Mexican League
 | |
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | June 28, 1925 (1925-06-28) |
| Director | Javier Salinas Hernández |
| No. of teams | 16 |
| Country | Mexico |
| Headquarters | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Continent | North America |
| Most recent champion(s) | Sultanes de Monterrey (2018 (2nd)) |
| Most titles | Diablos Rojos del México (16 titles) |
| TV partner(s) | AYM Sports iTV Deportes Latin American Sports Megacable[1] Multimedios[2] Televisa[3] TV Azteca[4] TVC Deportes[5] |
| Official website | www.lmb.com.mx |
The Mexican Baseball League (Spanish: Liga Mexicana de Béisbol or LMB) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional league in Mexico. It is a class Triple-A league in organized Minor League Baseball (MiLB), one grade below Major League Baseball (MLB).[6] Unlike the other two Triple-A circuits, the International League and the Pacific Coast League, Mexican League teams are not affiliated with major league teams.
The league has a total of 16 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five teams in each division advance to a four-round postseason tournament that culminates in the Serie del Rey, a best-of-seven championship series between the two division champions. The Mexican League has two minor leagues of its own, the Liga Norte de México and Mexican Academy League.
Though founded in 1925, the league did not join the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (Minor League Baseball) until the 1950s, when it was designated a Double-A league. Some member teams entered player development contracts with teams in the National League at that time. Triple-A classification was granted in 1967.
Contents
1 History
1.1 1949: Landmark ruling of Gardella v. Chandler
1.2 Expansion
2 Teams
3 Champions
4 Champions and runners-up (current teams)
5 Championships by franchise (all-time)
6 Defunct teams
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
History
The Mexican League was founded in 1925 by sportswriter Alejandro Aguilar Reyes and former baseball player Ernesto Carmona.[7] The league included six teams (74 Regimiento, México, Agrario, Nacional, Guanajuato and Águila). Puebla's 74 Regimiento won the initial league championship. Since then, the league has expanded to 16 teams, divided equally into a north and a south zone, the champions of which meet to contest a best-of-seven game playoff series. The season begins in mid-March with the playoffs running through mid-August.
1949: Landmark ruling of Gardella v. Chandler
Judges, under the doctrine of stare decisis, use the case Federal Baseball Club of Baltimore v. National League of Professional Baseball Clubs to maintain that the baseball leagues and commissioner are not violating anti-trust laws because they are not doing anything different from what was done when the previous holding was handed down. Included in the previous ruling was the fact that the baseball leagues at the time of the ruling could transmit information about their games via telegraph wires; radio and television are merely extensions of the type of coverage provided by the older medium. Further, because the leagues are only negotiating as agents for their member clubs, their actions in negotiating the television and radio broadcasts are essentially no different from their actions with telegraphs. Therefore, the previous decision can be maintained. Judges also have asserted that this the previous decision has not ever been objected to by Congress, in that no corrective legislation which would have overturned the ruling has ever been enacted, so it must also be of the opinion of Congress that baseball does not fall under the rules of the Sherman Antitrust Act (some judges have found differently, but final rulings have always overall held in favor of Organized Baseball).
The ruling went untested until the Mexican League was formed. Players who went to play in the Mexican League were blacklisted from Major League Baseball. One such player, Danny Gardella, was blacklisted because he had violated his contract and gone to play professional baseball in Mexico.
During 1948, Gardella brought a claim against Commissioner of Baseball Happy Chandler, the National League and American League, as well as their presidents (Ford Frick and Will Harridge, respectively). Gardella charged that they were engaged in interstate commerce because the defendants had made contracts with radio broadcasting and television companies that sent narratives or moving pictures of the games across state lines. MLB then settled with Gardella and offered all Mexican League jumpers amnesty, protecting the ambiguity of the antitrust protection.[8]
In 1949, Gardella won a major appeal against baseball's reserve clause in the federal courts. This successful appeal is recognized as the first major step towards baseball free agency, even though it was decades in the making.
Expansion
In 1979, the Mexican Central League was absorbed into the expanded Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (Mexican Baseball League). The newly expanded league featured a 20-team circuit with four divisions. However, after a series of team bankruptcies, the Mexican League was reduced to 14 teams in two divisions.
