Puerto Rico Baseball League

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The Puerto Rico Baseball League, formerly the Puerto Rican League (Spanish: Liga de Béisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League) or LBPPR is the top professional baseball league in Puerto Rico. It is a winter league that consisting of six teams with the league's champion participating in the Serie del Caribe. The league canceled the 2007-2008 season due to financial concerns. It returned to play in 2008-2009 with a new name (the Puerto Rico Baseball League).

The league was established in the winter of 1938-1939 as a semi-professional baseball league. The league featured 6 teams, but only two of their players, Hiram Bithorn and Luis Olmo would make it to the US Major Leagues. The six original teams were the Mayaguez Indians, San Juan Senators, Ponce Lions, Caguas Criollos, the Humacao Oriental Grays and the Guayama Brujos. The following year, two expansion teams, the Santurce Crabbers and the Aguadilla Sharks were added. The league became an official "professional" league in 1941.

In 1949 the league helped co-found the Caribbean Series and it has been a major winter league for over 65 years. Puerto Rican teams have won 14 Caribbean Series titles, one behind the Dominican Republic for the all-time lead. Many high profile players have been a part of the league, including Hall-of-Famers Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Leon Day and Willie Mays, Negro League stars Monte Irvin, Ed Stone and Bill Byrd and Puerto Rican natives Luis Olmo, Perucho Cepeda, Luis Marquez, Ruben Gomez, Juan Pizarro. Roberto Clemente, Ivan Rodriguez, Roberto Alomar, Juan Gonzalez, Bernie Williams, Edgar Martinez and Orlando Cepeda.

Other would be Major league starts played for one or more winters on their way to "making it" in the Major leagues, including Tommy Lasorda, Don Zimmer, Roy Campanella, Sandy Koufax, Denny McLain, Gary Carter, Steve Carlton, Rickey Henderson, Mike Schmidt, Cal Ripken, Jr., and Vince Coleman.

[edit] Current Teams

Team	English	Stadium	City
Criollos de Caguas	Caguas Creoles	Parque Yldefonso Solá Morales	Caguas
Gigantes de Carolina	Carolina Giants	Estadio Roberto Clemente Walker	Carolina
Indios de Mayagüez	Mayagüez Indians	Estadio Isidoro García	Mayagüez
Leones de Ponce	Ponce Lions	Estadio Francisco Montaner	Ponce

[edit] Former Teams

Vaqueros de Bayamón: based in Bayamón
Brujos de Guayama: based in Guayama
Senadores de San Juan: based in San Juan
Cangrejeros de Santurce: based in San Juan
Lobos de Arecibo||Arecibo Wolves: based in Arecibo
Grises Orientales de Humacao||Humacao Oriental Grays: based in Humacao
Atenienses de Manatí: based in Manatí

[edit] League Champions

[edit] Championships by Team

Indios de Mayagüez: 17 (1949, 1957, 1963, 1966, 1978, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2012)
Criollos de Caguas: 15 (1941, 1948, 1950, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1968, 1974, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1987, 2001, 2011)
Cangrejeros de Santurce: 12 (1951, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1962, 1965, 1967, 1971, 1973, 1991, 1993, 2000)
Leones de Ponce: 11 (1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1982, 2004, 2009)
Senadores de San Juan: 8 (1946, 1952, 1961, 1964, 1985, 1990, 1994, 1995)
Vaqueros de Bayamón: 4 (1975, 1976, 1980, 2002)
Brujos de Guayama: 2 (1939, 1940)
Lobos de Arecibo: 2 (1983, 1996)
Gigantes de Carolina: 2 (2006, 2007)

