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Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League

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The Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League (Spanish: Liga de Béisbol Profesional Nacional or LBPN), known as the Campeonato Claro for sponsorship purposes, is the professional baseball league of Nicaragua. The league consists of five teams with a 30-game regular season schedule that runs from November to December, followed by a four team playoff round robin; the two best teams advance to a best of seven championship series.

Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League
SportBaseball
Founded1956
No. of teams5
CountryNicaragua
Most recent
champion(s)		Gigantes de Rivas
(5th title)
Most titlesIndios del Bóer
(9 titles)
Official websitehttp://lbpn.com.ni/
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Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League team locations

History

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See also: Baseball in Nicaragua

Before the formation of the professional league, Nicaraguan baseball had long been played at the amateur level. However, the first club to sign a player to a professional baseball was San Fernando, signing several Cuban players for the 1955. The following year, the entire league embraced professionalism.[1] The Nicaraguan professional league was formed in 1956, with five teams: Indios del Bóer, Cinco Estrellas, San Fernando, León, and Flor de Caña.[2] Inaugurated on March 30, 1956 at the Estadio Nacional Anastasio Somoza (the site of the modern Estadio Nacional Soberanía), the first game was between San Fernando and Bóer. The first season was suspended in September 1956 due to the assassination of Anastasio Somoza García, but the tournament resumed in March 1957.[3][4][5][6]

The league initially operated on a summer schedule, but was converted to a winter league when it agreed to join organized baseball in 1957. This agreement was facilitated by President Luis Somoza Debayle as part of a resolution between the Nicaraguan league and organized baseball, which accused the league of "raiding" players from Mexican League clubs.[7][8]

The Nicaraguan public's excitement for baseball grew as foreign professional teams and foreign players came to play in their country's winter league circuit. The teams from Bóer and León were the most successful teams in those years with three championships each. Due to economic difficulties, the league had to shut down in 1967, though baseball continued to be played in an amateur format.

Professional baseball was re-established in Nicaragua in 2004. Since then, Bóer has led the league in championships with six, their most recent victory coming in the 2022–23 season.

Current teams

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Team City Stadium Capacity Founded
Indios del Bóer Managua Estadio Nacional Soberanía 20,000 1905
Tigres de Chinandega Chinandega Estadio Efraín Tijerino 8,000 1956
Gigantes de Rivas Rivas Estadio Yamil Ríos Ugarte 6,000 2013
Leones de León León Estadio Héroes y Mártires 8,000 1939
Tren del Norte Estelí Estadio Rufo Marín 1,200 1961

Defunct teams

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Defunct stadiums

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  • Estadio Roberto Clemente, Masaya
  • Estadio Roque Tadeo Zavala, Granada

Champions

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Key
† Champions also won the Latin American Series that season
† Champions also won the Interamerican Series that season
Season Champion Final
Series		 Runners Up Manager
1956 Season suspended due to the assassination of Anastasio Somoza García
1957 Leones de León
1957–58 Leones de León (2) 4–2 Cinco Estrellas Wilfredo Calviño
1958–59 Oriental 4–3 Indios del Bóer Roberto Fernandez Tapanes
1959–60 Leones de León (3) 4–1 Cinco Estrellas Julio Moreno
1960–61 Season canceled due to extreme weather[9]
1961–62 Cigarilleros del Marlboro[a] 4–2 Indios del Bóer Stanford Graham
1962–63 Indios del Bóer 2–1 Leones de León Tony Castaño
1963–64 Cinco Estrellas † 4–2 Oriental Wilfredo Calviño
1964–65 Indios del Bóer (2) 4–2 Round robin[b] Calvin Byron
1965–66 Indios del Bóer (3) 4–1 Leones de León Calvin Byron
1966–67 Cinco Estrellas (2) 4–3 Indios del Bóer Julio Moreno
No professional baseball from 1967 to 2004
2004–05 Leones de León (4) 4–3 Tigres de Chinandega Noel Areas
2005–06 Tigres de Chinandega 4–2 Fieras de San Fernando Jorge Fuentes
2006–07 Indios del Bóer (4) 4–0 Leones de León Noel Areas
2007–08 Indios del Bóer (5) 4–2 Fieras de San Fernando Lourdes Gourriel
2008–09 Season suspended
2009–10 Leones de León (5) 4–1 Oriental de Granada Roger Guillén
2010–11 Indios del Bóer (6) 4–1 Tigres de Chinandega Noel Areas
2011–12 Indios del Bóer (7) 4–2 Tigres de Chinandega Julio César Sanchez
2012–13 Tigres de Chinandega (2) 4–2 Oriental de Granada Germán Mesa
2013–14 Gigantes de Rivas 4–1 Indios del Bóer Manny Collado
2014–15 Indios del Bóer (8) 4–2 Gigantes de Rivas Javier Colina
2015–16 Gigantes de Rivas (2) † 4–3 Oriental de Granada Germán Mesa
2016–17 Tigres de Chinandega (3) † 4–1 Gigantes de Rivas Len Picota
2017–18 Tigres de Chinandega (4) † 4–1 Gigantes de Rivas Len Picota
2018–19 Leones de León (6) † 4–1 Tigres de Chinandega Sandor Guido
2019–20 Leones de León (7) 4–1 Tigres de Chinandega Sandor Guido
2020–21 Gigantes de Rivas (2) 4–2 Tigres de Chinandega Joel Fuentes
2021–22 Leones de León (8) 4–3 Gigantes de Rivas Sandor Guido
2022–23 Indios del Bóer (9) 4–2 Gigantes de Rivas Joel Fuentes
2023–24 Gigantes de Rivas (3) 4–2 Tren del Norte Germán Mesa

