The CBA roots can be traced back to 1990. That year two Canadian guys from Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada, land of the Loonie, Snow, Seals, Hosers, Inuit, Mountains, Draft Dodgers, CBC, Expos, Boots Day, glaciers, forests, fish, moss, loggers, cows, mounties, well you get the picture had an idea.  Claude Lamarre a research assistant for the government and Gerald Benoit programmer for small business company, became friends through another hobby. Later that summer they discovered they had both a passion for baseball and played their first Strat-o-matic board game together in a small apartment of Gamelin street in Montreal.

That year they made a mockup league of twelve teams from the MLB. They also noticed a little flyer advertising the computer version of the board games which Claude immediately ordered. When the game came in the mail they we're both fascinated with it and the small mockup league of twelve teams became a league of 20 teams with exotic name like Flin-Flon, Chuane Cheu,  Wabush, Fartintinkles, Zabadou, Thunder Bay and other strange locations in Canada.

With a BTRIEVE database and an application developed in Turbo C by Gerald they continue to play with the software and played numerous incarnation of the mockup-league. Sometime they would scrap the whole thing just to have the pleasure of doing a draft again. In 1992 they added salaries and contract to the league format and the home made database. With a really long formula that has since been lost, Claude had calculated realistic salaries for all players based on the performance and ability of players.

In 1994 all this thing changed. Claude find other people playing Strat baseball on the internet and he joins his first league on the internet, the North American Strat Baseball League ( NASBL) that Gerald would join a year later. The NASBL experienced was instrumental in the process of developing the CBA. One of the features of the NASBL was the very extensive minor league system in which you could own players from the double AA. An idea that would follow Claude and Gerald in the next few year. In 1995 they both join another startup league named the Virtual Baseball Association (VBA). It was very closed to what they have done in the past before getting on the internet in the sense that it had salaries and contract derived from a formula. Unfortunately in 1996 the commissioner of the VBA vanish from the internet leaving 23 owners with half a season played. Gerald took over the role of the commissioner, renamed the league Virtual Baseball League (VBL) but with not real experience and no preparation at all, is attempt was unsuccessful and finally decide to quit to role of commissioner and the league.

It's at this time that the project of forming their own internet league was first talked about. From planning to action it didn't take long before a first draft of the constitution was made. The frist draft was based on the constitution of the VBA but ultimately evolve to something completly new. Trying to come up with a minor league system that did'nt demand too much knowledge, like the NASBL had, they came up with the minimum rules and thus creating the now famous POPNOMER (Pick Of Players Not Meeting the Minimum Requirement). At the last moment the salary and contract system was put on the shelf, deemed to complicate to apply in the first year of the CBA (It never been added and likely never will).

The Association was made of 24 teams separate in two league of 3 divisions each. Names were given to those leagues and divisions. These were named after Gerald and Claude's favorite and most respected players. If you noticed they have a truly Montreal Expo flavor. Messages and contacts we're sent to find solid ownership. Weary from his experience with the VBL it was decided that Claude would be the commissioner and Gerald would be the co-commissioner. A friend that they both knew from another league they had get in in the mean time (CSBL) Lou Bloss became the other co-commissioner . Lou was a major contributor to the old Strat-Digest publication and Strat website. Marc Wasserman, Another friend and veteran StratFanatic {who once ran the very popular "StratAlliance" News site and Strat gaming lists} was asked to join from the once popular and respected NASBL league and help organize the CBA structure and league as an original committee member. There were many more competent and terrific gamers to come.

2003 was a year of reorganization.  With 2002 done, CBA was at an all time low point.  Apathy and indifference plagued the CBA.  An influx of new GM's from the 2000-2001 season seemed to make the loyalty and comraderie of 1997-1999 a thing of the past.  New franchises appeared with some named to reflect the region or preferences of the new GM's.  Several were French Canadians with little to no Strat experience brought in by Claude in 2001 to replace departing GM's. Things seemed bleak as GM's left.

