Gulls Are Going, Going . . . Almost Gone : Franchise Owners Set Separate Courses After Minor League Baseball Comes Up Dry in Ventura

Better get out and see the Ventura County Gulls while you can. Ken McMullen and Jim Colborn, who each own one-third of the team, are selling their interests. Barring a monetary miracle, the Class-A team is leaving the area at the end of the season.

On second thought, you probably won’t go to a Gulls game now for the same reasons you never did in the first place. The lack of night games, a ban on beer and the remote location made your decision easy. The Gulls have noticed: They are last in California League attendance.

The decision by McMullen and Colborn was more difficult. The longtime residents of Ventura County are selling because no city in the county is willing to cough up cash for a permanent stadium. Ventura College, which allowed the Gulls to use its field this season, indicated last month that the team is not welcome next season.

Plenty of places with existing stadiums--San Bernardino, Lancaster, Riverside and Long Beach, to name a few--are actively seeking a California League team. Look for the Gulls to move to one of those cities.

Also, look for Jim Biby, who owns the remaining third of the team and serves as general manager, to stay with the club--even if it takes financial assistance from the California League office. Look for him to retain Sara McPherson as administrative assistant and promotions specialist. But don’t look for the Toronto Blue Jays to renew their player development contract with the Gulls.

“Something is going to happen in two to three weeks,” Biby said this week. “Either an announcement of a move or selling the team. I guarantee it. I’ve been out to look at three locations. San Bernardino is one. They have a nice ballpark.”

John Kramer, superintendent of the San Bernardino Recreation and Park District, acknowledged the city’s interest in a minor league franchise. The municipal stadium is lighted and seats 1,800.

“We are very interested in bringing a team to San Bernardino,” Kramer said. “The word is out. The mayor and city council have expressed interest. We’ve had parties look at the facility and have had a large number of phone calls from people interested in buying a franchise.”

Several investors, including one represented by sports attorney Howard Slusher, have contacted McMullen about buying the Gulls. McMullen and Colborn’s interests are worth about $90,000.

McMullen, who is active in the team’s daily operations, and Colborn, who is in effect an absentee owner because he’s a pitching coach in the Chicago Cubs organization, decided to sell when it became clear the team would have to find a stadium outside the county.

“I’m not interested in moving with the team,” McMullen said. Colborn is traveling with the Iowa Cubs of the American Assn. and was unavailable for comment.

McMullen is saddened at the downward turn of events. Although he said the team will lose approximately $40,000 this season, he claims the experience was worthwhile. All he wanted was a stadium built by a city--any city--in Ventura County.

“Am I disappointed? Absolutely,” McMullen said. “We were very optimistic. Everything is there in Ventura County. The population is there. It’s just unbelievable that people in local government can’t see it.”

The vision was clear to the three owners. And, for a while, things fell into place.

McMullen and Colborn, ex-big leaguers, and Biby, a businessman, bought a defunct California League franchise in Lodi, secured the working agreement with the Blue Jays and found a temporary home in Ventura. The team was good, finishing the first half of the season with a 45-26 record.

But as the Gulls fortunes spiraled--they are next to last in the Southern Division with a second-half record of 11-20 after Friday’s games--so did the chances of the team remaining in Ventura County.

The Community Stadium Assn., a private citizen’s group, attempted to raise enough funds to convince the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District to approve the building of a stadium at Freedom Park in Camarillo. Twice the association submitted stadium plans to the park district and twice they were rejected.

Camarillo officials reasoned that until the Community Stadium Assn. raised money for lights, stands and fencing, it would be irresponsible to spend public funds on a rudimentary field.

“No one ever came forward with actual funds,” said Nancy Bush, a park district director. “There were promises and dreams, but nothing concrete.”

Officials in Oxnard and Ventura expressed interest in the team but never got beyond the discussion stage. Simi Valley offered to lease land to the Gulls for a stadium but, like Camarillo, declined to commit public funds for construction of the facility.

The minor miracle necessary for the Gulls to remain in Ventura and for McMullen and Colborn to remain as owners would be money. The pair would need a $100,000 donation from the private sector by Aug. 15.

“We would have to get a guarantee for a stadium with lights for the 1987 season,” McMullen said. “I don’t anticipate it happening.”

Relocating doesn’t bother Biby. He is ready to pack up and move.

“It is my preference to stay involved,” Biby said. “The experience has been enjoyable. And I have no problem with taking in outside investors.”

He has the support of California League President Joe Gagliardi, who has pledged financial backing.

“Biby has done a tremendous job of adapting and understanding baseball administration,” Gagliardi said. “He’s done a good job of organizing and coordinating the team under adverse conditions. Jim has built a great rapport with other owners in a short time.

“When you find someone who has acclimated himself to the scene on the business end, you like to see him stay. If the right people didn’t step forward to invest . . . I can’t put the league on the hook, but the league would venture to do something to help. Nobody wants to play with nine teams.”

Investors will inherit an experienced front office, Biby said. McPherson, who handles everything from ticket sales and concessions to advertising, wants to remain with the team.

“I’m trying to keep what I’ve got, improve it and make something better,” Biby said. “I know how to run the thing. Whoever invests gets a team with the advertising and promotions in place.”

A new city, new stadium and an experienced front office may make an attractive package for potential investors. All the new owners will need are players and a manager.

Toronto’s player development contract with the Gulls was limited to one season. Although Biby would like to renew the agreement, the Blue Jays are hoping to move their Class-A operation to their spring training complex in Dunedin, Fla., and join the Florida State League.

George McDonald, president of the Florida State League, said Toronto will be invited for the 1987 season if another team also joins. The league, which currently has 12 teams, will expand only in multiples of two. This year, a new stadium was built in Port Charlotte, Fla., and McDonald expects a major league team to utilize it and become the 14th team.

“There is a 95% chance that Toronto will join the league if another team moves into Port Charlotte,” McDonald said.

Gord Ash, Toronto’s administrator for player personnel, admitted the Blue Jays most likely will break ties with the California League, but added that the organization is pleased with the Gulls.

“I’ve had numerous conversations with the Gull owners in the last year and they know what our position is with the Florida State League,” Ash said. “We’ll see what transpires. Our agreement is for one year only, but it’s open for reassessment.

“From a major league perspective, the Gulls are a satisfactory arrangement. The field is in good shape and the players are housed in a good setting. The only drawback is that it is not in geographic alignment with the rest of our system.”

Gagliardi and Biby hope Toronto renews the contract with the Gulls. Neither are certain if the team would continue without the affiliation.

“I don’t want to speculate on Toronto leaving,” Gagliardi said. “It’d be called punt time.”

Added Biby: “I can’t get a commitment yet from Toronto. They were reasonably confident they could get into the Florida State League in 1987. Now I’m not sure they are all that confident. If we get them for ‘87, we can make them forget the Florida State League.

“Finding another player development contract could pose some problems, but they are not insurmountable. The California League is a good, competitive league on this level. It’s attractive for a major league franchise.”

It was also attractive a year ago to former major leaguers Ken McMullen and Jim Colborn. After a season that began on a high note and is ending on a sour one, would they ever again be interested in a minor league franchise?

“Sure,” McMullen said. “The only thing is, next time a stadium would have to be in place before I bought the team.

“We went out on a limb. I had hoped local politicians would say, ‘They are doing well. It’s good for the community. Let’s support them.’ That didn’t happen. I’m not saying that in a bitter way. We’re not political people. We’re baseball people. I’m just disappointed they haven’t visualized how good it could be. It’s a lost opportunity.”