Indios de Mayagüez
Encyclopedia
The Indios de Mayagüez are a baseball
team in the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League
(LBPPR, in Spanish). Normally based in Mayagüez
, the Indios have won 16 national championships and two Caribbean World Series
. It is one of four teams remaining from the original six incorporated into the LBPPR at its founding in 1938.
The Indios were named after the Cervecería India (the local brewery
, and its formal sponsor over most of the team's 70-year run) besides the fact that Mayagüez, located at the western coast of Puerto Rico, has a strong indigenous heritage, starting with the city's name (which is derived from the Taíno
language). The team's colors are burgundy, red and gold, which at one time were the colors on the label of Cerveza India, the original flagship product of the brewery which promoted the team and served as base for its name. The Cervecería India's current flagship product, Cerveza Medalla Light, is now the team's official endorser.
As their home stadium, Isidoro García Baseball Stadium
, is being reconstructed to host the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games, the Indios have been forced to relocate temporarily to nearby Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
. They currently play at Luis A. Canena Marquez Stadium
, under the name "Indios-Tiburones", a marketing concept that evokes the Tiburones de Aguadilla (Aguadilla Sharks), a now-defunct LBPPR team that was active in the 1940s and 1950s.
The Indios de Mayagüez team is the team with the most championship wins in PRBL history. At a time when most Puerto Rican cities and towns are better known for their support of basketball
or volleyball
teams, the city of Mayagüez
remains as a strong baseball stronghold in the island nation. The team's fan base has a reputation for loyalty bordering in the extreme, and average game attendance by Indios fans has been consistently high (and at times the highest) in the Puerto Rico winter league during recent seasons.
At any given year -should the Indios make it to the LBPPR tournament playoffs- attendance to the team's baseball park and post-game celebrations tend to be particularly high because they usually coincide with the celebration of the patron saint feasts (fiestas patronales) for the city of Mayagüez; it is not unusual for a championship game to coincide with Candlemas (2 February) or Candlemas Eve.
The Indios' management team is led by its owner, Daniel Aquino Méndez. Under manager Max 'Mako' Oliveras
the Indios won the 2009-2010 championship by beating the Caguas Criollos 4 games to 1. They go on to represent Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Series of 2010 in Isla Margarita, Venezuela.
owned the team during its initial years.
The Indios won their first LBPPR championship in 1949. Originally the Indios played their home games in the facilities of La Liga de París. The team moved from their previous grounds to then-new Isidoro García Baseball Stadium
, located near the southwest corner of the city, later that year.
Pérez died suddenly in Bamberg
, Germany
in 1971, while visiting one of his daughters and new grandson. Gloria Mendez, widow of Babel Perez, owned the team until its sale in 1974, entering into baseball history as the first female to own a baseball team.
) bought the Indios in 1974. At the time, after winning the 1965 - 66 league championship the Indios had had a dry spell, having earned only two championships in more than 15 years and consistently ending in last place in every LBPPR tournament between the 1966 - 67 season and the 1973-74 season, except the 1969-70, when the team made the playoffs in a very surprising fashion. And also twice have been threats to move the franchise twice to the city of Bayamon, without any success, thanks to the fans who avoided the move of the franchise and finally the franchise stayed in Mayagüez. To make matters worse, the Isidoro García baseball stadium was in such state of disrepair that it was literally unsafe for fans, players and field keepers.
, Jim Dwyer, Kurt Bevacqua
and José Manuel Morales in the 1-4 spots, the team barely made it to the playoffs, to consequently sweep the semi-final and final series. The final game for the series had Mayagüez beat the coincidentally named Bayamón Cowboys with a score of 18-2. The team eventually made it to Mazatlán, Mexico, where it won the 1978 Caribbean World Series.
