- Mexican League (baseball)
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"Mexican League" redirects here. For other uses, see Mexican League (disambiguation).
Liga Mexicana de Béisbol 
Liga Mexicana de Béisbol logoSport Baseball Founded 1925 No. of teams 14 Country(ies) Mexico Most recent champion(s) Tigres de Quintana Roo (10) Official website www.lmb.com.mx The Mexican League (Spanish: Liga Mexicana de Béisbol) is a summer minor league baseball league with teams based across Mexico. Along with the International League and the Pacific Coast League, it is one of three leagues playing at the triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.[1] It is the only Minor League Baseball (MiLB)-sanctioned triple-A league outside the United States. Nonetheless, Mexican League teams are not affiliated with specific Major League Baseball clubs as part of the farm system like the International and the Pacific Coast leagues.
The other professional baseball league in Mexico is the Mexican Pacific League.[2]
The Mexican League has three minor leagues of its own, the Liga Norte de Mexico, Liga de Beisbol del Noroeste de Mexico, and the Liga de Mexicana de Beisbol Academia (a summer and a winter league). The current champion is Tigres de Quintana Roo.
Contents
History
When it was founded in 1925, the league included six teams (74 Regimiento, México, Agraria, Nacional, Guanajuato and Águila). Since then, the league has expanded to sixteen 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 use Federal Baseball Club of Baltimore v. National League of Professional Baseball Clubs to uphold that the baseball leagues and commissioner are not violating anti-trust rulings because they are not doing anything different than was done when the previous ruling occurred. Included in the previous ruling was the fact that the baseball leagues could transmit information about their games via telegraph wires. And, because the leagues are only negotiating, their actions in negotiating the television and radio broadcasts are no different than their actions with telegraphs. Therefore the previous decision can be upheld. Judges also assert that this the previous decision hasn’t been objected by Congress, so it must also be of the opinion of congress that baseball does not fall under the rules of the Anti-Trust Act. (Of course, consider that some judges felt differently, but ruling was overall in favor of the Leagues.)
The ruling went untested until the Mexican League was formed. Players who went to play in the Mexican League got blacklisted from MLB. One such player, Danny Gardella, was blacklisted because he had broken his contract and gone to play professional baseball in Mexico.
In 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 -- protected the ambiguity surrounding the antitrust protection.In 1949, baseball player Danny Gardella won a landmark appeal to baseball's reserve clause in the federal courts. This successful appeal is recognized as the first major step towards baseball free agency.
Expansion
In 1979, the Mexican Central League was absorbed into the expanded Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (Mexican Baseball League). The newly expanded league now 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 teams
Defunct teams
- Alacranes de Durango (Durango Scorpions)
- Algodoneros de Union Laguna (Union Laguna Cotton Pickers) (Torreón)
- Alijadores de Tampico (Tampico Lightermen)
- Angeles Negros de Puebla (Puebla Black Angels)
- Astros de Monclova (Monclova Astros)
- Astros de Tampico (Tampico Astros)
- Azules de Coatzacoalcos (Coatzacoalcos Blues)
- Bravos de León (León Braves)
- Cachorros de León (León Cubs)
- Cafeteros de Córdoba (Córdoba Coffee Growers)
- Charros de Jalisco (Jalisco Charros) (Guadalajara, Jalisco)
- Chileros de Xalapa (Xalapa Chili Growers)
- Dorados de Chihuahua (Chihuahua Goldens)
- Ganaderos de Tabasco (Tabasco Cattlemen)
- Indios de Ciudad Juárez (Ciudad Juárez Indians)
- Industriales de Monterrey (Monterrey Industrialists)
- Langosteros de Cancún (Cancun Lobstermen)
- Mineros de Coahuila (Coahuila Miners)
- Petroleros de Poza Rica (Poza Rica Oilers)
- Piratas de Sabinas (Sabinas Pirates)
- Plataneros de Tabasco (Tabasco Banana Growers)
- Potros de Minatitlán (Minatitlán Colts)
- Rieleros de Aguascalientes (Aguascalientes Railroaders)
- Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos (Two Laredos Owls)
- Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo (Nuevo Laredo Owls)
