Rochester Cheetahs - 2009-Present
J.R. Richardson, GM
Franchise #11
History
Brief: The Franchise #11 is perhaps
the most troubled franchise in all of TCBA. In fact, the secretive handling
of ownership transfer by the league offices to J.R. Richardson in 2009
remains a mystery. The franchise was originally formed in 1975 as the South
Starrucca Ainspans, with Marty Fiehl as its head. And it was the same Marty
Fiehl who oversaw the title transfer from a league co-op to Richardson in
late 2008! Fiehl released his original hold on the franchise in 1978,
selling out to Irish investor Paul McGowan. The team was sold to
speculators Al Jenkins in 1982 and Wes Peters in 1983, after which it was
disbanded. In 1985, Fresno activist Joe Woznicka was granted control of
Franchise #11. He tried for five years to stabilize the team to no avail.
Ownership changes in 1990, 1993, 1994, 1997, and 1998 left the franchise
reeling, empty of talent, and with no fan base to support it. In 1999,
hot-shot litigator Bob Scharnberger took control, using the force of his
public relations know-how to inform the league that he would be the savior
of Franchise #11. He surrendered in 2003, paying off his bar bill by
handing the franchise over to brewmeister Bill Kirwin. Four years later,
Kirwin disappeared, and the league was once again forced to assume control
of Franchise #11. Then, in 2009, J.R. Richardson suddenly announced
that HE would solve the mystery. Just what machinations occurred to allow
Richardson to move the team to Rochester is largely unknown. What we do
know is that, prior to 2016, only three times since 1975 had a Franchise
#11 team finished in first place, only thrice had a Franchise #11 team been
a Wildcard, and never had a Franchise #11 team even been in a League
Championship series, let alone win one. It's a mystery; but apparently J.R.
was the one to solve it. The Rochester version of Franchise #11 won the
league crown in 2016, racing their way through three worthy playoff
opponents!
|
