The Patriotas de Venezuela baseball club was a founding member of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League in its inaugural season of 1946.
Team history The Patriotas, based in Caracas, played its home games at the now-extinct Estadio Cerveza Caracas, while appearing in nine seasons spanning 1946–1955. The team was also nicknamed the Criollos for a while.
The VPBL opening game was realized on January 12, 1946. Besides Venezuela, the circuit included the Cervecería Caracas, Navegantes del Magallanes, and Sabios de Vargas teams.
The Patriotas were owned and established by Juan Antonio Yanes, one of the early pioneers of professional baseball in the country, who also managed his team in parts of two seasons. In addition, both Paul Richards, Eddie Popowski and Junior Thompson will manage the team at some point.
Venezuela recorded 162 wins and 228 losses during its time in the league, and never had a winning season or made the playoffs.
The Patriotas were out during the 1953-54 season due to economic issues. They reappeared in 1954-55, but folded at the end of the season. Following a change of ownership, the new owners renamed the franchise as the Licoreros de Pampero starting the 1955-56 season.
Yearly team records Season Record Finish Manager 1946 15-16 3rd Juan Antonio YanesTom Glover 1946-47 7-11 5-13 4th4th Juan Antonio Yanes 1947-48 13-26 4th León Díaz 1948-49 14-17 3rd León Díaz 1949-50 17-28 3rd Alberto Hidalgo 1950-51 19-34 4th Alberto HidalgoRogelio López 1951-52 23-34 3rd Junior Thompson 1952-53 26-31 3rd Reinaldo Cordeiro 1954-55 23-28 3rd Paul RichardsEddie Popowski
Team highlights 1946-47: Parnell Woods, champion bat with a .354 average. 1947-48: Luke Easter, league leader with eight home runs. 1948-49: Roy Welmaker, most strikeouts by a pitcher with 102. 1949-50: Santiago Ullrich, Triple crown pitching winner with eight wins, 59 strikeouts and a 2.74 ERA. 1950-51: René González, league leader with 50 runs batted in, while tying with Vargas' Frank Mancuso for the most homers with 10. 1952-53: Hank Schenz, champion bat with a .355 average. 1954-55: Harold Bevan, champion bat with a .350 average.
Other noted players
Red Adams Luis Aloma Carlos Ascanio Eddie Basinski Don Buddin Daniel Canónico Ed Chandler Lorenzo Davis Wilmer Fields Ben Flowers Joe Frazier Russ Kerns Julián Ladera Red Lynn Pete Milne Mickey Owen Al Papai Roy Partlow Dave Pope Saul Rogovin Luis Romero Petit Bob Smith Gene Stephens Max Surkont George Susce Bill Webb Dewey Williams José Zardón Pedro Miranda Gaspar del Monte
Sources Gutiérrez, Daniel; Alvarez, Efraim; Gutiérrez (h), Daniel (2006). La Enciclopedia del Béisbol en Venezuela. LVBP, Caracas. Gutiérrez, Daniel; González, Javier (1992). Numeritos del béisbol profesional venezolano (1946-1992). LVBP, Caracas.
External links Meridiano.com – Historia de la Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (Spanish) PuraPelota.com – Patriotas de Venezuela (1946 – 1952-53) PuraPelota.com – Patriotas de Venezuela (1954-55) es.Wikipedia.org – Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional es.Wikipedia.org – Patriotas de Venezuela