This was a turning point in the team's history. Fan support gave the Indios' management team enough financial solvency to save the franchise. From winning only three championships in 40 years, the team went on to win 12 championships in the 28 years following the 1978 season. Collective fan protests demanded repairs to the baseball stadium from its owner, the then-named Parks and Leisure Administration of Puerto Rico (now called the Puerto Rico Department of Recreation and Sports), a government agency that still owns and controls the new stadium that has since replaced the old one. The stadium was remodeled soon after (1980).The Indios under Gomez ownership went on to win four more championships{83-84.85,86,87-88,88-89 } for a total of five during his tenure.
during the team's lean years, providing much necessary feedback to improve its lineup, but his comments were rather blunt at times, something that alienated team fans (he was even confrontational with a few of them). The fact that Méndez was the first non-native of the city to own the team (Méndez is a native of nearby San Sebastián, Puerto Rico
) did not help. Some fans even suspected Méndez of wanting to move the team to his hometown, which had a successful AA League franchise.
Objectively, though, Méndez not only attempted to raise fan support to a near-religious status, but was also responsible for five championships and three runner-up spots. He was responsible for establishing or endorsing many team rituals, changing the team's colors to burgundy and gold, and even demanding that the Indios wear their own uniform (and not wear one with the name "Puerto Rico") when going to the Caribbean World Series. Many fans decided to have a love-hate relationship with Méndez, praising his business smarts and baseball acumen while hating him personally.
who had earned a Mechanical Engineering degree from the nearby University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
. The fans' reaction to Aquino, who was once the owner of the Leones del Escogido
of the Dominican winter league, made the backlash against Méndez pale in comparison. Aquino had experienced considerable criticism in his home country for "watering down" the Leones' roster due to escalating payroll costs. Xenophobia
played a role in criticism against Aquino, who repeatedly countered by saying that he had strong personal ties to Puerto Rico and Mayagüez, and that after his experience with the Leones' he had realized that he would not jump into managing any other baseball team if he didn't have a personal take on the team's outcome.
However, Aquino has proved to be a successful owner, helped in part by the inclusion of yet another controversial (and very vocal) baseball executive, Carlos Pieve, to his management team (this time as general manager). Aquino's first year as owner had the Indios win a league championship (2003), only to have them end up last the following year (2004), and subsequently win yet another championship the next year (2005). The team lost the 2006 final series against the Gigantes de Carolina and lost again against the team in the semifinal round of the 2007 playoffs.
2011071419rimerahora.com/diario/noticia/beisbol/accion_deportiva/despiertan_los_indios/346692| title=Despiertan los Indios| publisher=Primera Hora| language=Spanish| date=2009-11-26| accessdate=2009-12-02}}
Mayagüez finished in fourth place in the regular season (2009–2010). They defeated the Lobos 4 games to 3 in the playoff to advance to their 30th championship series.
Indios de Mayagüez won their 16th championship (most in the PRBL) when they beat Criollos de Caguas 4 games to 1. Three games in this series went to extra innings.
players who played with the Indios include Tommy Lasorda
, Ron LeFlore
, Kurt Bevacqua
, Bobby Bonilla, Lance Parrish, Paul O'Neill, Ken Caminiti
, Zack Greinke
, Doug Glanville
, Harold Reynolds
, Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, Dennis Martinez
, Roberto Hernandez and Wally Joyner
.
Local MLB stars who were also part of the Indios are Wil Cordero
and José Vidro
. Cordero was raised at the Cócora section of town, across the street from Isidoro García Baseball Stadium
.
The Indios de Mayagüez were initially sponsored by the local Cervecería India, founded in 1938 by local businessman Alfonso Valdés Cobián
. After Valdés' passing, the initials "AVC" were permanently added to the left sleeve of all team uniforms, in honor of the team's first owner.
recorded by the 1975 lineup of the Billo's Caracas Boys orchestra, led by its longtime conductor, Billo Frómeta
, and augmented by two former Billo's bandmates, Ernesto Chapuseaux and Francisco Simó Damirón, who had reunited with Frómeta for the occasion. The song is usually played as a game opener when the Indios assume their defensive positions in the field.
's plena A Mayagüez, which references the team. The song suggests that the singer will visit the city to "vacilar con los Indios, que en verdad echan candela" ("have fun with the Indios, which are really on fire lately")."
