| Leones del Caracas | |
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| League | Venezuelan Professional Baseball League |
|---|---|
| Location | Caracas, Venezuela |
| Ballpark | Estadio Universitario |
| Year Founded | 1952 |
| League championships | 1953, 1957, 1962, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1995, 2006 |
| Caribbean Series championships | 1982, 2006 |
| Uniforms | |
        Home |
 Away |
The Leones del Caracas (English: Caracas Lions) are a Venezuelan baseball team that plays in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. Since its inception, the team has played in the Estadio Universitario in Caracas. They possess 16 championship titles, the most to date in Venezuelan baseball.
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History
In 1942, Cervecería Princesa, an early team, was bought and transformed into Cervecería Caracas. Their first game, on May 7 against the Criollos (English: Creoles) ended with a 7-3 victory. The team faced its later nemesis, the Navegantes del Magallanes for the first time on December 27, 1942, winning this now historic game 3-0. Ten years later, the franchise was bought by the publicist and sport commentator Pablo Morales and christened anew as Leones del Caracas.
Management
In 2001, the descendants of Pablo Morales and Oscar Prieto Ortiz (founders of the club in 1952) sold their shares to the Grupo Cisneros, giving it majority control of the team.
Championship titles/Managers
- 1947–1948: José Antonio Casanova *
- 1948–1949: José Antonio Casanova *
- 1951–1952: José Antonio Casanova *
- 1952–1953: Martín Dihigo
- 1956–1957: Clay Bryant
- 1961–1962: Regino Otero
- 1963–1964: Regino Otero
- 1966–1967: Regino Otero
- 1967–1968: Regino Otero
- 1972–1973: Oswaldo Virgil
- 1977–1978: Felipe Rojas Alou
- 1979–1980: Felipe Rojas Alou
- 1980–1981: Alfonso (Chico) Carrasquel
- 1981–1982: Alfonso (Chico) Carrasquel
- 1986–1987: Bill Plummer
- 1987–1988: Bill Robinson
- 1989–1990: Phil Regan
- 1994–1995: Pompeyo Davalillo
- 2005–2006: Carlos Subero
* As Cervecería Caracas
Caribbean World Series title
On February 7, 2006, the Leones earned Venezuela's first Caribbean World Series title in 16 years, defeating the Tigres del Licey of the Dominican Republic, six games to none. With the victory, the Leones won Venezuela's sixth CWS title.
Retired uniform numbers
- 1 - Pompeyo Davalillo
- 2 - Víctor Davalillo
- 6 - Gonzalo Márquez
- 11 - Luis Aparicio *
- 17 - Chico Carrasquel
- 20 - Tony Armas
- 23 - Omar Vizquel
- 25 - Baudilio (Bo) Díaz
- 41 - Andrés Galarraga
* Retired by VPBL
See also
- 1949 Caribbean Series
- 1952 Caribbean Series
- 1953 Caribbean Series
- 1957 Caribbean Series
- 1980 Caribbean Series
- 1982 Caribbean Series
- 2006 Caribbean Series
External links
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