 By 2002 with no one stepping to the helm to take control of a fading league, Chris Boutet attempted to keep CBA alive, bringing several GM's from his QSBL league.  He also attempted to complete the season, however several times during the season council member and one of CBA's early founders Marc Wasserman helped to run games and keep things organized.

To stimulate interest in the league Boutet took several controversial votes which changed existing usage and rotational requirements.  Usage maximums were set at 115%, Starters who were asterisked or 200+ inn, could start every three days with no maximums for usage.  Batters with 450 AB unlimited, etc.  The result was a statistical nightmare which CBA's statistical database still hasn't recovered from. Many 400+ inn pitchers , and unlimited hitters, exorbitant team stat totals offensive records and pitching records were skewed. Addtionally there were several long breaks between blocks, and several file mishaps which caused extensive delays and much frustration with the veteran GM's. 

At the end of 2002, going into 2003, Boutet resigned from the temporary post.  Marc Wasserman organized a committee and asked co-founder Gerald Benoit to re-enter CBA and assume responsibilties as commisioner, and team ownerwith Wasserman as co-commisioner.  Benoit accepted and took the Acadie Stars and renamed them the Montreal Royals (Skokie) and soon found the task monumental.  Apathy being the major problem in 2002, Both decided to take a different and radical direction for CBA to restore staistical integrity, enthusiasm, and schedule consistancy to CBA.  Resolved that to creat a stronger league there must be a bit of a redistribution of talent.  New GM's would be brought in to replace leaving ones and non-performing GM's.  A massive recruitment drive was spearheaded by Wasserman to retool the GM lineup for the 2003 season.

In 2003, Usage was reset to 100% strictly, and a set of infractions drafted.  Council members Jeff Boutet was appointed, and input was solicited from several vet GM's.  Pitchers rules were set to eliminate unlimited starters, and batters the same.  Injuries were disallowed for continuity.  A new improved interactive SQL databased website was set up by Gerald.  The logos were recreated for some teams.   Gerald replaced team names of departed GM's with monikers and team names from MLB in a 1 year failed experiment.  The season progressed quite well until the last two months when Benoit ran into a family tragedy that occupied most of his team.  He stepped down to attend business and nominated Marc Wasserman commisioner to finish the season.  Wasserman completed the season with a consistant week to week set of games as had been done years before by first commisioner Claude LeMarre.  Gerald retained his team Bodega Bay into his final year 2004.

By 2004,  4 teams were banished to cyberspace from the CBA with the departure of their GM's.  Tennessee, Hartford, Detroit, and Quebec.  Their players were rentered into the draft and new GM's brought on board for an expansion draft.  Other teams trimmed to 20 men to contribute to the mix. 

The founding members of the CBA were:

For the Roberto Clemente conference

Jack Jung, Ottawa Otters* {2000 CBA Champ}

Keith B. Jones, Sunville Sun Jewels {1 of 2 CBA members to be relieved of duties due to diciplinary procedure)

Dan Noonan, Louisville Mob Squad {A Main character in the movie "Caddyshack"}

Eric Lindner, Southwest Lizard King {Nationally respected News reporter}

Lou Bloss (originator of CBA uniform), Parmas Flamingos {Strat-Digest staff}

Shaun Jones (A friend of Rob Hite) , Memphis Mafia

Jon Calder, Alexandria Assault {Video gaming Executive and long time CBA GM}

Greg Mason (From the backroads of America), Hicksville Raging Red Necks

Cory Light, Kilgore Bashers* {Current CBA Senior Executive consultant}

Wayne McGee, Stirling Red Sox* {CBA's Most prolific trader and goodwill ambassador}

Randall Flowers, Vancouver Storm {Well known  Strat GM in prominent leagues}

Rob Hite, Philly Phantastics* { 2002 CBA champion, several time platyoff contender) ,and CBA's semi-finalist in Worldwide ESSOM Friendship Cup tournament
 

Look at our history...The Contenders: The year 2000 was the CBA revolution January the month that made history.
 

