Our league was founded back in 1997. Consisting of 8 teams in an open-ended salary cap competition, the league
was born in a much different fashion than it exists today. Of the original 8 owners only three remain, and only
one franchise has their original team name. In the begining there was no draft and no trades between owners.
In the summer of 1997 the idea of a draft which woud give teams a very small number of exclusive players was proposed by Tony's
Brewers. The idea was expanded upon, and a two round draft was created, held in March of 1998.
The 1998 season saw many new owners and franchises. Four franchises and five owners that are still with the
league to this day. Goodfellas won their first championship, and now are owned by their third different person,
and they are on their second team name since that time.
1999 saw several changes to the foundation of the league. Two new expansion franchises were added (only one of
which has survived through today), the draft was expanded to three rounds, and divisional play was created. The
twelve teams were placed in two six-team divisions, with the winners of the arbitrarily named AL and NL divisions meeting
in a playoff to determine the league champion. It is a best of ten competition to determine the champion, with points
awarded to the winner of each category. Hord's Horrors would win their only championship to date, but they would go
on to represent the NL 4 times in 5 years (99-03) as division champions. It would create a rivalry between Hord's Horrors
and then AL champs, Nature Boys. The two teams would face off for the championship in 3 of the next 5 years.
While Natuire Boys suffered a loss in 1999, it would mark their only loss in championship competition, and like Hord's
Horrors, they would go on to win 4 of 5 AL championships.
2000 was one of only two years not to see a new team enter the league. Very few changes occurred during this year,
but the league did see two firsts. Nature Boys became the first franchise in league history to win a second championship
(and two division crowns in a row), as they defeated Ball Busters for the title. Ball Busters won their division in
a tie breaker, as they finished the season tied within the NL with Hord's Horrors, but would win the division based on having
more overally points. Ironically, the championship has never been tied at 5 to 5.
2001 would see a new team rise to the top and win their first championship. The Man's Team, one of the original
teams in the league, would win 10-0 in the championship round, marking the only time a team has swept the championship round.
2001 would be the last time that the draft would not be held in person.
2002 marked the league's first three time champion, as Nature Boys continued to be the only team with more than
one title in league history. The draft was also held in person for the first time in league history.
2003 was a year that saw the league expanded again (it contracted three teams between 2000 and 2002), bringing the
league to it's current total of 12 teams. Nature Boys, on the way to winning league high championship number 4, would
become the only team to ever repeat their championship, which they did after winning the closest division race in league history.
A mere 5 additional hits would have given Enormous Wood the AL crown and league championship. Hord's Horrors would
become the only team to ever win their division three consecutive years, but unluckily for them, they would go 0 for 3
in those championship round appearances. 2003 would also see the first expansion draft (during previous expansion teams
were only given extra picks during the draft).
2004 saw two new owners to the league, although one was a former owner. In a very competitive race to the
finish, Big Wood won their first AL division crown, as Enormous Wood finished a very close second for the second consecutive
year. In the championship round, Big Wood edged Ball Busters in a tie-breaker (most overall points) to win their first league
title, in a battle between father and son.