Teams
Current Mexican Baseball League team locations:
North Division
South Division
| Division | Team | City | Stadium | Capacity | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North | Acereros de Monclova | Monclova, Coahuila | Monclova | 8,500 | 1974 |
Algodoneros de Unión Laguna | Torreón, Coahuila | Revolución | 9,500 | 1940 | |
Generales de Durango | Durango, Durango | Francisco Villa | 4,983 | 2016 | |
Rieleros de Aguascalientes | Aguascalientes City, Aguascalientes | Alberto Romo Chávez | 6,494 | 1975 | |
Saraperos de Saltillo | Saltillo, Coahuila | Francisco I. Madero | 16,000 | 1970 | |
Sultanes de Monterrey | Monterrey, Nuevo León | Monterrey | 22,061 | 1939 | |
Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos | Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas Laredo, Texas | Nuevo Laredo Uni-Trade | 7,555 6,000 | 1940 | |
Toros de Tijuana | Tijuana, Baja California | Gasmart | 17,000 | 2004 | |
| South | Bravos de León | León, Guanajuato | Domingo Santana | 6,500 | 1978 |
Diablos Rojos del México | Iztacalco, Mexico City | Estadio Fray Nano | 5,000 | 1940 | |
Guerreros de Oaxaca | Oaxaca City, Oaxaca | Eduardo Vasconselos | 7,200 | 1996 | |
Leones de Yucatán | Mérida, Yucatán | Parque Kukulcán Alamo | 14,917 | 1954 | |
Olmecas de Tabasco | Villahermosa, Tabasco | Centenario 27 de Febrero | 8,500 | 1975 | |
Pericos de Puebla | Puebla City, Puebla | Hermanos Serdán | 12,112 | 1938 | |
Piratas de Campeche | Campeche City, Campeche | Nelson Barrera | 6,000 | 1980 | |
Tigres de Quintana Roo | Cancún, Quintana Roo | Beto Ávila | 9,500 | 1955 |
Champions
| Season | Champion | Series | Runner Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 | 74 Regimiento de San Luis | 3–1 | Club México |
| 1926 | Ocampo de Jalapa | — | Carmona de México |
| 1927 | Gendarmería de México | — | Club México |
| 1928 | Policía del DF | 2–0 | Bravo Izquierdo de Puebla |
| 1929 | Chiclet's Adams de México | 2–1 | Delta de México |
| 1930 | Tigres de Comintra | — | Obras Públicas de México |
| 1931 | Obras Públicas de México | — | Comunicaciones de México |
| 1932 | Tráfico de México | — | Pachuca de Hidalgo |
| 1933 | Tigres de Comintra | 3–2 | Pachuca de Hidalgo |
| 1934 | Monte de Piedad de México | — | Tuneros de San Luis Potosí |
| 1935 | Agrario de México | — | Tigres de Comintra |
| 1936 | Agrario de México | — | Lomas de México |
| 1937 | Águila de Veracruz | 3–0 | Agrario de México |
| 1938 | Águila de Veracruz | — | Agrario de México |
| 1939 | Cafeteros de Córdoba | — | Águila de Veracruz |
| 1940 | Azules de Veracruz | — | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 1941 | Azules de Veracruz | — | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 1942 | Algodoneros de Unión Laguna | — | Industriales de Monterrey |
| 1943 | Industriales de Monterrey | — | Algodoneros de Unión Laguna |
| 1944 | Azules de Veracruz | — | Industriales de Monterrey |
| 1945 | Alijadores de Tampico | — | Tecolotes de Nvo. Laredo |
| 1946 | Alijadores de Tampico | — | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 1947 | Industriales de Monterrey | — | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 1948 | Sultanes de Monterrey | — | Pericos de Puebla |
| 1949 | Sultanes de Monterrey | 4–0 | Algodoneros de Unión Laguna |
| 1950 | Algodoneros de Unión Laguna | 4–2 | Charros de Jalisco |
| 1951 | Azules de Veracruz | 4–1 | Tuneros de San Luis Potosí |
| 1952 | Águila de Veracruz | — | Algodoneros de Unión Laguna |
| 1953 | Tecolotes de Nvo. Laredo | — | Sultanes de Monterrey |
| 1954 | Tecolotes de Nvo. Laredo | — | Leones de Yucatán |
| 1955 | Tigres del México | 2–0 | Tecolotes de Nvo. Laredo |
| 1956 | Diablos Rojos del México | — | Tigres Capitalinos |
