| Cangrejeros de Santurce Founded in 1939 (70 years) |
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|---|---|
| League | Puerto Rico Baseball League |
| Location | Santurce, San Juan |
| Ballpark | Hiram Bithorn Stadium (until hiatus in 2004, 2008-present) Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium (late 80's) Estadio Sixto Escobar (early years) |
| League championships | 1951, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1962, 1965, 1967, 1971, 1973, 1991, 1993, 2000 |
| Caribbean World Series championships | 1951, 1953, 1955, 1993, 2000 |
| Colors | Navy blue, white and gray (very similar to that of the New York Yankees) |
| Uniforms | |
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The Cangrejeros de Santurce (lit. "Santurce Crabbers") is a professional baseball team based in Santurce, the biggest barrio of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Currently it is the only team of the Puerto Rico Baseball League (formerly known as LBPRR) playing in the capital city of the Caribbean Commonwealth. Having played for over 70 years, the Cangrejeros are one of the most historic, beloved[citation needed] and successful franchises in the Island, winning twelve (12) national titles and five (5) Caribbean World Series. With a total of 2072 victories, Cangrejeros are winners of the largest number of games in the history of Puerto Rican professional baseball. They are widely[citation needed] regarded as the "New York Yankees of Puerto Rico", largely in part to the accomplishments of its legendary players, and especially the celebrated 1954-55's Escuadrón del Pánico ("Panic Squad"), an intimidating lineup that included hall of famers Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays on their way to a clean sweep of National and Caribbean championships. Other greats that have worn the emblematic 'S' include Negro League stars such as Satchel Paige, and Joshua Gibson. The team is currently owned by former MLB-player José Valentín.
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History
The Santurce Crabbers debuted in the second season of the then semi-professional league in Puerto Rico, 1939-40. Its first owner and founder was former baseball scout and legislator Mr. Pedrín Zorrilla, nicknamed El Cangrejero Mayor ("The Greatest Crabber"). Rafael Muñiz y Miguel Pasarell were also part of the founding group. The first manager was the "black Babe Ruth"[1] Joshua Gibson. They came in fourth place in the standings with a record of 26-29.
The team won its first pennant in the 1950-51 season as the product of the most famous home run in the history of Puerto Rico’s baseball, connected by Jose "Pepe" Lucas is known as El Pepelucazo. That same season they became the first Puerto Rican team ever to win the Caribbean World Series. The "Crustaceans", as they are also known, have won 12 championships (second most all-time): 1950-51, 1952-53, 1954-55, 1958-59, 1961-62, 1964-65, 1966-67, 1970-71, 1972-73, 1990-91, 1992-93 and 1999-2000; including five Caribbean Series (most all-time): 1951, 1953, 1955, 1993 and 2000. The team has a record of 2072-1888, the all-time high for any franchise in the Island.[2]
The Panic Squad
The 1954-55 edition of the Cangrejeros was so dominant that the local newspapers dubbed the group El Escuadrón del Pánico ("The Panic Squad"). The lineup featured proven major league and negro league all-star players such as reigning NL MVP Willie Mays, a young Roberto Clemente, home run menace Buster Clarkson, Bob Thurman and George Crowe. Referred to some as a "baseballistic juggernaut" they demoralized the competition on their way to a clean sweep of the three winter championships. First, they won the “City Champ” against the San Juan Senators (the season series between the two teams of the capital), later they beat the Caguas Creoles in the final for the National title, and then concluded the magical season by outlasting every team in Venezuela for the crown of the Caribbean World Series.[3]
Hiatus
In 2004, after a big decline in attendance in recent years, the Cangrejeros were sold to MLB-player José Valentín, who decided to moved the team to Manatí, with the approval of the mayor of San Juan, causing controversy among fans of the Cangrejeros. In response, the mayor changed the name of the Senadores de San Juan to Cangrejeros de Santurce for the 2004-05 season. However, the following season, the new Cangrejeros moved and the team changed its name to the Lobos de Arecibo, leaving the capital city without a baseball team for the first time in the league's history.