[edit] Seasonal Champions

Team won the Serie del Caribe

Season	Champion	Runnerup	Manager	Regular Season	Record	Playoffs
1939	Guayama	San Juan	Fernando García	Guayama	27 - 12 (0.692)	3 - 2
1940	Guayama	San Juan	Fernando García	Guayama	39 - 17 (0.696)	4 - 0
1941	Caguas	Santurce	José Seda	Caguas	27 - 15 (0.643)	4 - 3
1942	Leones de Ponce	[[]]	George Scales	Leones de Ponce	30 - 13 (0.698)
1943	Leones de Ponce	Santurce	George Scales	Leones de Ponce	19 - 16 (0.543)	4 - 1
1944	Leones de Ponce	[[]]	George Scales	Leones de Ponce	37 - 7 (0.841)
1945	Leones de Ponce	[[]]	George Scales	Leones de Ponce	28 - 11 (0.718)
1946	Senadores de San Juan	Mayagüez	Robert Clarke	Indios de Mayagüez	24 - 16 (0.600)	4 - 2
1947	Leones de Ponce	Caguas-Guayama	George Scales	Leones de Ponce	38 - 22 (0.633)	4 - 3
1948	Caguas-Guayama	Indios de Mayagüez	Quincy Trouppe	Indios de Mayagüez	39 - 21 (0.650)	4 - 3
1949	Indios de Mayagüez	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Artie Wilson	Indios de Mayagüez	51 - 29 (0.638)	4 - 2
1950	Caguas-Guayama	Indios de Mayagüez	Luis Olmo	Caguas-Guayama	47 - 31 (0.603)	4 - 0
1951	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Caguas-Guayama	George Scales	Caguas-Guayama	57 - 20 (0.740)	4 - 3
1952	Senadores de San Juan	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Freddie Thon	Cangrejeros de Santurce	43 - 29 (0.597)	4 - 2
1953	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Senadores de San Juan	Buster Clarkson	Cangrejeros de Santurce	45 - 27 (0.625)	4 - 2
1954	Caguas-Guayama	Indios de Mayagüez	Mickey Owen	Caguas-Guayama	46 - 34 (0.575)	4 - 1
1955	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Caguas-Guayama	Herman Franks	Cangrejeros de Santurce	47 - 25 (0.653)	4 - 1
1956	Caguas-Guayama	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Ben Geraghty	Cangrejeros de Santurce	43 - 29 (0.597)	4 - 2
1957	Indios de Mayagüez	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Mickey Owen	Cangrejeros de Santurce	43 - 29 (0.597)	4 - 1
1958	Caguas-Guayama	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Ted Norbert	Cangrejeros de Santurce	36 - 28 (0.563)	4 - 0
1959	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Caguas-Guayama	Ramon "Monchile" Concepción	Senadores de San Juan	38 - 24 (0.613)	5- 2
1960	Caguas-Guayama	Senadores de San Juan	Vic Power	Senadores de San Juan	41 - 23 (0.641)	5 - 1
1961	Senadores de San Juan	Criollos de Caguas	Lum Harris	Senadores de San Juan	39 - 25 (0.609)	5 - 3
1962	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Indios de Mayagüez	Vern Benson	Indios de Mayagüez	45 - 35 (0.563)	4 - 0
1963	Indios de Mayagüez	Criollos de Caguas	Cal Ermer	Indios de Mayagüez	42 - 28 (0.600)	4 - 1
1964	Senadores de San Juan	Indios de Mayagüez	Les Moss	Criollos de Caguas	41 - 29 (0.586)	4 - 1
1965	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Indios de Mayagüez	Preston Gómez	Cangrejeros de Santurce	41 - 28 (0.594)	4 - 2
1966	Indios de Mayagüez	Leones de Ponce	Wayne Blackburn	Indios de Mayagüez	42 - 28 (0.600)	4 - 2
1967	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Leones de Ponce	Earl Weaver	Leones de Ponce	46 - 25 (0.648)	4 - 2
1968	Caguas-Guayama	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Saturnino "Nino" Escalera	Cangrejeros de Santurce	47 - 22 (0.681)	4 - 2
1969	Leones de Ponce	Senadores de San Juan	Rocky Bridges	Cangrejeros de Santurce	49 - 20 (0.710)	4 -0
1970	Leones de Ponce	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Jim Fregosi	Leones de Ponce	44 - 25 (0.638)	4 - 2
1971	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Criollos de Caguas	Frank Robinson	Criollos de Caguas	41 - 29 (0.586)	4 - 3
1972	Leones de Ponce	Senadores de San Juan	Frank Verdi	Senadores de San Juan	39 - 30 (0.565)	4 - 2
1973	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Leones de Ponce	Frank Robinson	Cangrejeros de Santurce	45 - 25 (0.643)	4 - 2