Mon Rivera
, who was a successful shortstop with the Indios before becoming an even more successful bandleader, wrote a humorous song about an anecdote he experienced while he was related to the team. It makes mention of Humberto "Pita" Martí, one of the team's catchers. Martí was good enough as a catcher to deserve having his number eventually retired by the team. Apparently, though, his English language skills were not as good. Since the team featured major baseball players from the United States, interaction among players had to happen in English, Spanish, Spanglish
, sign language or a combination thereof. Apparently Martí was asked "how do you feel?" before a game, to which he replied: "yo no juego field, lo que juego es catcher de Mayagüez" ("I'm not a fielder, I play catcher for Mayagüez"). The joke persisted enough to deserve a song.
.
At one time during the late 1990s, the cheerleader sled past the dugout's roof and landed on a nearby staircase, fracturing a leg and three ribs. After a long convalescence, the Indio returned to his usual chanting grounds on top of the stadium's first base dugout, calling for cheers wearing a cast and crutches. At times the Indio is allowed into the infield, runs the bases, and steals home plate.
, Soto's has been narrating Indios' games since 1977.
Fiercely territorial as some Indios fans are, a common practice for many of them is to turn the volume down on television broadcasts featuring the Indios, and turning a radio set on to the official Indios radio broadcast, which is aired on station WZNA (1040 kHz) and various other repeater stations along the western and southern coasts of the island. Soto's vocal inflections are so well recognized by fans that by just listening to his voice many can identify the difference between a pop-up fly and a hit before the ball actually lands.
A former member of the broadcast team, commercial spot coordinator David Castro had a reputation for having attended all Indios games home and abroad (except for one non-local game during the early 1960s) since the team's inception in 1938 until his retirement in 2005.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team in the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League
Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League
The Puerto Rico Baseball League formerly known as Liga de Béisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico or LBPPR, is the main professional baseball league in Puerto Rico. In 2007, the LBPPR recessed for the first time since its creation...
(LBPPR, in Spanish). Normally based in Mayagüez
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
, the Indios have won 16 national championships and two Caribbean World Series
Caribbean World Series
The Caribbean Series , also called the Caribbean World Series is the highest baseball tournament at club level in Latin America. The league winners from the Winter Leagues of Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela participate in the tournament...
. It is one of four teams remaining from the original six incorporated into the LBPPR at its founding in 1938.
The Indios were named after the Cervecería India (the local brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
, and its formal sponsor over most of the team's 70-year run) besides the fact that Mayagüez, located at the western coast of Puerto Rico, has a strong indigenous heritage, starting with the city's name (which is derived from the Taíno
Taíno language
Taíno, an Arawakan language, was the principal language of the Caribbean islands at the time of the Spanish Conquest, including the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the Florida Keys, and the Lesser Antilles...
language). The team's colors are burgundy, red and gold, which at one time were the colors on the label of Cerveza India, the original flagship product of the brewery which promoted the team and served as base for its name. The Cervecería India's current flagship product, Cerveza Medalla Light, is now the team's official endorser.
As their home stadium, Isidoro García Baseball Stadium
Isidoro García Baseball Stadium
Isidoro García Baseball Stadium is a baseball stadium in Mayagüez, it is also known as "El Cholo García". It is located next to the new Mayaguez Athletics Stadium and across the street of the Parque del Litoral.-Old stadium:...
, is being reconstructed to host the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games, the Indios have been forced to relocate temporarily to nearby Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Aguadilla , founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla is spread over 15 wards and Aguadilla Pueblo...
. They currently play at Luis A. Canena Marquez Stadium
Luis A. Canena Marquez Stadium
Luis A. Canena Marquez Stadium is a baseball stadium located in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It is the home to the Aguadilla Sharks of the Double-A Superior Baseball League that plays from mid-February to late-April/early May....
, under the name "Indios-Tiburones", a marketing concept that evokes the Tiburones de Aguadilla (Aguadilla Sharks), a now-defunct LBPPR team that was active in the 1940s and 1950s.
The Indios de Mayagüez team is the team with the most championship wins in PRBL history. At a time when most Puerto Rican cities and towns are better known for their support of basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
or volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
teams, the city of Mayagüez
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
remains as a strong baseball stronghold in the island nation. The team's fan base has a reputation for loyalty bordering in the extreme, and average game attendance by Indios fans has been consistently high (and at times the highest) in the Puerto Rico winter league during recent seasons.