| 1957 | Leones de Yucatán | — | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 1958 | Tecolotes de Nvo. Laredo | — | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 1959 | Petroleros de Poza Rica | — | Tecolotes de Nvo. Laredo |
| 1960 | Tigres del México | — | Águila de Veracruz |
| 1961 | Águila de Veracruz | — | Pericos de Puebla |
| 1962 | Sultanes de Monterrey | — | Águila de Veracruz |
| 1963 | Pericos de Puebla | — | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 1964 | Diablos Rojos del México | — | Pericos de Puebla |
| 1965 | Tigres del México | — | Pericos de Puebla |
| 1966 | Tigres del México | 4–2 | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 1967 | Charros de Jalisco | — | Broncos de Reynosa |
| 1968 | Diablos Rojos del México | — | Águila de Veracruz |
| 1969 | Broncos de Reynosa | — | Sultanes de Monterrey |
| 1970 | Águila de Veracruz | 4–2 | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 1971 | Charros de Jalisco | 4–3 | Saraperos de Saltillo |
| 1972 | Cafeteros de Córdoba | 4–2 | Alacranes de Durango |
| 1973 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4–3 | Saraperos de Saltillo |
| 1974 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4–0 | Algodoneros de Gómez Palacio |
| 1975 | Alijadores de Tampico | 4–1 | Cafeteros de Córdoba |
| 1976 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4–2 | Algodoneros de Unión Laguna |
| 1977 | Tecolotes de Nvo. Laredo | 4–1 | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 1978 | Rieleros de Aguascalientes | 4–2 | Algodoneros de Unión Laguna |
| 1979 | Ángeles de Puebla | 4–3 | Indios de Ciudad Juárez |
| 1980 | Saraperos de Saltillo | — | Indios de Ciudad Juárez |
| 1981 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4–3 | Broncos de Reynosa |
| 1982 | Indios de Ciudad Juárez | 4–0 | Tigres Capitalinos |
| 1983 | Piratas de Campeche | 4–3 | Indios de Ciudad Juárez |
| 1984 | Leones de Yucatán | 4–2 | Indios de Ciudad Juárez |
| 1985 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4–1 | Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos |
| 1986 | Ángeles Negros de Puebla | 4–1 | Sultanes de Monterrey |
| 1987 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4–1 | Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos |
| 1988 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4–1 | Saraperos de Saltillo |
| 1989 | Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos | 4–2 | Leones de Yucatán |
| 1990 | Bravos de León | 4–1 | Algodoneros de Unión Laguna |
| 1991 | Sultanes de Monterrey | 4–3 | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 1992 | Tigres del México | 4–2 | Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos |
| 1993 | Olmecas de Tabasco | 4–1 | Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos |
| 1994 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4–3 | Sultanes de Monterrey |
| 1995 | Sultanes de Monterrey | 4–0 | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 1996 | Sultanes de Monterrey | 4–1 | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 1997 | Tigres del México | 4–1 | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 1998 | Guerreros de Oaxaca | 4–0 | Acereros de Monclova |
| 1999 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4–2 | Tigres Capitalinos |
| 2000 | Tigres del México | 4–1 | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 2001 | Tigres del México | 4–2 | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 2002 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4–3 | Tigres de la Angelopolis |
| 2003 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4–1 | Tigres de la Angelopolis |
| 2004 | Piratas de Campeche | 4–1 | Saraperos de Saltillo |
