1 1 , ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁a ▁group ▁led ▁by ▁John ▁Bry ant ▁and ▁By ron ▁Pier ce , ▁co - found ers ▁of ▁United ▁League ▁Baseball , ▁which ▁had ▁merged ▁to ▁become ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁American ▁Baseball ▁League . ▁▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁ ▁Carl ▁Bell ▁and ▁the ▁La G ra ve ▁Re const ruction ▁Co . ▁declared ▁bank rupt cy , ▁which ▁cast ▁doubt ▁on ▁the ▁future ▁of ▁La G ra ve ▁Field . ▁Several ▁months ▁later , ▁the ▁deb t ▁holder , ▁Am egy ▁Bank ▁of ▁Houston , ▁forec l osed ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁land l ord ▁of ▁the ▁C ats . ▁On ▁the ▁field , ▁the ▁team ▁reached ▁the ▁United ▁League ▁championship ▁game ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁but ▁were ▁swe pt ▁by ▁the ▁Ed in burg ▁Road run ners . ▁▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁C ats ▁announced ▁the ▁h iring ▁of ▁their ▁new ▁manager ▁in ▁Mike ▁Marshall ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁season . ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁C ats ▁signed ▁ 5 5 - year - old ▁Jul io ▁Franco . ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁All - Star ▁M VP ▁last ▁played ▁profession ally ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁During ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁season , ▁Mike ▁Marshall ▁res igned ▁his ▁duties ▁as ▁manager .