1974	Caguas-Guayama	Leones de Ponce	Bobby Wine	Leones de Ponce	42 - 28 (0.600)	4 - 2
1975	Vaqueros de Bayamón	Criollos de Caguas	José Pagán	Criollos de Caguas	43 - 27 (0.614)	4 - 3
1976	Vaqueros de Bayamón	Criollos de Caguas	José Pagán	Criollos de Caguas	35 - 25 (0.583)	5 - 2
1977	Criollos de Caguas	Vaqueros de Bayamón	Doc Edwards	Criollos de Caguas	40 - 20 (0.667)	5 - 1
1978	Indios de Mayagüez	Vaqueros de Bayamón	Rene Lachemann	Criollos de Caguas	37 - 23 (0.617)	4 - 2
1979	Criollos de Caguas	Indios de Mayagüez	Félix Millán	Leones de Ponce	33 - 27 (0.550)	4 - 3
1980	Vaqueros de Bayamón	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Art Howe	Cangrejeros de Santurce	36 - 24 (0.600)	4 - 1
1981	Criollos de Caguas	Indios de Mayagüez	Félix Millán	Vaqueros de Bayamón	39 - 21 (0.650)	4 - 1
1982	Leones de Ponce	Vaqueros de Bayamón	Ed Nottle	Criollos de Caguas	37 - 23 (0.617)	4 - 3
1983	Lobos de Arecibo	Leones de Ponce	Ron Clark	Cangrejeros de Santurce	35 - 26 (0.574)	4 - 3
1984	Indios de Mayagüez	Leones de Ponce	Frank Verdi	Indios de Mayagüez	38 - 22 (0.633)	4 - 3
1985	Senadores de San Juan	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Mako Oliveras	Indios de Mayagüez	38 - 22 (0.633)	4 - 3
1986	Indios de Mayagüez	Senadores de San Juan	Nick Leyva	Criollos de Caguas	33 - 21 (0.611)	4 - 2
1987	Criollos de Caguas	Leones de Ponce	Tim Foli	Leones de Ponce	34 - 19 (0.642)	4 - 2
1988	Indios de Mayagüez	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Jim Riggleman	Cangrejeros de Santurce	31 - 21 (0.596)	4 - 3
1989	Indios de Mayagüez	Senadores de San Juan	Tom Gamboa	Senadores de San Juan	35 - 25 (0.583)	4 - 1
1990	Senadores de San Juan	Criollos de Caguas	Mako Oliveras	Leones de Ponce	31 - 19 (0.620)	5 - 3
1991	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Indios de Mayagüez	Mako Oliveras	Senadores de San Juan	33 - 25 (0.569)	5 - 3
1992	Indios de Mayagüez	Senadores de San Juan	Pat Kelly	Senadores de San Juan	29 - 21 (0.580)	5 - 4
1993	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Senadores de San Juan	Mako Oliveras	Cangrejeros de Santurce	29 - 18 (0.617)	5 - 1
1994	Senadores de San Juan	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Luis Meléndez	Senadores de San Juan	35 - 13 (0.729)	5 - 2
1995	Senadores de San Juan	Indios de Mayagüez	Luis Meléndez	Indios de Mayagüez	33 - 21 (0.611)	5 - 3
1996	Lobos de Arecibo	Indios de Mayagüez	Pat Kelly	Indios de Mayagüez	28 - 21 (0.571)	5 - 3
1997	Indios de Mayagüez	Senadores de San Juan	Tom Gamboa	Indios de Mayagüez/ Cangrejeros de Santurce	28 - 22 (0.560)	5 - 3
1998	Indios de Mayagüez	Senadores de San Juan	Tom Gamboa	Senadores de San Juan	40 - 22 (0.645)	5 - 4
1999	Indios de Mayagüez	Leones de Ponce	Al Newman	Leones de Ponce	29 - 18 (0.617)	5 - 1
2000	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Indios de Mayagüez	Mako Oliveras	Indios de Mayagüez	27 - 23 (0.540)	5 - 2
2001	Criollos de Caguas	Indios de Mayagüez	Santos Alomar	Criollos de Caguas	30 - 19 (0.612)	5 - 2
2002	Vaqueros de Bayamón	Cangrejeros de Santurce	Carmelo Martinez	Leones de Ponce	31 - 22 (0.585)	5 - 3
2003	Indios de Mayagüez	Criollos de Caguas	Nick Leyva	Criollos de Caguas	32 - 18 (0.640)	5 - 1
2004	Leones de Ponce	Criollos de Caguas	Cheo Cruz	[[]]	- ()	5 - 2
2005	Indios de Mayagüez	Gigantes de Carolina	Mako Oliveras	[[]]	- ()	5 - 3
2006	Gigantes de Carolina	Leones de Ponce	Lino Rivera	[[]]	- ()	5 - 3
2007	Gigantes de Carolina	Lobos de Arecibo	Lino Rivera	[[]]	- ()	5 - 2
2009	Leones de Ponce	Lobos de Arecibo	Eduardo Pérez	[[]]	- ()	4 - 1
2010	Indios de Mayagüez	Criollos de Caguas	Mako Oliveras	Lobos de Arecibo	18-24 (0.429)	4 - 1
2011	Criollos de Caguas	Leones de Ponce	Lino Rivera	[[]]	- ()	4 - 3
2012	Indios de Mayagüez	Criollos de Caguas	Dave Miley	Criollos de Caguas	20 - 21 (.488)	5 - 3