- Tigres de Puebla (Puebla Tigers)
- Toros de Tijuana (Tijuana Bulls)
- Truchas de Toluca (Toluca Trouts)
- Tuneros de San Luis Potosí (San Luis Potosi Prickly Pear Pickers)
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 * Club Pachuca 1933 Tigres de Comintra 3-2 Club Pachuca 1934 Monte de Piedad de México * Tuneros de San Luis 1935 Agrario de México * Tigres de Comintra 1936 Agrario de México * Lomas de México 1937 Aguila de Veracruz 3-0 Agrario de México 1938 Aguila de Veracruz * Agrario de México 1939 Cafeteros de Córdoba * Aguila de Veracruz 1940 Azules de Veracruz México * Diablos Rojos del México 1941 Azules de veracruz México * Diablos Rojos del México 1942 Algodoneros del Unión Laguna * Industriales de Monterrey 1943 Industriales de Monterrey * Algodoneros del Unión Laguna 1944 Azules de Veracruz México * 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 Industriales de Monterrey * Pericos de Puebla 1949 Industriales de Monterrey 4-0 Algodoneros del Unión Laguna 1950 Algodoneros del Unión Laguna 4-2 Charros de Jalisco 1951 Azules de Veracruz México 4-1 Tuneros de San Luis 1952 Aguila de Veracruz * Algodoneros del 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 * Aguila de Veracruz 1961 Aguila de Veracruz * Pericos de Puebla 1962 Sultanes Monterrey * Aguila 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 * Aguila de Veracruz 1969 Broncos de Reynosa * Sultanes de Monterrey 1970 Aguila de Veracruz 4-2 Diablos Rojos del México 1971 Charros de Jalisco 4-3 Saraperos de Saltillo 1972 Cafeteros de Córdoba 4-2 Saraperos de Saltillo 1973 Diablos Rojos del México 4-3 Saraperos de Saltillo 1974 Diablos Rojos del México 4-0 Algodoneros de Gomez Palacio 1975 Alijadores de Tampico 4-1 Cafeteros de Córdoba 1976 Diablos Rojos del México 4-2 Algodoneros del Unión Laguna 1977 Tecolotes de Nvo. Laredo 4-1 Diablos Rojos del México 1978 Rieleros de Aguascalientes 4-2 Algodoneros del Unión Laguna 1979 Ángeles de Puebla 4-3 Indios de Cd. Juárez 1980 Saraperos de Saltillo * Indios de Cd. Juárez 1981 Diablos Rojos del México 4-3 Broncos de Reynosa 1982 Indios de Cd. Juárez 4-0 Tigres Capitalinos 1983 Piratas de Campeche 4-3 Indios de Cd. Juarez 1984 Leones de Yucatán 4-2 Inios de Cd. 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 del 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 Champions and runner-ups (current teams)
Team Titles Runner Up Years Won Years Runner Up Diablos 15 17 1956, 1964, 1968, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1994, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2008 1940, 1941, 1946, 1947, 1957, 1958, 1963, 1966, 1970, 1977, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2011 Tigres 10 6 1955, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2011 1956, 1982, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2009 Sultanes 9 6 1943, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1962, 1991, 1995, 1996, 2007 1953, 1969, 1986, 1994, 2006, 2008 Rojos del Águila 5 4 1937, 1938, 1952, 1961, 1970 1939, 1960, 1962, 1968 Pericos 4 5 1925[3], 1963, 1979[4], 1986[5] 1948, 1961, 1964, 1965, 2010 Saraperos 3 6 1980, 2009, 2010 1971, 1972, 1973, 1988, 2004, 2005 Leones 3 3 1957, 1984, 2006 1954, 1989, 2007 Piratas 2 0 1983, 2004 - Broncos 1 2 1969 1967, 1981 Olmecas 1 0 1993 - Guerreros 1 0 1998 - Acereros 0 1 - 1998 Championships by franchise (all-time)
Team Titles Diablos 15 Tigres 10 Sultanes 9 Rojos del Águila 5 Tecolotes 5 Azules 4 Pericos 4 Alijadores 3 Leones 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 Tráfico 1 See also
- Mexican Pacific League (Spanish: Liga Mexicana del Pacífico)
- Salón de la Fama del Beisbol Profesional de México (hall of fame)
- Minor League Baseball Awards
References
- ^ "Scoreboard". Minor league baseball. http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/scoreboard/index.jsp?ymd=20110822. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- ^ "LMP.mx". Mexican Pacific League. http://www.ligadelpacifico.com.mx/index.php. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- ^ Won Title As 74 Regimiento (First champion in the leagues History)
- ^ Won Title As Angeles De Puebla
- ^ Won Title As Angeles Negros De Puebla
- Official site (Spanish)
Mexican League North Zone South Zone Categories:- Mexican League
- Baseball teams in Mexico
- Organizations established in 1925
- Minor league baseball leagues
- Latin American baseball leagues
- Baseball leagues in Mexico
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