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The Golden State League was an Independent Baseball league that operated in California. The league had originally targeted eight teams and considered 10-12 potential sites, including one in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Oceanside, Oxnard, Rohnert Park, Chico, Fresno, Merced and Henderson, Nevada. However, it eventually started play with only four teams. These were the Imperial Valley Brahmas, the Antelope Valley Ravens, the Yuma Desert Dawgs, and a traveling team, the Southern Nomadic Mariners (was supposed to play in Indio, California as the Indio Lil' Devils, but the city lacked a standard ball park).

Planning for the league started in 1993. Golden State immediately faced obstacles in securing municipal financing, ballparks and subsidies for new teams as well as entrenched competition from the California League. Plagued by financial difficulties, the season opener was postponed several times from the original target date of March 31, 1995. The league folded just one week after its opening game held on June 16, 1995 in Yuma.

Like most independent leagues, Golden State rosters included a mix of high school and college stars and big leaguers looking to extend their careers. Ex-major leaguers associated with Golden State included pitcher Scott Taylor (Antelope Valley), formerly of the Red Sox, and Gold Glove and all-star outfielder Ellis Valentine (manager Antelope Valley).

[edit] References

Jim Jenkins, "New Baseball Team In Town?", Sacramento Bee, December 15, 1993, Sec. Sports, Pg. F2.
Jeff Davis, "New League May Quench City's Thirst For Baseball", Fresno Bee (CA), April 23,1995, Sec. Sports Pg. D4.
Michael Pritchard, "Leagues On Their Own- Independent Minor Leagues Struggle To Hit It Big", The Press of Atlantic City (NJ), August 21, 1995, Sec. Sports, Pg. A1.