2000 was a year of controversy.  Rules changes skewed our precious stats with rediculous usage rules and overusage abound. Records could be asterisked from that year.  However 8 years later our playoff teams remind of us of our CBA roots.  Some of our teams in the playoffs are fighting to exorcise the ghosts of the past.  Doom and failure that gripped some long forgotten franchises have gone away, or have they?  Perhaps some of our playoff contenders have the answer.  As most of us know of the playoff teams, Brooklyn Superbas (Marc Wass), Philly Phantastics (Rob Hite) are the lone original owners in the dance.  Lets look around.
 

The month that shook history, January 2000 perhaps put CBA into it's dark years of 2001 and 2002.  The CBA archives have been cracked open and the in the historic vaults we saw a transition from the old founding members to a new set of GM's who mostly hailed from the home region of Quebec.  We see on our time line that original Louisville Mob Squad, a team who was quite popular moved to the north as the Jonquiere Lifesavers. Perhaps CBA's worst team of all time.  But that franchise is a laughing sack no more in 2008.
 

Louisville Mob Squad:
 

BallPark: (Minnesota Twins)
 Owned By: Dan Noonan (Member since foundation (97))
 Residence: Louisville, Kentucky
 Strat-o-Matic Experience: 6 years. 

Thu, 06 Jan 2000 20:28:04 -0500

• To Philly: Jose Canseco, Cal Ripken, Ryan Klesko, Dennis Cook, Todd Greene, LMS#2, SFS#2, LWD#5 & AAD#5
• To Washington: Kevin Jordan, Yorkis Perez, Derreck. Lee, Bernard Gilkey, Wayne Gomes & MHD #1

Thu, 06 Jan 2000 18:26:05 -0500

• Dan Noonan resigned.  We should find a new GM soon.  Best of luck Dan and thanks for being one of us since the beginning.

A GM was taken without checking credentials or reference.
 

Tue, 04 Jan 2000 00:05:41 -0500

• Wilmington got a new owner because Dany Lapointe resigned.  Wilmington's previous owner is back in town... John McDonald.  Welcome back John.

Tue, 04 Jan 2000 00:06:52 -0500

• Wilmington are changing stadium leaving Cleveland and coming in old Wrigley field (Chicago Cubs Stadium).

Mon, 03 Jan 2000 15:48:35 -0500

• Beauport is changing stadium, leaving Baltimore to their new home, Detroit.

The woeful Lifesavers made a series of deals at the onset, moving away players and getting some poor return.  A case could be made for bad luck, they needed a lifesaver.  The original GM was Dom Tremblay.  He started a mess of epic proportions and quickly left behind his mess to Pierre "Pete" Janneau.  Janneau was a knowledgeable strat player, and set out to correct the roster issues left by Tremblay. The effects were devastating for the franchise as they posted two of the worst seasons in CBA history. They were followed by a succession of forgettable teams.  They became the Green bay Roches in 2002, then the Portland Sea Dogs. This team became the Carolina Copperheads in 2006
 

On the other hand there was the Wilmington Blue Rocks.. Their profile looks like this...
 

March 1997: Franchise foundation under the name Flamingos Parma owned by Lou Bloss
 October 1997: The Parmas finis second with a 91-71 season.
 March 1998: Serge Robitaille acquire the franchise and renamed it Darknight after a move to Kirkland.
 October 1998: Kirkland Dark Knights finish with a second place finish had a 92-70 season.
 January 1999: Acquired by John MacDonald the franchise is renamed Bluerocks and moved to Wilmington.  'Mack' had to give up his team after 1 season due to some personal issues, but when Sebastien Roberge took over, he lost interest very quickly and was replaced after the council pushed for his immediate removal due to non participation.
 