Renaissance
On May 2008, it was announced that the team would resume play for the 2008-09 season, and that the Atenienses de Manatí would be moved back to Santurce, and again become the Cangrejeros. As part of the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League restructuring program, Major League Baseball offered to work with its publicity. On July 15, 2008, personnel from the league and Major League Baseball participated in a reunion, where details about the league's merchandising were discussed.[4] The team is still owned by former MLB-player José Valentín. Santurce made the playoffs in their first season back after a four-year absence, but were eliminated in the first round.
Famous players
Some of the outstanding players that have played or managed this historic novena are, Joshua Gibson, Willard Brown, Bob Thurman, Rubén Gómez, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Orlando Cepeda, Roger Moret, Juan Pizarro, Frank Robinson, Reggie Jackson, Ron Cey, Don Baylor, Juan Beniquez, Ismael "Trucutu" Oquendo, Iván Calderón, Atanasio "Tony" Pérez, Raymond Brown, Bob Thurman, Buster Clarkson, Juan Pizarro, Alfonso Gerard, Roy Campanella, Satchel Paige, Bob Gibson, Frank Robinson, Robin Yount, Ray Dandridge and Jim Palmer.
Others that have also wore the Santurce jersey include: Leon Day, Earl Weaver, Tom Lasorda, Robin Yount, Ismael Oquendo, Luis "El Tigre" Cabrera, Valmy Thomas, Julio Navarro, George Scott, Joe Foy, Herman Franks, Jose Antonio Pagan, Rogelio Moret, Dick Seay, James "Junior" Gilliam, Sam Jones, Don Zimmer, Ron Cey, Pedro Juan Arroyo, Jose "Pepe" Lucas, Vidal Lopez, William "Daddy" Figueroa, Leonardo Medina Chapman, Ivan de Jesus, Elrod Hendricks, Paul Blair, Dave May, Luis Rodriguez Olmo, Vic Harris, John Ford Smith, Earl Taborn, George Crowe, Billy Byrd, Juan "Tetelo" Vargas, Rubén Sierra, Hector Villanueva, Martin Beltran, Bill Greason, Felix Juan Maldonado, Ramon "Mon" Hernandez, Jerry Willard, Devon White, Dusty Baker, Mickey Rivers, Gilberto Rondon, Julio Cruz and Mako Oliveras.
The Crab's Cave
The Cangrejeros currently play its home games at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, in the municipality of San Juan, christened by its loyal fans La Cueva del Cangrejo ("The Crab's Cave"). For several years they shared this field with their baseball “cousins”, the now extinct San Juan Senators (also called Metros during the 1990s). Both teams always had a friendly rivalry, similar to that of the Yankees-Mets or Cubs-White Sox, best exemplified by the "City Champ", which was a season-long series that gave the team with the most wins the aforementioned title. During the 2003-04 they also shared the stadium with the Montreal Expos before they were relocated to Washington, DC and became the Nationals. Previous locations include the Sixto Escobar Stadium near Old San Juan, as well as the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Bayamón.
Radio
The official radio station of the Crabbers is WUNO Noti-Uno Metro, on the 630 AM frequency in the metropolitan area of San Juan.
References
- ^ http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/233289/Josh-Gibson#245123.hook
- ^ Jorge Colón Delgado, http://www.puertoricobaseballleague.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=92
- ^ Alex Santiago, http://www.ucspr.com/cangrejeros/historia.htm
- '^ Rafy Rivera (2008-07-15). "Frente a frente hoy Liga Invernal y Grandes Ligas" (in Spanish). El Vocero. http://vocero.com/noticias.asp?s=Deportes&n=115672. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
External links
Cangrejeros de Santurce at Puerto Rico Baseball League website [1]
Cangrejeros de Santurce at MLB website [2]
Fan page with historical photos of the team [3]
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