At any given year -should the Indios make it to the LBPPR tournament playoffs- attendance to the team's baseball park and post-game celebrations tend to be particularly high because they usually coincide with the celebration of the patron saint feasts (fiestas patronales) for the city of Mayagüez; it is not unusual for a championship game to coincide with Candlemas (2 February) or Candlemas Eve.
The Indios' management team is led by its owner, Daniel Aquino Méndez. Under manager Max 'Mako' Oliveras
Mako Oliveras
Max "Mako" Oliveras was a Minor League Baseball player and also was a minor league manager with the Binghamton Mets. Oliveras played seven seasons in the minor leagues. He was also a coach in the Major Leagues for the Chicago Cubs.In May , he took over as skipper of the independent Miami Marlins...
the Indios won the 2009-2010 championship by beating the Caguas Criollos 4 games to 1. They go on to represent Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Series of 2010 in Isla Margarita, Venezuela.
The early years
Mayagüez had a semi-professional baseball team prior to 1938. Once the LBPPR was created, the Mayagüez team became a part of it. A management team led by Alfonso Valdés CobiánAlfonso Valdés Cobián
Alfonso Valdés Cobián , was an industrialist, banker, sportsman and politician. Valdés Cobián was a cofounder of Cervecería India, Inc., currently Puerto Rico's largest beer brewery.-Early years:...
owned the team during its initial years.
The Indios won their first LBPPR championship in 1949. Originally the Indios played their home games in the facilities of La Liga de París. The team moved from their previous grounds to then-new Isidoro García Baseball Stadium
Isidoro García Baseball Stadium
Isidoro García Baseball Stadium is a baseball stadium in Mayagüez, it is also known as "El Cholo García". It is located next to the new Mayaguez Athletics Stadium and across the street of the Parque del Litoral.-Old stadium:...
, located near the southwest corner of the city, later that year.
The Babel Pérez era
Babel Pérez assumed the management of the Indios after Alfonso Valdés. (He had been worked for Don Alfonso since the late '40s) The Indios won two championships under his helm, in 1962-1963 and 1965-1966. Joe Christopher was a major player for the Indios during the period.Pérez died suddenly in Bamberg
Bamberg
Bamberg is a city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg is one of the few cities in Germany that was not destroyed by World War II bombings because of a nearby Artillery Factory that prevented planes from...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1971, while visiting one of his daughters and new grandson. Gloria Mendez, widow of Babel Perez, owned the team until its sale in 1974, entering into baseball history as the first female to own a baseball team.
The Luis Gómez Monagas era
A new management team led by Luis Gómez Monagas, a successful insurance businessman, and father. (and later one-time Uncle-in-law of Colombian actor and folk singer Carlos VivesCarlos Vives
Carlos Alberto Vives Restrepo is a Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy Award winning-Colombian singer, composer and actor.-Biography:...
) bought the Indios in 1974. At the time, after winning the 1965 - 66 league championship the Indios had had a dry spell, having earned only two championships in more than 15 years and consistently ending in last place in every LBPPR tournament between the 1966 - 67 season and the 1973-74 season, except the 1969-70, when the team made the playoffs in a very surprising fashion. And also twice have been threats to move the franchise twice to the city of Bayamon, without any success, thanks to the fans who avoided the move of the franchise and finally the franchise stayed in Mayagüez. To make matters worse, the Isidoro García baseball stadium was in such state of disrepair that it was literally unsafe for fans, players and field keepers.
The historic 1977-1978 team
The 1977-1978 team literally saved the franchise from bankruptcy and oblivion. Managed by Rene Lacheman, and provided with a powerful lineup that featured Ron LeFloreRon LeFlore
Ronald LeFlore is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played six seasons with the Detroit Tigers before being traded to the Montreal Expos, retiring as a Chicago White Sox in . He stole 455 bases in his career, and was an American League All-Star selection in 1976...
, Jim Dwyer, Kurt Bevacqua
Kurt Bevacqua
Kurt Bevacqua is a former Major League Baseball player. He was chosen in the 12th round of the 1967 draft by the Cincinnati Reds and debuted in the big leagues in 1971 with the Cleveland Indians, ultimately playing for six different teams during his career. His final appearance was in with the...
and José Manuel Morales in the 1-4 spots, the team barely made it to the playoffs, to consequently sweep the semi-final and final series. The final game for the series had Mayagüez beat the coincidentally named Bayamón Cowboys with a score of 18-2. The team eventually made it to Mazatlán, Mexico, where it won the 1978 Caribbean World Series.