Of note a little known GM whose role in CBA remains a mystery is one GM Dany LaPointe.  Rumor had it that he was an office worker friend of someone.  It is the LaPointe mystery as to who the heck he was that spurred a more discriminating selection process when the new regime change came in late 2002 season.   Just a side note: In 2002  Marc Wass, Gerald Benoit took the reigns from Claude LaMarre whose spirit was broken by Jeff Loria and his beloved Expos MLB catastrophe.  It was a sad time for CBA as baseballs greed affected our league to the core.  When baseball was left for dead in Quebec and our Quebec colleagues followed suit, CBA went through it's transition.  In 2002 Chris "Bouts" Boutin ran the games and brought in some more Strat friends. As the original teams switched ownership so did the loyalty to their home town fans.
 

Wilmington started as as the Parma Flamingoes by famed Strat review columnist Lou Bloss. Lou left CBA and Strat after 1997 and that team became the Kirkland Dark knights for a year in 98.  John MacDonald took em in 99, and his replacement Dany LaPointe proved unable to assume duties after a very brief stay. Mac returned and moved his stadium, but Mac would not put the same heart into his team he had before. In 2002, Mac left and Clyde Elkins came in with the City Heights Clydesdales.  One of the wackiest logos I ever saw.  You must check it out. That franchise folded and is now going to be assigned to a new franchise.
 

Manager of the Beauport Gamblers Martin Boulet brought on assistant GM in Sebastien Roberge who in 2001 took over and renamed The once Grambling Gamblers (1998 Jay Shapiro), the Westmount Gamblers.  Sebas left as baseball left Quebec, and Doug Vandermark changed the name to the Farnham Chiefs. In 2003 Chris Thomas took over and named them the Houston Aeros.  Thomas had a turbulent history in CBA, and the Aeros franchises was awarded to current GM Bob Fidler.  Fidler rebuilt much of the team and developed the Aeros in the Indiana Redbirds, already a Parker division legend.  They won the 2006 WS championship and want it back in the worst way. They are proud Indiana Redbirds. 
 

Washington was a new franchise in 2000 as Jon Calder's Alexandria Assault, stepped aside for Strat Vet Dan DiVirgilio. He lasted 3 years finishing the 2000 season 55-107 and finishing worse in 2001 at 45-117. Nick Yurchuk came aboard in 2002 and brought home a 17 game improvement to 62-100 .  He was quite overwhelmed by the dizzying possibilties of rebuilding, and left after the season. In 2003 That franchise later became the present Dawson champion Joliet Jackhammers under the initials JJS in the Schmidt division. In 2004 they moved to Dawson. It's now 4 years later and Jack Frost is in the hunt.  He joins the big boys and the possibilities of making CBA history in his tenure are in his control.

SD has been in CBA since 2002, and 2007 was their first ever playoff appearance as Wallace built this team from scratch out of the lowest winning team in CBA. Originally owned by Don Jensen and known as the Hamilton Harbors. Hamilton was best known for their dogfight in 1998 with then Dawson title winner Brooklyn Superbas (Moved to Parker in 99) Hamilton fought with Longue Pointe, Quebec, and Limoilou in 1999 and 2000, but were just shy. They'd not return anywhere closew again until 2007's Wallace led San Diego team. A team on the decline when Jensen retired. Wallace began to build with key trades and mostly draft picks and swaps. A true worst to first case, Wallace's plan was to take years to develop a bit at a time until he built what should be a strong contender for years to come. His attitude and dedication to CBA were evident in his very strong playoff effort and management in 2007. Joe Wallace is a class act, and quality GM whose time has arrived in the CBA. SD is an elite CBA team. Here is Hamilton/ San Diego's overall record 1997-2001 as Hamilton 2002-2007 as San Diego. Wallace's team has shown a win increase in 4 consecutive years.  Although their regular season record is not as strong in 2008, they too are in the dance.  Who knows where they'll go in 2008.

Skokie was the Montreal Royals before Wolfman took them over.  They were original founder Gerlad Benoit's team. Looking how Shapiro improved his team to that of a perrenial winner was quite accomplishment.  Here is with CBA's runaway Carter div champions again.  93 wins in 2008 was quite a job, but he wants the World Series after going to the finals last year to lose to Rob Hite and Philly.
 

Click http://www.cba-bb.net/logos_page.htm
To see the old logos, a real treat.