The Juiced Ball League, based in Peoria, Illinois, was founded in 1981. On this page is a brief history of the league, year-by year league champions and the combined team standings since the 1996 restructuring of the league. The team records listed are current franchises and don't necessarily reflect the current owner's record(s). For example, the Young Guns first two seasons was spent as the league's computer team, the Inept Steins, and were regularly beaten to a pulp.
JBL World Series Champions (beginning 1988)
Year
Owner
Team
1988
Billy Stark
1989
Shelley Epstein
1990
Jerry Brune
1991
Shelley Epstein
1992
Dave Eminian
The Tribe
1993
Jerry Brune
1994
Brad Johnson
Aran Roshta
1995
None
None
1996
Joe Bates
Bates Motel
1997
Brad Johnson
Aran Roshta
1998
Jerry Smith
Four C's
1999
Brad Johnson
Aran Roshta
2000
Tony Goodwin
Masterbatters
2001
Jeff Lampe
Lincoln Loungers
2002
Dave Eminian
Flat Earth Society
2003
Marc Strauss
Splendid Splinters
| TEAM | W | L | GB | PCT. |
| Wallbangers | 427 | 246 | ---- | .634 |
| Flat Earth Society | 400 | 287 | 34.0 | .582 |
| Bates Motel | 376 | 306 | 55.5 | .551 |
| Masterbatters | 364 | 299 | 58.0 | .549 |
| The Four C's | 279 | 237 | 69.0 | .541 |
| Cafe Loewto | 345 | 323 | 79.5 | .516 |
| Splendid Splinters | 352 | 352 | 90.5 | .500 |
| Ryan's Express | 287 | 309 | 101.5 | .482 |
| Rubber Arms | 225 | 267 | 111.5 | .457 |
| Javaswillers | 257 | 339 | 131.5 | .431 |
| Cape Fear | 211 | 313 | 141.5 | .403 |
| Young Guns | 166 | 394 | 204.5 | .296 |
JBL Franchise Histories
Original Franchises
Wallbangers (league titles in 1994, 1997 and 1999) is an original JBL franchise begun when the old league developed in the early 1980's. Brad Johnson took over the team prior to the 1990 season. During Brad's stewardship the franchise was known as Aran Roshta and Siberian Express. Bob Baker ran the team for one year, 2002, after Brad left when the league overwhelmingly rejected internet play in favor of remaining exclusively a face-to-face league. In 2003, Tom Jaggard took control of the franchise.
Bates Motel (league title in 1996) is also an original JBL franchise.
"Spud" Allen took the the team from its original owner prior to the 1990 season. Current owner Joe Bates was handed the reigns during the 1991 season.
Flat Earth Society (league title in 1992, 2002) is another original franchise, taken over by Dave "Cleve" Eminian during the 1989 JBL season. Franchise was also known as Kelcie's Klubbers from 1996-1999.
In the mid-'90s Eminian became commissioner of the JBL, building it into a 12-team league. However, due to his reluctance to travel (in 2003 he set what is believed to be a league record by never leaving the confines of his home for a series) and an equal reluctance to recruit new and dedicated owners, the league dwindled to 6 teams in 2004. That same year Eminian played only 4 games of an 80-game schedule and, as a result, no other owner was given the opportunity to complete his schedule. The following winter (prior to the 2005 season) he failed to contact owners regarding annual league business, did not issue a schedule of dates for annual re-organization and did not order cards for the league. He decided, without announcement or consultation, that the league would fold as a result of his diminished interest. In the end he was guilty of the disinterest he had indicted other owners of over the years. Only unlike the others Eminian's apathy didn't simply mean the end of a single franchise, but rather of an entire league.
Cafe Loewto (league title in 2001) is an original franchise managed first by Joel Merrill, as the BS Wannabees, until the 1999 season when the team was taken by Jeff Lampe and re-named the Lincoln Loungers. Jeff elected to leave the league following 2002, and Tom Loewy (see Rubber Arms) returned for one year, temoprarily bringing back the Cafe Loewto name.
Ryan's Express (league title 1988) is an original franchise owned by Billy Stark until 1996. Dave Vecsey took the team for one season before Ryan Ori became the owner in 1997. Following the 2002 season Ryan left the league and the franchise folded. Interestingly, the Express advanced to the 2002 World Series against Flat Earth Society and declined to play, handing the title to Flat Earth Society by forfeit.
Rubber Arms (league titles in 1989 and 1991) was an original franchise owned by Shelley Epstein through the 1996 season. Tom Loewy ran the franchise as Cafe Loewto from 1996 to 2000. John Cima took over and ran the team for one season, 2001, and like infamous Red Sox' owner Harry Frazee immediately traded his most valuable assets to his neighbor Jeff Lampe. Having accomplished building a championship team for Jeff, John left the league after his only season.
Cape Fear (league titles in 1990 and 1993) was an original franchise started by Jerry Brune, a founding father of the league, until 1994 when it was taken over by Mike Murphy. "Murph" ran the team until 1996 when it was briefly taken over by Brian "Rip Van Winkle" Ludwig, who slept through most of the draft before giving control to Kevin Capie. Kevin ran team from 1996 through 2001, during which time he set a single-season record for losses. The franchise folded prior to the 2002 season when the league overwhelmingly rejected internet play in favor of remaining exclusively a face-to-face league.
Expansion Teams
Masterbatters (league title in 2000) was a true expansion team. Tony Goodwin selected his first squad from the unprotected lists of the other teams in the league prior to the 1991 season.
The Splendid Splinters (league title in 2003, regular-season title in 2003, division title in 1999) was another of the 1996 expansion franchises originally run by Mac Ioder, as the Mighty Macs. In 1998 the team was turned over to Marc Strauss, who renamed it to honor "the greatest hitter who ever lived".
Javaswillers (division title in 2000) was another of the 1996 expansion teams and was managed as the Sons of Bliches by Scott Blicharz until mid 1999 when Ross Priest took over and re-named it as Last Rites. The franchise was doormant for the 2003 season and it's roster frozen when Ross, who moved to Arizona, could no longer run the team. In 2004 Jerry Smith, who previously operated the Four C's, re-joined the league and claimed the roster, re-naming it the Javaswillers.
The Four C's (league title in 1998, division titles in 1999 and 2000) was one of three expansion franchises brought into the league prior to the 1996 season when the JBL was restructured following a strike-shortened 1995 season. The Four C's was managed by Jerry Smith. The team was dissolved before the 2001 season when Jerry temporarily left the league.
Young Guns was added as a computer team in 1996 to make up an
even numbered, 12-team league. It remained a computer team until 1998 when
it was taken over by Steve Aeschelman for one season. Dennis Farney assumed control prior to the 1999 season, naming it the Up & Comers. In 2002, having assembled an impressive young pitching staff, Dennis changed the name of the team to the Young Guns. The team folded before the 2003 season.
Titles won prior to 1988 are unknown.
#1 Draft Picks (first overall selection)
| 1996 | Chipper Jones | by Flat Earth Society |
| 1997 | Pat Hentgen | by Flat Earth Society |
| 1998 | Jaret Wright | by Cape Fear |
| 1999 | J. D. Drew | by Flat Earth Society |
| 2000 | Rick Ankiel | by Splendid Splinters |
| 2001 | Paul Wilson | by Cape Fear |
| 2002 | Roy Oswalt | by Young Guns |
| 2003 | Roy Oswalt | by Masterbatters |
Here are a few league records from the archives. They are listed by their current team name (see breakdown above for actual owner during the season shown). The Inept Steins (computer team) was not considered eligible for inclusion for season or series records.