This was a turning point in the team's history. Fan support gave the Indios' management team enough financial solvency to save the franchise. From winning only three championships in 40 years, the team went on to win 12 championships in the 28 years following the 1978 season. Collective fan protests demanded repairs to the baseball stadium from its owner, the then-named Parks and Leisure Administration of Puerto Rico (now called the Puerto Rico Department of Recreation and Sports), a government agency that still owns and controls the new stadium that has since replaced the old one. The stadium was remodeled soon after (1980).The Indios under Gomez ownership went on to win four more championships{83-84.85,86,87-88,88-89 } for a total of five during his tenure.
The Luis Iván Méndez era
In 1989 Gomez sold the team to Luis Iván Méndez, a former commentator for the team's radio broadcasts. This was a controversial move, since Méndez's extreme passion for the team was viewed with skepticism by some local fans, who considered him to be brash, arrogant, and motivated chiefly by money. As a broadcaster, Méndez had been a devil's advocateDevil's advocate
In common parlance, a devil's advocate is someone who, given a certain argument, takes a position he or she does not necessarily agree with, just for the sake of argument. In taking such position, the individual taking on the devil's advocate role seeks to engage others in an argumentative...
during the team's lean years, providing much necessary feedback to improve its lineup, but his comments were rather blunt at times, something that alienated team fans (he was even confrontational with a few of them). The fact that Méndez was the first non-native of the city to own the team (Méndez is a native of nearby San Sebastián, Puerto Rico
San Sebastián, Puerto Rico
San Sebastián is a municipality of Puerto Rico located northwest of the island south of Isabela and Quebradillas; north of Las Marías; east of Moca and Añasco; and west of Lares. San Sebastián is spread over twenty-four wards and San Sebastián Pueblo...
) did not help. Some fans even suspected Méndez of wanting to move the team to his hometown, which had a successful AA League franchise.
Objectively, though, Méndez not only attempted to raise fan support to a near-religious status, but was also responsible for five championships and three runner-up spots. He was responsible for establishing or endorsing many team rituals, changing the team's colors to burgundy and gold, and even demanding that the Indios wear their own uniform (and not wear one with the name "Puerto Rico") when going to the Caribbean World Series. Many fans decided to have a love-hate relationship with Méndez, praising his business smarts and baseball acumen while hating him personally.
The Daniel Aquino era
Méndez, who had grown tired of public criticism against him (and who faced a suspension from the LBPPR for assaulting a league peer), sold ownership of the team to Daniel Aquino, a native of the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
who had earned a Mechanical Engineering degree from the nearby University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez in Spanish , is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant state university located in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico...
. The fans' reaction to Aquino, who was once the owner of the Leones del Escogido
Leones del Escogido
Leones del Escogido are a professional baseball team in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Established in , Leones are the third most successful teams from the Dominican Winter League, behind Tigres del Licey and Aguilas Cibaeñas, having won 13 national championships and 3 Caribbean Series.Leones...
of the Dominican winter league, made the backlash against Méndez pale in comparison. Aquino had experienced considerable criticism in his home country for "watering down" the Leones' roster due to escalating payroll costs. Xenophobia
Xenophobia
Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange". It comes from the Greek words ξένος , meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος , meaning "fear."...
played a role in criticism against Aquino, who repeatedly countered by saying that he had strong personal ties to Puerto Rico and Mayagüez, and that after his experience with the Leones' he had realized that he would not jump into managing any other baseball team if he didn't have a personal take on the team's outcome.
However, Aquino has proved to be a successful owner, helped in part by the inclusion of yet another controversial (and very vocal) baseball executive, Carlos Pieve, to his management team (this time as general manager). Aquino's first year as owner had the Indios win a league championship (2003), only to have them end up last the following year (2004), and subsequently win yet another championship the next year (2005). The team lost the 2006 final series against the Gigantes de Carolina and lost again against the team in the semifinal round of the 2007 playoffs.
