[citation needed] Ted Stepien bought a CBA franchise for Toronto in 1983 after threatening to move the Cleveland Cavaliers to that city.

In fact, on January 25, 1986, the Tornados drew 8,417 in a win against the Detroit Spirits, at that time the second-largest crowd to ever attend a CBA contest.

Power forward Norris Coleman, 6'-8", 210 lbs., signed with the Tornados after playing one year with the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers.

Coleman was selected in the second-round of the 1987 NBA draft (38th overall) by the Clippers after being named to the Big-8 All-Conference team while at Kansas State.

Other key players were rookie guard Mark Wade, Tommy Davis, NBA veteran Freeman Williams, forward Bill Nelson and Jerome Henderson.

A slow start hurt the Tornados, but by the end of January new head coach Joe Mullaney, formerly of Providence College, pulled his club up from the Eastern Division cellar into fourth place in the standings.

Tony Dawson, older brother of Dallas Mavericks forward Jerry Stackhouse, led the team with 25.9 points per game.

Tom and Jane McMillan of Brewton, Alabama, purchased the team from Bob Crongeyer and Eli Jacobsen midway during the 1989–90 season.

The franchise played one more year in Pensacola, garnered a 27–29 record and barely missed the playoffs on the final day of the regular season.