The Canadian Baseball League was an independent minor league that operated in 2003. The league's only Commissioner was Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame member Ferguson Jenkins. The league featured former major league players such as Francisco Cabrera, Floyd Youmans, Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins was brought in to act as the league's Commissioner.
Big plans
The league was first announced on September 27, 2001, and was initially intended to launch in 2002. A player draft was held in December 2001, with an initial set of eight teams in Abbotsford, Kamloops, Kelowna, Lethbridge, Red Deer, Regina, Nanaimo, and Saskatoon. However, due to difficulties in negotiations between the teams and the cities, and resultant reorganizations within the CBL, the goal of a 2002 season was scrapped.
In November 2002, the CBL announced a revised plan to start the league in 2003. There were still eight teams, but locations of the teams changed substantially, creating a cross-country league with a Western and Eastern Conference (the original 2002 teams were all west of Manitoba).
Despite the difficulties, Riviera presented a grand vision for the CBL's inaugural season. He stated that the CBL would be "AAA quality", and he was rumoured to have approached the Winnipeg Goldeyes about switching leagues. Jenkins said that the league aimed to match AA league quality.
The big plans initially appeared to be possible. The league announced a national television deal with sports channel The Score, while a crowd of 5,100 took in the league's inaugural game in London, Ontario. Owners and executives from the defunct Prairie League, which had minor league teams in the Prairie Provinces until its demise in 1997, raised concerns about the viability of the CBL and its overly optimistic expectations. Four teams averaged fewer than 300 per game: Kelowna (271), Saskatoon (256), Welland (181) and Trois-Rivières (163). Despite losing as much as $4 million on the CBL, Mallett initially promised to bring the league back in 2004. However, the remaining assets of the league were quietly auctioned off on December 1, 2003 in Vancouver and the league never returned.
Teams
Eight teams played in the CBL, divided into two divisions. Because the season was cut short, teams played different numbers of games. Their records at the time the league was suspended, and their primary home stadiums, are listed below. The Calgary Outlaws were declared the Jenkins Cup champions at the season's end, on the basis of having the league's best record to that point.
West Division
- Calgary Outlaws (24–13) – Foothills Stadium
- Saskatoon Legends (22–15) – Cairns Field
- Kelowna Heat (18–19) – Elks Stadium
- Victoria Capitals (13–22)
East Division
- London Monarchs (20–13)
- Niagara Stars (15–15)
- Trois-Rivières Saints (14–17)
- Montreal Royales (10–22)