| 2005 | Tigres del Puebla | 4–2 | Saraperos de Saltillo |
| 2006 | Leones de Yucatán | 4–1 | Sultanes de Monterrey |
| 2007 | Sultanes de Monterrey | 4–3 | Leones de Yucatán |
| 2008 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4–1 | Sultanes de Monterrey |
| 2009 | Saraperos de Saltillo | 4–2 | Tigres de Quintana Roo |
| 2010 | Saraperos de Saltillo | 4–1 | Pericos de Puebla |
| 2011 | Tigres de Quintana Roo | 4–0 | Diablos Rojos del México |
| 2012 | Rojos del Águila de Veracruz | 4–3 | Rieleros de Aguascalientes |
| 2013 | Tigres de Quintana Roo | 4–1 | Sultanes de Monterrey |
| 2014 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4–0 | Pericos de Puebla |
| 2015 | Tigres de Quintana Roo | 4–1 | Acereros del Norte |
| 2016 | Pericos de Puebla | 4–2 | Toros de Tijuana |
| 2017 | Toros de Tijuana | 4–1 | Pericos de Puebla |
| 2018 (1st) | Leones de Yucatán | 4–3 | Sultanes de Monterrey |
| 2018 (2nd) | Sultanes de Monterrey | 4–2 | Guerreros de Oaxaca |
Champions and runners-up (current teams)
| Team | Titles | Runner Up | Years Won | Years Runner Up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Diablos | 16 | 17 | 1956, 1964, 1968, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1994, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2014 | 1940, 1941, 1946, 1947, 1957, 1958, 1963, 1966, 1970, 1977, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2011 |
Tigres | 12 | 6 | 1955, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2011, 2013, 2015 | 1956, 1982, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2009 |
Sultanes | 10 | 9 | 1943, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1962, 1991, 1995, 1996, 2007, 2018 | 1942, 1944, 1953, 1969, 1986, 1994, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2018 |
Rojos del Águila | 6 | 4 | 1937, 1938, 1952, 1961, 1970, 2012 | 1939, 1960, 1962, 1968 |
Pericos | 5 | 6 | 1925, 1963, 1979, 1986, 2016 | 1948, 1961, 1964, 1965, 2010, 2014, 2017 |
Leones | 4 | 3 | 1957, 1984, 2006, 2018 | 1954, 1989, 2007 |
Saraperos | 3 | 6 | 1980, 2009, 2010 | 1971, 1972, 1973, 1988, 2004, 2005 |
Piratas | 2 | 0 | 1983, 2004 | — |
Algodoneros | 2 | 0 | 1942, 1950 | — |
Broncos | 1 | 2 | 1969 | 1967, 1981 |
Olmecas | 1 | 0 | 1993 | — |
Guerreros | 1 | 1 | 1998 | 2018 |
Rieleros | 1 | 1 | 1978 | 2012 |
Toros | 1 | 1 | 2017 | 2016 |
Acereros | 0 | 2 | — | 1998, 2015 |
Championships by franchise (all-time)
| Team | Titles |
|---|---|
Diablos | 16 |
Tigres | 12 |
Sultanes | 10 |
Rojos del Águila | 6 |
Tecolotes | 5 |
Pericos | 5 |
Azules | 4 |
Leones | 4 |
Alijadores | 3 |
Saraperos | 3 |
Agrario | 2 |
Algodoneros | 2 |
Cafeteros | 2 |
Charros | 2 |
Piratas | 2 |
Tigres (Comintra) | 2 |
Bravos | 1 |
Broncos | 1 |
Chiclet's Adams | 1 |
Gendarmería | 1 |
Guerreros | 1 |
Indios | 1 |
Monte de Piedad | 1 |
Obras Públicas | 1 |
Ocampo | 1 |
Olmecas | 1 |
Petroleros (Poza Rica) | 1 |
Policía | 1 |
Rieleros | 1 |
Toros | 1 |
Tráfico | 1 |
Defunct teams
See also
Salón de la Fama del Beisbol Profesional de México (Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame)- Mexican League baseball awards
References
^ includes Megasports
^ includes Multimedios Televisión and Milenio Televisión
^ includes SKY México, TDN and Univisión TDN
^ includes a+
^ includes TVC Deportes 2
^ "Mexican Baseball Is Finally Eliminating One of the Worst Unwritten Rules In Sports". VICE Sports. 1 December 2015..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ Virtue, John (10 October 2007). South of the Color Barrier: How Jorge Pasquel and the Mexican League Pushed Baseball Toward Racial Integration. McFarland. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-7864-3293-6.
^ "Gardella v. Chandler". Justia. 13 July 1948.
External links
Official website (in Spanish)