Puerto Rico Baseball League (PRBL)
On November 18, 2009, the Lobos defeated the Indios. After defeating the Indios on November 19, 2009, the Gigantes gained the league's lead for a brief period of time. On November 25, 2009, the Indios defeated the Leones to win their fourth game of the season.< name="wpEdittime"2011071419rimerahora.com/diario/noticia/beisbol/accion_deportiva/despiertan_los_indios/346692| title=Despiertan los Indios| publisher=Primera Hora| language=Spanish| date=2009-11-26| accessdate=2009-12-02}}
Mayagüez finished in fourth place in the regular season (2009–2010). They defeated the Lobos 4 games to 3 in the playoff to advance to their 30th championship series.
Indios de Mayagüez won their 16th championship (most in the PRBL) when they beat Criollos de Caguas 4 games to 1. Three games in this series went to extra innings.
Best known former MLB players
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
players who played with the Indios include Tommy Lasorda
Tommy Lasorda
Thomas Charles Lasorda is a former Major League baseball player and manager. marked his sixth decade in one capacity or another with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers organization, the longest non-continuous tenure anyone has had with the team, edging Dodger broadcaster Vin Scully...
, Ron LeFlore
Ron LeFlore
Ronald LeFlore is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played six seasons with the Detroit Tigers before being traded to the Montreal Expos, retiring as a Chicago White Sox in . He stole 455 bases in his career, and was an American League All-Star selection in 1976...
, Kurt Bevacqua
Kurt Bevacqua
Kurt Bevacqua is a former Major League Baseball player. He was chosen in the 12th round of the 1967 draft by the Cincinnati Reds and debuted in the big leagues in 1971 with the Cleveland Indians, ultimately playing for six different teams during his career. His final appearance was in with the...
, Bobby Bonilla, Lance Parrish, Paul O'Neill, Ken Caminiti
Ken Caminiti
Kenneth Gene Caminiti was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball and the 1996 National League Most Valuable Player. He was born in Hanford, California, and attended San Jose State University...
, Zack Greinke
Zack Greinke
Donald Zackary "Zack" Greinke is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers. Greinke won the American League Cy Young Award in 2009 with the Kansas City Royals.-High school & minor leagues:Greinke was born in Orlando, Florida...
, Doug Glanville
Doug Glanville
Douglas Metunwa Glanville is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and the Texas Rangers....
, Harold Reynolds
Harold Reynolds
Harold Craig Reynolds is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He played from 1983–1994, primarily for the Seattle Mariners.-High school:...
, Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, Dennis Martinez
Dennis Martínez
José Dennis Martínez Emilia , nicknamed "El Presidente" , is a former Major League Baseball pitcher...
, Roberto Hernandez and Wally Joyner
Wally Joyner
Wallace Keith "Wally" Joyner is a former first baseman and hitting coach in Major League Baseball. He played for four major league teams during a 16-year career, most notably for the California Angels, for whom he was an All-Star...
.
Local MLB stars who were also part of the Indios are Wil Cordero
Wil Cordero
Wilfredo Cordero Nieva is a former first baseman/outfielder in Major League Baseball. He was best known as a member of the Montreal Expos . Cordero made his Major League Baseball debut in 1992 and last played in...
and José Vidro
José Vidro
José Angel Vidro is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. Though he never officially retired, Vidro has not played since .-Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals:...
. Cordero was raised at the Cócora section of town, across the street from Isidoro García Baseball Stadium
Isidoro García Baseball Stadium
Isidoro García Baseball Stadium is a baseball stadium in Mayagüez, it is also known as "El Cholo García". It is located next to the new Mayaguez Athletics Stadium and across the street of the Parque del Litoral.-Old stadium:...
.
LBPPR Championships (team managers)
- 1948-1949: Artie WilsonArtie WilsonArthur Lee Wilson was a shortstop in Major League and Negro league baseball who was an all-star for the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro leagues before playing one season in the major leagues for the New York Giants...
- 1956-1957: Mickey OwenMickey OwenArnold Malcolm "Mickey" Owen was a catcher for St. Louis Cardinals in Major League Baseball. Between 1937 and 1954, Owen played for the St. Louis Cardinals , Brooklyn Dodgers , Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox...