Championships by team

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Rank Team Wins Years
1 Indios del Bóer 9 1962–63, 1964–65, 1965–66, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2022–23
2 Leones de León 8 1957, 1957–58, 1959–60, 2004–05, 2009–10, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22
3 Tigres de Chinandega 4 2005–06, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2017–18
4 Gigantes de Rivas 3 2013–14, 2020–21, 2023–24
5 Cinco Estrellas 2 1963–64, 1966–67
6 Oriental 1 1958–59
Cigarilleros del Marlboro[a] 1961–62

International competition

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From its inception, the Nicaraguan professional league sought to participate in international club competition. It hosted a tournament billed as the Serie Panamericana, or Pan-American Series, in 1958, inviting the champions of the Colombian and Mexican Pacific Leagues.[11] This tournament, won by Leones de León, was a success; Nicaraguan organizers hoped it would allow them to join the Caribbean Series, but such an invitation was not forthcoming.[12]

The LPBN did participate in the Interamerican Series three times[a] in the 1960s, while the Caribbean Series was suspended. It hosted the 1964 edition, which was won by Cinco Estrellas.

Nicaragua was an inaugural member of the Latin American Series, winning the tournament four times in the 2010s.

The LPBN would not participate in the Caribbean Series until 2024, when it was invited to participate in the tournament in Miami.[13] Their entry was controversial, because it was alleged that the regime of Daniel Ortega offered $1 million to the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation to secure the participation in the tournament.[14][15]

Interamerican Series champions

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Season Winner
1964 Cinco Estrellas

Latin American Series champions

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Season Winner
2016 Gigantes de Rivas
2017 Tigres de Chinandega
2018 Tigres de Chinandega
2019 Leones de León

Individual leaders by year

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Hitting

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Season Player Team Player Team Player Team
Batting average Home Runs RBI
2004–05 Adolfo Matamoros Chinandega .378 Luis Iglesias Chinandega 4 Marlon Abea San Fernando 33
Marlon Abea San Fernando 4
2005–06 Bárbaro Cañizares Bóer .352 Michel Abreu Bóer 14 Wilson Batista Chinandega 42
2006–07 Justo Rivas León .377 Clyde Williams Bóer 16 Clyde Williams Bóer 40
2007–08 Ofilio Castro San Fernando .351 Luke Gorsett Chinandega 6 Danilo Sotelo San Fernando 32
Jimmy Hurts San Fernando 6
Marcos Sánchez San Fernando 6
2009–10 Jimmy González Granada .363 Lenín Aragón Bóer 6 Lenín Aragón Bóer 38
Edgard López León 38
2010–11 José Campusano Bóer .363 Brian Nichols León 10 Manuel Mejía Bóer 37
2011–12 Renato Morales Granada .387 Esteban Ramírez Chinandega 12 Wuillians Vasquez Bóer 51
2012–13 Yurendell DeCaster Chinandega .416 Yurendell DeCaster Chinandega 13 Yurendell DeCaster Chinandega 56
Ramón Flores Chinandega 13
2013–14 Wuillians Vasquez Chinandega .351 Ronald Garth Granada 8 Esteban Ramírez Chinandega 35
2014–15 Yurendell DeCaster Rivas .368 Rudy Van Heydoorm Rivas 6 Ramón Flores Rivas 38
2015–16 Jonel Pacheco Chinandega .427 Juan C. Torres Granada 6 Ronald Garth Chinandega 30
2016–17 Wuillians Vasquez Rivas .407 Wuillians Vasquez Rivas 11 Wuillians Vasquez Rivas 55
2017–18 Javier Robles Bóer .354 Curt Smith Chinandega 6 Elmer Reyes Rivas 34
2018–19 Elmer Reyes Bóer .360 Juan Silverio Bóer 6 Juan Silverio Bóer 19
2019–20 Ofilio Castro León .409 Alvaro Gonzalez Chinandega 10 Elian Miranda Chinandega 31
Alvaro Gonzalez Chinandega 31
2020–21 Ronald Garth León .400 Cheslor Cuthbert Rivas 9 Héctor Gómez Tren 41
Willy García Tren 9
2021–22 Alay Largo Tren .424 Willy García Tren 11 Alay Largo Tren 45
2022–23 Manuel Geraldo Bóer .355 Manuel Geraldo Bóer 7 Manuel Geraldo Bóer 31
2023–24 Omar Mendoza Chinandega .358 Jesus Lopez Chinandega 8 Omar Mendoza Chinandega 29

