Dorados de Chihuahua

• English Name: Chihuahua Dorados, Chihuahua Goldenmen or Chihuahua Goldens
• Location: Chihuahua, Chihuahua
• League: Mexican League 1940; Mexican National League 1946; Arizona-Texas League 1952; Central Mexican League 1956-1957; Arizona-Mexico League 1958; Mexican League 1973-1982, 2007-2010
• Affiliation:
• Ballpark: Estadio Chihuahua; Estadio Monumental 2007-2010

Team History

The Dorados de Chihuahua played in 1940 in the Mexican League. Based out of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, the Goldenmen were 14-67 and 42 games out of first in dead last. On a pretty bad team, the only highlights were the offensive performances of Lonnie Summers and Jacinto Roque, both of whom spent time on other clubs.

The name was then used by clubs in four different leagues in the 1940s and 1950s. The Dorados won the Arizona-Mexico League championship in 1958.

The Dorados de Chihuahua were again members of the Mexican League from 1973 to 1982. That team was also known as the Centauros de Chihuahua or Chihuahua Centaurs. This edition was largely unsuccessful, never finishing above .500 or making the playoffs in iys 10-year existence. After the team folded following the 1982 season, Chihuahua would have to wait until 2007 to be again represented in the Mexican League.

In 2007, the former Tuneros de San Luis moved to town and took up the old name. Managed briefly by former major league catcher Dan Firova and later by Mexican legend Frank Estrada, the team finished near the bottom of the Liga standings and missed the postseason. Hitting stars included 1B Francisco Mendez (.340/.438/.585, 24 HR, 81 RBI), DH Ramon Orantes (.364) and OF Demond Smith (.323, 19 HR, 97 runs and 40 SB - the latter two being league-leading totals). Other familiar names were 3B Edwards Guzman, who hit .408 in 25 games and OF Manny Martinez (.293 in 74 games). With the team playing in a favorable hitting environment, the pitchers struggled: the team ace was Nelson Figueroa (8-6, 3.87), but two other former Major Leaguers had a rougher time of it: Luis Rivera was 7-8, 7.16 and Pasqual Coco 4-5, 5.61. No reliever had more than four saves as the team burned through 28 hurlers during the season, including former Major Leaguers Dario Veras, Valerio de los Santos and Juan Acevedo, who totalled only 17 appearances among the three of them.

Source: The Mexican League: Comprehensive Player Statistics by Pedro Treto Cisneros

Year-by-Year Record

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs	Notes
1940	14-67	7th	Sergio Correa	none
1946	23-21	1st (t)	Luis Sansirena		League folded on May 27
1952	57-83	6th	Domingo Santana / Marvin Williams
1956	58-42	2nd	Manuel Arroyo
1957	62-38	1st	Manuel Arroyo	League Champs
1958	56-62	4th	Leonel Aldama
1973	45-87	16th	Mauro Ruiz / Mauro Contreras
1974	64-71	10th	Pedro Gonzalez
1975	66-69	8th	Pedro Gonzalez
1976	67-68	8th (t)	Miguel Gaspar
1977	62-88	13th	Miguel Gaspar
1978	60-89	15th	Ronnie Camacho
1979	51-78	18th	Mauro Contreras / Norm McRae
1980	34-57	19th	Manuel Magallon		season ended by player strike
1981	36-90	16th	Jesus Diaz
1982	43-87	16th	Arnoldo Castro
2007	45-63	13th	Dan Firova / Frank Estrada
2008	54-53	10th	Frank Estrada	Lost in 1st round
2009	40-67	13th	Arturo DeFreites
2010	59-48	4th	Chico Rodriguez	Lost in 1st round