- 1962-1963: Cal ErmerCal ErmerCalvin Coolidge Ermer was an American second baseman, manager, coach and scout in Major League Baseball. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II...
- 1965-1966: Wayne C. Blackburn
- 1977-1978: Rene LachemannRene LachemannRene George Lachemann is a former coach, catcher and manager in Major League Baseball. Lachemann served as the first manager in the history of the Florida Marlins and also skippered the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers...
- 1983-1984: Frank VerdiFrank VerdiFrank Michael Verdi was a Major League Baseball player in 1953 for the New York Yankees and a longtime manager at the minor league level. As a player, he batted and threw right-handed, stood 5'10½" tall and weighed 170 pounds...
- 1985-1986: Nick LeyvaPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
- 1987-1988: Jim RigglemanJim RigglemanJames David Riggleman is a former Major League Baseball manager and coach. Riggleman was an infielder and outfielder in the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals minor league systems from 1974–1981...
- 1988-1989: Tom GamboaTom GamboaThomas Harold "Tom" Gamboa is a coach in Major League Baseball.Gamboa was born in Los Angeles, California. He is best known as the Kansas City Royals first base coach who was attacked on the field by two fans, William Ligue Jr. and son, during a game against the Chicago White Sox on September 19,...
- 1991-1992: Pat KellyPat KellyPat Kelly may refer to:*Pat Kelly , Australian rules footballer*Pat Kelly , reggae singer*Pat Kelly , American right fielder in Major League Baseball...
- 1996-1997: Tom GamboaTom GamboaThomas Harold "Tom" Gamboa is a coach in Major League Baseball.Gamboa was born in Los Angeles, California. He is best known as the Kansas City Royals first base coach who was attacked on the field by two fans, William Ligue Jr. and son, during a game against the Chicago White Sox on September 19,...
- 1997-1998: Tom GamboaTom GamboaThomas Harold "Tom" Gamboa is a coach in Major League Baseball.Gamboa was born in Los Angeles, California. He is best known as the Kansas City Royals first base coach who was attacked on the field by two fans, William Ligue Jr. and son, during a game against the Chicago White Sox on September 19,...
- 1998-1999: Al NewmanAl NewmanAlbert Dwayne Newman is a former infielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Montreal Expos , Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers...
- 2002-2003: Nick LeyvaPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
- 2004-2005: "MakoShortfin mako sharkThe shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchus , is a large mackerel shark. Along with the closely related longfin mako it is commonly referred to as a "mako shark".-Etymology:...
" (Max) OliverasBinghamton MetsThe Binghamton Mets are a U.S. minor league baseball team based in Binghamton, New York. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club... - 2009-2010: "MakoShortfin mako sharkThe shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchus , is a large mackerel shark. Along with the closely related longfin mako it is commonly referred to as a "mako shark".-Etymology:...
" (Max) OliverasBinghamton MetsThe Binghamton Mets are a U.S. minor league baseball team based in Binghamton, New York. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club...
The Mayagüez All-Time All-Star Team
On December 2003 a panel of five local sport newscasters announced their picks for an all-time Indios de Mayagüez All-Time All Star Team. This selection considered candidates from Indios teams from the previous 65 years. Their selected team lists as follows:- Denny McLainDenny McLainDennis Dale "Denny" McLain is a former American professional baseball player, and the last major league pitcher to win 30 or more games during a season —a feat accomplished by only thirteen players in the 20th century....
, P (RH) - Dave McNallyDave McNallyDavid Arthur "Dave" McNally was a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher from until . He was signed by the Baltimore Orioles and played with them every season except for his final season with the Montreal Expos.McNally has the unique distinction as the only pitcher in Major League...
, P (LH) - Lance ParrishLance ParrishLance Michael Parrish, aka "Big Wheel", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers , Philadelphia Phillies , California Angels , Seattle Mariners , Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , and the Toronto Blue Jays...
, C - Brian JohnsonBrian Johnson (baseball player)Brian David Johnson is a retired Major League Baseball catcher and former quarterback for Stanford University.-Early life:...
, C - Wally JoynerWally JoynerWallace Keith "Wally" Joyner is a former first baseman and hitting coach in Major League Baseball. He played for four major league teams during a 16-year career, most notably for the California Angels, for whom he was an All-Star...
