Liga Occidental de Béisbol Profesional

The Liga Occidental de Béisbol Profesional (Western Professional Baseball League) was a baseball circuit that operated between 1954 and 1963 in Maracaibo, the capital city in the Venezuela state of Zulia. The league played their games at the old olympic stadium of Maracaibo.

The LOBP started to operate as a four-team league on December 7, 1954, and was managed by local entrepreneurs under the guidance of George Trautman, an American baseball executive, who also helped the league to join organized baseball to become a professional baseball circuit.

Innovations

Throughout the years, the league modified the number of games in the schedule and adopted playoffs. A significant innovation came before the 1953–1954 season, when the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League and the LOBP agreed to have the clubs with the best records from each circuit meet in a National Championship Series called El Rotatorio (the rotational), organized by the VPBL, which was the first and only in the league's history.

By then, both leagues were short of teams to play the regular season. Accordingly, the Cervecería Caracas and Navegantes del Magallanes teams represented the VPBL, while the Gavilanes and Pastora clubs represented the LOBP. Then, the Pastora team won the VPBL championship and advanced to the 1954 Caribbean Series.

Following an agreement between the two leagues, the interleague playoff games would be played immediately following the 1957–1958 season. As a result, the winning team would represent Venezuela in the 1958 Caribbean Series. The Rapiños de Occidente won the LOBP pennant, while the Industriales de Valencia did the same in the VPBL. After that, the Industriales swept the Rapiños, 4–0, in the best-of-seven series.

In the next playoff series, the Indios de Oriente VPBL champion team defeated the Rapiños, 4–3, and advanced to the 1959 Caribbean Series. Then, the Rapiños returned in 1959–1960 and won the pennant. This time, the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League season was suspended due to a players' strike, and the Rapiños club was invited to participate in the 1960 Caribbean Series.

Final years

During its 10 years of existence, the Zulia league confronted many crises, big and small, in that short period. For a time in the late 1950s, a lack of competitive balance seemed to pose the greatest threat to the league.

The beginning of the end came when the 1961–1962 season was cancelled. After that, the league resumed operations in 1962–1963, but the average attendance was less than half what it was in previous years.

Due to economic pressure, the LOBP folded on December 3, 1963, just one month after starting the 1963–1964 season.

Pastora was the only club that participated in all seasons of the league, winning two pennants, while the most successful team was the Rapiños, who collected a total of five titles during its six seasons in the circuit.

List of teams

Seasons and statistics

Champion teams in bold

1954–1955

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Pastora2013.606 John Strezza
Cabimas1914.576  1Clay Bryant
Espadón1419.424  6Ralston Hunsley  
Gavilanes1320.394  7Fermín Guerra
Batting and Pitching statistics
BatterTeamStatTotPitcherTeamStatTot
Jim FreyPASBatting average.370Bud PodbielanPASWins   9
John Malangone  ESPHome runs    7Barney SchultzGAVStrikeouts    62
Eddie MooreCABRuns batted in  27Kenneth Hommel  PASEarned run average  0.90

1955–1956

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Gavilanes3321.611  Ernesto Aparicio
Cabimas3222.593  1Clay Bryant
Pastora2826.519  5Joe Schultz
Espadón1539.27818Ralston Hunsley  
Batting and Pitching statistics
BatterTeamStatTotPitcherTeamStatTot
Joe AltobelliGAV Batting average .378Dave Hoskins
Corky Valentine 
GAV
PAS
Wins  11
Don Demeter  
Russell Rac
CAB
PAS
 Home runs  17Barney SchultzGAVStrikeouts  62
Russell RacPAS  Runs batted in  52Eusebio PérezGAVEarned run average 2.09

1956–1957

Note: Espadón did not return and was replaced by Centauros
Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Gavilanes3126.544 Donald Griffin
Pastora2928.509  2Frank Baldwin 
Centauros2829.491  3Bob Wellman
Cabimas2631.456  5Bill Cronin
Batting and Pitching statistics
BatterTeamStatTotPitcherTeamStatTot
Guilford Dickens GAVBatting average .344Dave HoskinsGAVWins  14
Bob WellmanCENHome runs  13Barney Schultz GAVStrikeouts  62
Bob WellmanCENRuns batted in  45Dave HoskinsGAVEarned run average 1.68

