Liga Nicaragüense de Béisbol Profesional

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Liga Nicaragüense de Béisbol Profesional

Logo-lbpn.png

Founded 1956
No. of teams 4
Country Flag of Nicaragua Nicaragua
Current champions {{{champion}}}
Official website https://lbpn.com.ni/

The Nicaraguan League (Spanish: Liga Nicaragüense de Béisbol Profesional or LNBP) is the major professional baseball league in Nicaragua that plays its schedule during the winter. It traces its history to an earlier league that existed in the country for ten seasons in the 1950s and 1960s. It currently does not participate in the Serie del Caribe.

History[edit]

Stage 1: 1956-1967[edit]

The first Nicaraguan league was founded in 1956 following a tour of the country by famous players. On March 3, the first game in league history was played between San Fernando and Bóer. The season was suspended after the September 29 assassination of Nicaraguan president Anastasio Somoza García. The season resumed in February 1957 and ended with the Leones de León winning the championship.

In first season, the league operated as an outlaw league and would raid teams, especially those from the Mexican League and the level of play was very low. During the second half of the season León established a working contract with the Havana Sugar Kings of the Triple-A International League. After the season's end, two of the league's Cuban players joined the parent club. Conrado Marrero went 12-3 and had a 1.67 ERA for León and joined the Sugar Kings on July 27; Roberto Fernandez of San Fernando also played for the AAA team.

In August 1957, the league became affiliated with Organized Baseball and began to play as a winter league. The 1957-1958 season saw León wins the league championship over Cinco Estrellas. Advancing to the Pan-American Series, the team out-played the Vanytor of Colombia and the Mazatlán Deer of Mexico to win the tournament. The following two championship saw increased parity as all four teams placed either first or second. The 1960-1961 season was not held for financial reasons.

The 1961-1962 season saw the league reemerging by combining with the Panamanian League. The league featured two Nicaraguan clubs Indios de Bóer and Cinco Estrellas and two Panamanian clubs, Cerveza Balboa and Marlboro. The league played a two half split schedule with the first half being played at the National Stadium in Nicaragua from November 10 and the second half being played in Panama starting on December 21. The Nicaraguan clubs were allowed eight foreigners while the Panamanians could have four. Marlboro, winners of the second half, won the title over Bóer - winners of the first half - four games to three with one tie. The team went to the Inter-American Series, which had replaced the Caribbean Series a year earlier - and finished last with a 1-7 record.

The 1962-1963 season saw Bóer win both halves in tie-breaking playoffs. The Indios won the first-half title over Oriental by sweeping the first two games of the three-game set. In the second half, they were tied with León, but won the best-of-three series two games to one. Bóer finished second at the Inter-American Series in Panama.

Cinco Estrellas became the league's second Caribbean champion - and the first to win a major international championship - by winning the 1964 Inter-American Series after capturing the 1963-1964 league crown.

The league folded in October 1967 after the Nicaraguan government withdrew its financial support of the league. The government subsidized the league with $30,000 annually, and the league's president, Roberto Chávez claimed that in its last season, the league lost $20,000. During the first series, Bóer and León were the most successful teams with three championships each.

Stage 2: 2004-08; 2009-present[edit]

In 2004, the league was reestablished as the Liga Nicaragüense de Béisbol Profesional, marking the return of professional ball to Nicaragua after nearly four decades. This new era lasted four seasons before play was suspended for the winter of 2008-09. As journalist Tim Rogers wrote, "the last two seasons...ended disastrously, with teams forfeiting, fighting each other on the field or collapsing in financial ruin."

On July 28, 2009, the directors of the LNBP announced that the league would return for the 2009 season with the Indios del Bóer, Leones de León and Tigres de Chinandega returning plus new team the Orientales de Granada. Since returning in 2009 the league has been pretty stable with just two franchise relocations in that time. Also LNBP teams have won the previous four Latin American Series.

Notable Players[edit]

The league has featured many notable players, including Ferguson Jenkins who played for León and is in the Hall of Fame. Other major leagues who played in the league include Bert Campaneris, Mike Cuellar, Joe Hicks, Jim Kaat, Phil Regan, Doug Rader, Dick Scott, and Marv Throneberry.

The 1962-1963 season had the greatest concentration of foreign talent with players such as Ron Henry, Jim Hughes, Lou Jackson, Jose Ramon Lopez, Silverio Perez, Lee Tate, Fred Valentine, and Sandy Valdespino. In addition, there were Nicaraguans stars on the clubs including Octavio Abea, utility player Duncan Campbell, shortstop Rigo Mena and pitchers Willie Hooker and René "el Ñato" Paredes.

Current Teams[edit]

Team English Stadium City
Indios de Bóer Bóer Indians Estadio Nacional Denis Martínez Managua, Managua
Tigres de Chinandega Chinandega Tigers Estadio Efrain Tijerino Chinandega, Chinandega
Leones de León León Lions Estadio Héroes y Mártires de Septiembre León, León
Gigantes de Rivas Rivas Giants Estadio Yamil Ríos Ugarte Rivas
Tren del Norte Northern Train Estadio Rufo Marín Estelí

Former Teams[edit]

League Champions[edit]

First Era[edit]

Year Champion Runner-up
1957-1958 Leones de León Cinco Estrellas
1958-1959 Oriental Indios de Bóer
1959-1960 Leones de León
1960-1961 no league for financial reasons
1961-1962 Marlboro (Panamá) Indios de Bóer (Nicaragua)
1962-1963 Indios de Bóer
1963-1964 Cinco Estrellas Oriental
1964-1965 Indios de Bóer Oriental
1965-1966 Indios de Bóer Leones de León
1966-1967 Cinco Estrellas Indios de Bóer

Current Era[edit]

Team won the Latin American Series
Year Champion Manager Runner-up
2004-2005 Leones de León Noel Areas Tigres de Chinandega
2005-2006 Tigres de Chinandega Jorge Fuentes Fieras del San Fernando
2006-2007 Indios de Bóer Noel Areas Leones de León
2007-2008 Indios de Bóer Lourdes Gourriel Sr. Fieras del San Fernando
2008-2009 season cancelled
2009-2010 Leones de León Róger Guillén Orientales de Granada
2010-2011 Indios de Bóer Noel Areas Tigres de Chinandega
2011-2012 Indios de Bóer Julio César Sánchez Tigres de Chinandega
2012-2013 Tigres de Chinandega German Mesa Orientales de Granada
2013-2014 Gigantes de Rivas Ramiro Toruno Indios de Bóer
2014-2015 Indios de Bóer Javier Colina Gigantes de Rivas
2015-2016 Gigantes de Rivas German Mesa Orientales de Granada
2016-2017 Tigres de Chinandega Len Picota Gigantes de Rivas
2017-2018 Tigres de Chinandega Len Picota Gigantes de Rivas
2018-2019 Leones de León Sandor Guido Tigres de Chinandega
2019-2020 Leones de León Sandor Guido Tigres de Chinandega
2020-2021 Gigantes de Rivas Joel Fuentes Tigres de Chinandega
2021-2022 Leones de León Sandor Guido Gigantes de Rivas