South Coast League

The South Coast League of Professional Baseball was officially formed in October 2006. The league intended to bring independent professional baseball back to several cities in the southeastern United States. The league began play in May 2007 with six franchises:

South Georgia Peanuts (Albany, GA)
Macon Music (Macon, GA)
Aiken Foxhounds (Aiken, SC)
Anderson Joes (Anderson, SC)
Bradenton Juice (Bradenton, FL)
Charlotte County Redfish (Port Charlotte, FL)

South Coast League Timeline
February 22, 2006 - The South Coast League announces that Macon, GA has been awarded a South Coast League franchise (link)

May 9, 2006 - The South Coast League announces that Charlotte County, FL has been awarded a South Coast League franchise (link)

June 1, 2006 - The South Coast League’s Macon Music offer a pro contract to American Idol winner Taylor Hicks (link)

December 20, 2006 - South Coast League hires former Major Leaguer Wally Backman to manage the South Georgia Peanuts (link)

January 4, 2007 - South Coast League hires former Major Leaguer Cecil Fielder to be the league’s roving hitting instructor (link)

May 17, 2007 – The Macon Music open the season by defeating the Bradenton Juice 5-3 at Luther Williams Field in Macon, GA.

September 3, 2007 - The South Georgia Peanuts win the South Coast League Championship

September 18, 2007 - South Coast League names Wally Backman manager of the year

September 19, 2007 - South Coast League promotes Macon account executive J.D. Hardin to the newly created position of Chief Development Officer (link)

September 24, 2007 - League promotes Macon GM Ric Sisler to the newly created position of VP of Georgia Operations (link)

October 11, 2007 - The South Coast League announces a new logo and motto for the 2008 season – “The Boys Are Back in Town!” (link)

November 19, 2007 - The Albany Herald reports Peanuts GM Keith Michlig was fired four hours before he and his staff left for Thanksgiving vacation. The report indicates the league lost nearly one million dollars in each of its six markets during the inaugural season (link)

December 10, 2007 - South Georgia Peanuts manager Wally Backman is named the manager of the Joliet Jackhammers – an independent team owned by the South Coast League principal investors (link)

December 13, 2007 - League CEO hints the league may retract to 5-teams and and 75-game season (link)

December 15, 2008 – Albany’s WALB-TV reports the league owes $38,000 the city of Albany, GA for an unpaid electric bill (link)

December 18, 2007 - The League announces the resignation of COO Chris Allen and the firing of South Georgia Peanuts GM Keith Michlig

February 23, 2008 - League announces it is retracting from 6-teams to 4-teams (link)

February 25, 2008 - Aiken General Manager Bradley Bell resigns (link)

February 28, 2008 - League fires Macon Music GM Ric Sisler

March 12, 2008 - League announces controversial “Eliot Spitzer Night” promotion (link)

March 16, 2008 - League asks Macon Music fans to visit the team’s website to vote on the fate of the ‘Eliot Spitzer’ promotion (link)

March 19, 2008 - Anderson Joes CEO Garrett Ball resigns (link)

March 22, 2008 - League cancels ‘Eliot Spitzer’ promotion in a press release titled “Macon Calls for Spitzer Night Resignation” (link)

March 25, 2008 – League CEO Jamie Toole resigns (link)

March 25, 2008 – WFXL FOX-31 reports Jamie Toole was given the option to resign or be fired, “after the owners found out that Toole had told people not to cooperate with a group that was interested in purchasing the league.” (link)

March 26, 2008 - Jamie Toole denies the accuracy of the WFXL FOX-31 report, maintaining his decision to leave the South Coast League was, “100% a personal decision.” (link)

March 28, 2008 - South Coast League suspends operations (link)

Related Images:

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Related Links:

South Coast League on Wikipedia