Pitching

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Season Player Team Player Team Player Team
ERA Win–loss record Strikeouts
2004–05 Julio Raudez San Fernando 1.46 Julio Raudez San Fernando 10–3 Miguel Pérez León 99
2005–06 Wilton López León 1.34 Julio Raudez Chinandega 10–0 Devern Hansack León 89
2006–07 José Luis Sáenz San Fernando 1.96 Wilton López León 8–2 Willy Lebrón San Fernando/León 89
2007–08 Wilton López León 1.45 Diego Sandino San Fernando 10–0 Juan Figueroa Bóer 60
2009–10 Wilfredo Amador León 1.95 Wilder Rayo León 7–2 Melvin Cuevas Granada 57
2010–11 Carlos Estrella Granada 1.19 Rodney Rodríguez Granada 8–5 Rodney Rodríguez Granada 93
2011–12 Eric Blackwell León 2.75 Wilder Rayo León 8–3 Juan Figueroa Granada 74
2012–13 Wilder Rayo León 2.06 Juan Figueroa Granada 7–1 Juan Figueroa Granada 79
2013–14 Carlos Estrella Rivas 1.62 Carlos Téller Bóer 7–0 Santos Hernandez Granada 71
2014–15 Rodney Rodríguez Bóer 2.29 Paul Estrada Chinandega 8–1 Rodney Rodríguez Bóer 58
2015–16 Austin Davis Bóer 1.12 Roger Luque Granada 5–2 Paul Estrada Rivas 52
Abraham Elvira Chinandega 52
2016–17 Gustavo Martínez Granada 1.95 José Rosario Rivas 7–1 Frankie de la Cruz Granada 58
2017–18 Jorge Bucardo Bóer 1.56 Manauris Baez Bóer 5–0 Paul Estrada Bóer 49
2018–19 Luis Angel Mateo León 3.29 Jorge Bucardo León 3–0 Luis Angel Mateo León 35
2019–20 Isaac Silva León 2.59 Carlos Sano Chinandega 4–0 Carlos Sano Chinandega 37
2020–21 Leónardo Crawford Rivas 2.65 Willy Paredes León 6-1 Alexander Santana Chinandega 47
2021–22 Bryan Torres Rivas 0.81 Ronald Medrano Rivas 5-0 Pedro Fernández Chinandega 71
2022–23 Edgard Martinez Tren 2.22 Yeudy García Bóer 5-0 Ronald Medrano Rivas 57
2023–24 Yeris Gonzalez Chinandega 1.69 Luis Ramirez Tren 6-2 Joanner Negrin Perez León 42

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c The Nicaraguan league merged with the Panamanian Professional Baseball League for the 1961–62 season. That year, the champion was Marlboro, a Panama-based team.
  2. ^ The 1964–65 playoffs were held in a round-robin format, as all four clubs finished the regular season with an identical record. Leon and Cinco Estrellas both tied for second, going 3–3 in the round-robin playoffs[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Nicaraguan fans riding clouds over feats of American players". The Sporting News. 15 January 1958.
  2. ^ "EL SABADO SE INICIA EN NICARAGUA EL CAMPEONATO PROFESIONAL DE BEISBOL" (in Spanish). La Prensa Libre. 1 March 1956. p. 5. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  3. ^ "DECLARADO DESIERTO CAMPEONATO DE BEISBOL PROFESIONAL EN NICARAGUA" (in Spanish). Diario de Costa Rica. 30 September 1956. p. 15. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  4. ^ "EL DOS DE MARZO SE INAUGURA EL CAMPEONATO PROFESIONAL DE BEISBOL NICARAGÜENSE" (in Spanish). La República. 27 February 1957. p. 19. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  5. ^ "El Beisbol Profesional de Nicaragua". 1800beisbol.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  6. ^ Layton Revel; Luis Munoz. "Forgotten Heroes: Silvio Garcia" (PDF). Center for Negro League Baseball Research: 22.
  7. ^ "Peace Pact Putting Nicaragua in O.B." The Sporting News. 12 June 1957.
  8. ^ "Relación de los Rasgos de personalidad y el bajo rendimiento en jugadores de béisbol de la Liga Juvenil en el Reparto Antenor Sandino de León, febrero-julio" (PDF) (in Spanish). p. 10. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Floods, Weak Economy Chill Nicaraguan League Hopes". The Sporting News. 16 November 1960. p. 32.
  10. ^ "Grant Jackson's No Hitter Helps Boer Grab Title". The Sporting News. 13 February 1965. p. 25.
  11. ^ "Colombia, Mexico sending champs to Managua series". The Sporting News. February 12, 1958. p. 25. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Pan-American title captured by Nicaragua". The Sporting News. February 26, 1958. p. 26. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  13. ^ Enrique Rojas (July 24, 2023). "¿Por qué Colombia se quedó fuera de Serie Caribe 2024?". ESPN Deportes (in Spanish).
  14. ^ "Colombia no va a la Serie del Caribe por diferencias en pago" (in Spanish). Diario Libre. 25 April 2023.
  15. ^ "El régimen garantiza un millón de dólares para que Nicaragua participe en Serie del Caribe 2024". Despacho 505. 24 April 2023.
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