|
|sport = Baseball
|founded = 2015
|folded = 2015
|commissioner =
|teams = 4
}}
The '''North Country Baseball League''' is(NCBL) was an [[Independent baseball league|independent]], professional [[baseball]] league located in the Northeastern region of the United States in 2015. Operating in cities not served by [[Major League Baseball]] or their minor-league affiliates, the NCBL hashad four franchise teams spread throughout the states of [[New York (state)|New York]] and [[Maine]].<ref>{{cite Oneweb|url=http://www.northcountrybaseballleague.com/schedule.html|title=NCBL ofSchedule|accessdate=May the teams28, the2015|archive-date=May Road City Explorers29, is2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529003938/http://www.northcountrybaseballleague.com/schedule.html|website=North aCountry [[traveling team]], playing all of itsBaseball games at one of the other three teams.League}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=2015 NCBL Schedule|url=http://www.northcountrybaseballleague.com/schedule2015schedule.html|titlewebsite=NCBLNorth ScheduleCountry Baseball League|accessdate=MayApril 2830, 2018|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151115040005/http://www.northcountrybaseballleague.com/2015schedule.html|archivedate=November 15, 2015}}</ref>
[[File:Eastcoastleague.jpg|thumb|left|Logo for the previously proposed East Coast Baseball League]]
The league was originally proposed as the '''East Coast Baseball League''' and had six teams, four in the United States and two in [[Ontario]], [[Canada]]. Right before the season started, the Watertown team pulled out over what they claimed were unfulfilled promised by the ECBL management. The other U.S. based teams also pulled out and with Watertown reformed the current North Country Baseball League; the two Canadian teams then folded.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/sports/watertown-bucks-start-season-on-sunday-in-north-country-baseball-league-20150522|title=Watertown Bucks start season on Sunday in North Country Baseball League|work=Watertowndailytimes.com|first=Chris|last=Fitz Gerald|date=May 22, 2015|accessdate=May 22, 2015}}</ref>
The NCBLleague haswas anoriginally unofficialproposed affiliation withas the [[Atlantic'''East Coast Baseball League''' ofand Professionalhad Baseballsix teams, four in the United States and two in [[Ontario]], and[[Canada]]. severalRight NCBLbefore playersthe haveseason beenstarted, calledthe upWatertown toteam pulled out over what they claimed were unfulfilled promised by the AtlanticECBL Leaguemanagement. The [[Newburghother Newts]]U.S.-based teams also pulled out and with Watertown wonformed the initialNCBL; leaguethe two Canadian teams championshipthen seriesfolded.<ref>{{cite webnews|url=http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/sports/pro-baseball-watertown-bucks-sweptstart-byseason-newburghon-newtssunday-in-ncblnorth-championshipcountry-seriesbaseball-20150809league-20150522|title=Pro baseball: Watertown Bucks sweptstart byseason Newburghon NewtsSunday in NCBLNorth championshipCountry seriesBaseball League|work=[[Watertown Daily Times]]|first=Chris|last=Fitz Gerald|date=AugustMay 922, 2015|workaccessdate=WatertownMay Daily22, Times2015}}</ref>
The NCBL had an unofficial affiliation with the [[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball]], and several NCBL players were called up to the Atlantic League. The [[Newburgh Newts]] won the initial league championship series.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/sports/pro-baseball-watertown-bucks-swept-by-newburgh-newts-in-ncbl-championship-series-20150809|title=Pro baseball: Watertown Bucks swept by Newburgh Newts in NCBL championship series|date=August 9, 2015|work=Watertown Daily Times}}</ref>
Three of the four teams that took part in the NCBL's lone season moved to the [[Empire Professional Baseball League]] for 2016.
==Teams==
!Stadium
|-
|'''[[Newburgh Newts]]'''
| [[Traveling Team*team]]*
|
|-
|'''[[Old Orchard Beach Surge]]'''
| [[Old Orchard Beach, Maine|Old Orchard Beach]], [[Maine]]
| [[The Ballpark (Old Orchard Beach)|The Ball Park]]
|-
|'''[[Road City Explorers]]'''
| [[Traveling Teamteam]]**
|
|-
|'''[[Watertown Bucks]]'''
| [[Watertown (city), New York|Watertown]], [[New York (state)|New York]]
|[[Duffy Fairgrounds]]
|-
|}
( **) TheOriginally Newtsstarted wereas originallythe Newburgh Newts, based at [[Delano-Hitch Stadium]] in [[Newburgh, New York]], but the team left after three weeks due to lack of sponsorship or fan interest (brought on by poor scheduling).<ref> {{cite news|url=http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/sports/pro-baseball-for-road-city-and-newburgh-everywhere-is-home-20150721 |title=Pro baseball: For Road City and Newburgh, everywhere is 'home'|work=Watertown Daily Times|first=Chris|last=Fitz Gerald|date=July 21, 2015}}</ref><ref> {{cite news|url=http://www.recordonline.com/article/20150725/SPORTS/150729579 |title=Newts' three-week run in Newburgh lacked financing and foresight|first=Josh|last=Bakan|work=[[Times Herald-Record]]|date=July 25, 2015}}</ref> When league ownership had been informed that the check for the first months rent (paid by the ECBL) had in fact bounced, they choose to leave Newburgh. ▼
(**) Operations based in Watertown, New York. The Explorers were in negotiations to play a limited home stand at [[Point Stadium]] in [[Johnstown, Pennsylvania]], but the collapse of the ECBL halted the negotiations between the two. Moved to Rome, New York for 2016 season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Road City Explorers looking to make a POINT!|url=http://ecbl.stage.baseballshift.com/news/road-city-explorers-looking-to|website=East Coast Baseball League|accessdate=March 12, 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429120556/http://ecbl.stage.baseballshift.com/news/road-city-explorers-looking-to|archivedate=April 29, 2015}}</ref>
▲(**) The Newts were originally based at [[Delano-Hitch Stadium]] in [[Newburgh, New York]], but the team left after three weeks due to lack of sponsorship or fan interest (brought on by poor scheduling).<ref>http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/sports/pro-baseball-for-road-city-and-newburgh-everywhere-is-home-20150721</ref><ref>http://www.recordonline.com/article/20150725/SPORTS/150729579</ref> When league ownership had been informed that the check for the first months rent (paid by the ECBL) had in fact bounced, they choose to leave Newburgh.
===Originally proposed ECBL teams===
==External links==
*[http://www.northcountrybaseballleague.com/ Official Website]
{{Professional Baseball}}
[[Category:2015 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Baseball2015 disestablishments in Mainethe United States]]
[[Category:BaseballDefunct independent baseball leagues in Newthe United YorkStates]]
[[Category:Baseball in Ontario]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Maine]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in New York (state)]]
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