The International Baseball League of Australia was a baseball league which existed from 1999 to 2002.

The league was created by David Nilsson after he purchased the rights to the Australian Baseball League in 1999 when it was near financial collapse. The International Baseball League lasted for 3 seasons before Nilsson handed the rights back over to the Australian Baseball Federation in 2002. Since this time there has been no national league in Australia except the yearly Claxton Shield held in January. The idea behind the International Baseball League of Australia was to be a winter league from November to January as a means to help gain off-season competition for players centered in Asia and the United States.^[1]

[edit] Formation

• In January 1999 the Australian Baseball Federation announced the agreement to sell the league's license and rights to Nilcorp (David Nilsson's company).
• On February 14, 1999 the Sydney Storm lost the last game of the Australian Baseball League against the Gold Coast Gougars in the second of the championship series held at Homebush.
• In April 1999 Nilcorp officially signed the license of agreement to run a national baseball league in Australia for the next 100 years.
• In December 1999 Nilcorp began the Claxton Shield competition with teams from WA, SA, NSW, Queensland and Victoria.
• In November 2000 the International Baseball League of Australia was formed on the Gold Coast with four teams-the MLB Stars (a team that was made up of USA minor league players, an International team (players from Korea, USA, Australia, and Japan), Taiwan, and Australia.^[1]

[edit] Collapse

• On December 5, 2000 the Claxton Shield was canceled because due to the poor conditions at the Blacktown Olympic complex. Because of the short notice the International Baseball League was unable to find a replacement venue on such short notice.
• In January 2001 the International Baseball League All-Star game gets canceled.
• In September 2001 the International Baseball League is canceled because of "destabilizing" impact that terrorist attacks on America.
• In April 2002 the International Baseball League in Australia collapses and is no more.^[2]

[edit] Teams

• Australia Provincial 2002
• IBLA Australia 2001
• IBLA Internationals 2001
• MLB All-Stars 2001
• New South Wales Country 2000
• New South Wales Patriots 2000, 2002
• Queensland Rams 2000, 2002
• South Australia Bite 2000, 2002
• Taiwan national team 2001
• Victoria Aces 2000, 2002
• Western Heelers 2000, 2002

[edit] References

v • d • e Baseball in Australia Governing body Australian Baseball Federation State governing bodies Baseball ACT • Baseball NSW • Baseball NT • Baseball Queensland • Baseball South Australia • Baseball Tasmania • Baseball Victoria • Baseball WA National teams Senior • U-19 (AAA) • U-17 (AA) • Women's • Schoolboys National senior competitions Claxton Shield • Australian Baseball League (defunct) • International Baseball League of Australia (defunct) • National Women's Championships National junior competitions Youth Championships • Schoolboys Awards and honors Baseball Australia Diamond Awards • Baseball Australia Hall of Fame

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