1957–1958

Note: Rapiños replaced Gavilanes
Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Rapiños3013.698 Ira Hutchinson
Pastora2121.500 Johnny Temple  
Cabimas1923.45210½Bill Cronin
Centauros1429.326 16Bob Wellman
Batting and Pitching statistics
BatterTeamStatTotPitcherTeamStatTot
Paul SmithPASBatting average  .368Robert SmithPASWins  9
Billy QueenCENHome runs  15Tom FlaniganRAPStrikeouts104
Jim Greengrass  PASRuns batted in  35Barry Latman  RAPEarned run average 1.40

1958–1959

Note: Gavilanes returned as a replacement for Centauros
Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Rapiños2825.528 Les Moss
Pastora2726.509  1Duane Pillette  
Gavilanes2626.500Red Kress
Cabimas2130.412  6Pete Reiser
Batting and Pitching statistics
BatterTeamStatTotPitcherTeamStatTot
Sammy Miley  PASBatting average  ..357Dave Hoskins  RAPWins  12
Billy QueenGAVHome runs   11Larry SherryCABStrikeouts138
Billy QueenGAVRuns batted in   40Dave HoskinsRAPEarned run average  2.27

1959–1960

Classified teams in bold
Regular season
standings
WLPCTGBManagers
Rapiños1813.581   Les Moss
Gavilanes1417.452  4  Jim Fanning
Pastora1417.452  4  Leslie Peden  
Cabimas1318.419  5  Bill Harris
Postseason
First round
Best of twelve series
WLPCTGBSecond round
Best of seven series
WLPCTGB
Pastora
Rapiños
Gavilanes
7
7
4
5
5
8
.583
.583
.333
 
 
  3
Rapiños
Pastora
4
2
2
4
.667
.333
 
  2
Batting and Pitching statistics
BatterTeamStatTotPitcherTeamStatTot
Al GrunwaldPASBatting average  .336Ted Bowsfield  RAPWins  14
Norman Cash  RAPHome runs  14Ed HobaughRAPStrikeouts   135
Norman CashRAPRuns batted in  38Bill HarrisCABEarned run average  2.27

1960–1961

Notes:
Cabimas and Gavilanes did not return
The new Maracaibo club folded during the midseason
Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Rapiños3025.545 Les Moss
Pastora2630.464  Joe Schultz
Maracaibo  816.333 n/aPreston Gómez  
Batting and Pitching statistics
BatterTeamStatTotPitcherTeamStatTot
Camilo Carreon  PASBatting average .303Don Rudolph  PASWins  12
Harry WattsPASHome runs  12Ed RakowMCB
RAP
Strikeouts 185
Harry WattsPASRuns batted in  37Ed RakowMCB
RAP
Earned run average 1.29

1961–1962

  • The season was cancelled

1962–1963

Note: Cardenales debuted while Cabimas returned
Classified teams in bold
Regular season
standings
WLPCTGBManagers
Rapiños2112.636   Les Moss
Cardenales1615.516  4  Earl Weaver
  Joe Schultz
Pastora1518.484  6 Frank Lucchesi 
Cabimas1218.387  8 Johnny Werhas  
Postseason
Best of 16 seriesWLPCTGB
Rapiños12  4.750 
Cardenales  9  7.563  3
Pastora  214.12510
Batting and Pitching statistics
BatterTeamStatTotPitcherTeamStatTot
Deacon Jones  RAPBatting average .420Fritz Ackley  RAPWins  11 
Deacon JonesRAPHome runs  15Bill PhillipsRAPStrikeouts152
Deacon JonesRAPRuns batted in  49Fritz AckleyRAPEarned run average 2.47

1963–1964

Shortened season
standings
WLPCTGBManagers
Cardenales14  3.824 n/aRodolfo Fernández  
Pastora  8  9.471 n/aJimmy Brown
Cabimas  710.411 n/aDalmiro Finol
Rapiños  613.316 n/aAntonio Briñez
Batting and Pitching statistics
BatterTeamStatTotPitcherTeamStatTot
Danny MorejónCARBatting average .391Luis TiantCARWins   6
Héctor Cárdenas 
Bob Taylor
CAR
PAS
Home runs   3Luis TiantCARStrikeouts  81
Danny MorejónCARRuns batted in  18Luis TiantCAREarned run average 0.67

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 (2006); Records de la Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional. LVBP. ISBN 978-980-6996-01-4
  • Nuñez, José Antero (1994). Serie del Caribe de la Habana a Puerto La Cruz. JAN Editor. ISBN 980-07-2389-7
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