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 did not have a particularly good record with 162 wins and 228 losses during its stint in the league, and never had a winning season or made the playoffs. Nevertheless, it was a team that never lacked spirit, determination and hustle, gamely battling against their strongest rivals down to the final of each game.

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

SeasonRecord  FinishManager
194615-163rd
 (Lost 2nd place tie-breaker) 
Juan Antonio Yanes
Tom Glover
  1946-47    7-11 (1st half) 
  5-13 (2nd half) 
4th
4th
   Juan Antonio Yanes   
1947-4813-264thLeón Díaz
1948-4914-173rdLeón Díaz
1949-5017-283rdAlberto Hidalgo
1950-5119-344thAlberto Hidalgo
Rogelio López
1951-5223-343rdJunior Thompson
1952-5326-313rdReinaldo Cordeiro
1954-5523-283rdPaul Richards
Eddie Popowski

Team highlights

Other noted players

Sources

  • Gutiérrez, Daniel; Alvarez, Efraim; Gutiérrez (h), Daniel (2006). La Enciclopedia del Béisbol en Venezuela. LVBP, Caracas. ISBN 980-6996-02-X
  • Gutiérrez, Daniel; González, Javier (1992). Numeritos del béisbol profesional venezolano (1946-1992). LVBP, Caracas. ISBN 980-0712-47-X


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