TEXARKANA, TEXAS (January 28, 2008) More than half a century after professional baseball left the area, the Continental Baseball League announced today that it is adding a franchise in Texarkana for the upcoming 2008 season, said Ron Baron, CBL president and CEO.
“We’re extremely excited to return professional baseball to Texarkana, and we promise to deliver a very fan friendly and family oriented product to the city’s fans next summer,” said Baron, who presided over the official announcement at the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce during a mid-day press conference. “One of the platforms of the CBL is to have a fun baseball experience for families at very affordable prices.”
Tickets to CBL games average $7, parking is free and concession stand items are priced well below the going rate at major league and other pro baseball venues.
The Twin Cities -- Texarkana, Texas and Texarkana, Arkansas -- fielded an original Texas League team in 1902, and are the hometown of major league Hall of Fame third baseman Eddie Mathews, who starred for the Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves. Although the area has been a hotbed of amateur baseball, the last pro team to play in town was the Texarkana Bears, which won Big State League championships in 1947 and 1950, but folded in 1953. The cities also count politician Ross Perot among its many distinguished citizens.
The CBL will be starting its second season of play in 2008 after fielding four teams in 2007. The inaugural season was a success despite the heavy amount of rain in the Texas market. The Tarrant County Blue Thunder, managed by former Texas Rangers infielder Curtis Wilkerson, won the first league title, beating the Bay Area Toros of Texas City this past August. The tournament trophy was named after Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins, and this trophy will be presented annually to the winner.
The Texarkana franchise, which will be given its official team name in the next few weeks, will be headed by Professor Frank Snyder, a former Washington, D.C. lawyer who now teaches at the Texas Wesleyan Law School in Fort Worth. Snyder, 54, is the principal owner and president of TXAR Professional Baseball LLC.
“I’ve been a baseball fan since my dad started taking me to see the Dodgers play in the L.A. Coliseum when I was six years old,” said Snyder. “I love taking my own boys. Baseball is a sport where families can shape summertime memories that last for a lifetime, and our goal is to deliver that kind of fun and excitement to the citizens of this community.”
Snyder also announced today the hiring of the team’s general manager, David Farren, 26, who is no stranger to baseball fans in the community. Farren became a local diamond legend during his days at Texas High and later played in the Baltimore Orioles organization.
“This is great news for the Texarkana area and we are really proud to have the Continental Baseball League making the investment in our community,” said Mayor James.W. Bramlett. Texarkana, TX. “We appreciate the CBL for bringing the next level of baseball to Texarkana and I am very excited that we will be able to offer additional family entertainment for our citizens. The community has expressed their desire for the return of a minor league team to Texarkana and this spring it will be a reality. This is one more fantastic opportunity that is taking place in Texarkana USA.”
“This is great news! Texarkana is indeed a baseball town. It will be very exciting for Texarkana to field a professional-level baseball team after a 54-year absence. The Texarkana Bears were popular with our community, and I think a Continental Baseball League team can catch on and be successful in Texarkana,” said Mayor Horace G. Shipp, Texarkana, Arkansas.
Jeff Sandford, President & CEO of the Texarkana, USA Chamber of Commerce, stated: “This is an exciting addition to our community which will not only attract visitors to our area, but will provide a fun amenity for Texarkana citizens. The Chamber is looking forward to working with the Cities, the CBL, and others in promoting this economic and tourism development endeavor and we anticipate great support from the businesses and citizens of this area.”
Bob Ibach, one of the league’s owners and director of baseball operations/communications, noted the caliber of play during the CBL’s first season was one of the highlights. “We were pleased by not only the caliber of play, but the competitiveness between each of the teams,” said Ibach, a former front office member of the Chicago Cubs for nine seasons under general manager Dallas Green during the 1980s. “We had a number of big league scouts out to watch our games and they were also impressed by the talent on the field.”
Pitcher Matt Sartor of the Lewisville Lizards was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the first CBL player to jump to the next level, and Ibach said “there will be a lot more to follow as folks become more aware of the talent in our league.”
The Texarkana franchise will play its first season at George Dobson Field. The field presently seats 600 and plans are to add bleachers to increase capacity to about 1,600. Single game/season ticket packages, along with information about group outings, sponsorship and advertising opportunities will be announced in the very near future, said Snyder. Tryouts for the team will take place in the spring, with an emphasis on attracting several solid local players.
Snyder said he and Farren will be announcing the name of the team’s field manager and coaching staff, along with other front office personnel, in the next few weeks. The pair will be attending the annual Baseball Winter Meetings in Nashville, December 3-6. Snyder also announced a “Name The Team” contest for fans, and entries can be submitted on the team website (www.texarkanaprobaseball.com).
The Continental Baseball League plans to operate with four to six teams for the 2008 season and Baron indicated several new franchises may coming on board before January 1. The CBL is also increasing the number of games from 60 to 72, with play beginning in mid-May through mid-August. “We’re in the final stages of discussions with other communities in Texas and neighboring states,” said Baron. “We want to grow, but we also want to make sure we bring on strong franchises that fit the blueprint for league success.”
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