, 1B - Carlos Manuel SantiagoCarlos Manuel SantiagoCarlos Manuel Santiago was an infielder in Puerto Rico and the Negro Leagues, and a long-time scout and general manager.-Negro League Playing Career:...
, 2B - Artie WilsonArtie WilsonArthur Lee Wilson was a shortstop in Major League and Negro league baseball who was an all-star for the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro leagues before playing one season in the major leagues for the New York Giants...
, SS - Kurt BevacquaKurt BevacquaKurt Bevacqua is a former Major League Baseball player. He was chosen in the 12th round of the 1967 draft by the Cincinnati Reds and debuted in the big leagues in 1971 with the Cleveland Indians, ultimately playing for six different teams during his career. His final appearance was in with the...
, 3B - Wilmer FieldsWilmer FieldsWilmer Leon Fields was a pitcher and third baseman in baseball's Negro Leagues. Wilmer was often referred to as "Red" or Wilmer "The Great" Fields.Fields was born in Manassas, Virginia....
, 3B (sometimes P, 1B) - Jim DwyerJim Dwyer (baseball)James Edward Dwyer is a former outfielder who enjoyed an eighteen year major league career for seven different teams between and . Listed at 5' 10", 165 lb., he batted and threw left-handed.-MLB career:...
, LF - Jim Northrup, CF
- Luis A. "Canena" MárquezLuis A. MarquezLuis Ángel "Canena" Márquez Sánchez was a professional baseball player. He was the third Puerto Rican to play in Major League Baseball . Márquez played in a total of 68 games in the major leagues, split in two seasons between the Boston Braves, the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates...
, RF - Lucius "Luke" EasterLuke Easter (baseball player)Luscious Luke Easter was a professional baseball player in Major League Baseball and the Negro leagues. He batted left-handed, threw right-handed, was 6'4", and weighed 240 lb. The birth year listed here is drawn from census data...
, DB
Retired numbers
| Number | Name | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Humberto "Pita" Martí | Catcher |
| 13 | Ceferino "Cefo" Conde | Pitcher |
| 21 | Roberto Clemente Walker (retired from all LBPPR teams) | Right Fielder |
| 23 | Luis "Mambo" de León | Pitcher |
Los Indios de mi pueblo and posthumous homage
Ramón S. Olivencia, a long-time news anchorman for various Puerto Rican news radio stations, and who was born in Mayagüez, made a habit of mentioning "Los Indios de mi pueblo" ("My hometown's Indians") instead of reading the team's name, whenever he had to read baseball scores from the previous night on his broadcasts. The phrase stuck and it is still in common use, long after Olivencia's passing. It is usually the reference in use by native "mayagüezanos" when referring to the team.The Indios de Mayagüez were initially sponsored by the local Cervecería India, founded in 1938 by local businessman Alfonso Valdés Cobián
Alfonso Valdés Cobián
Alfonso Valdés Cobián , was an industrialist, banker, sportsman and politician. Valdés Cobián was a cofounder of Cervecería India, Inc., currently Puerto Rico's largest beer brewery.-Early years:...
. After Valdés' passing, the initials "AVC" were permanently added to the left sleeve of all team uniforms, in honor of the team's first owner.
¡Ahí vienen los Indios!, the unofficial team song
The unofficial team song for the Indios is ¡Ahí vienen los Indios!, a Dominican merengueMerengue music
Merengue is a type of music and dance from the Dominican Republic. It is popular in the Dominican Republic and all over Latin America. Its name is Spanish, taken from the name of the meringue, a dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar...
recorded by the 1975 lineup of the Billo's Caracas Boys orchestra, led by its longtime conductor, Billo Frómeta
Billo Frómeta
Billo Frómeta was a Dominican Republic orchestra conductor, arranger and composer who lived and worked most of his life in Venezuela, where he is remembered.- Early career :...
, and augmented by two former Billo's bandmates, Ernesto Chapuseaux and Francisco Simó Damirón, who had reunited with Frómeta for the occasion. The song is usually played as a game opener when the Indios assume their defensive positions in the field.
Other songs referring to the team
The city of Mayagüez has a formal anthem, "Mayagüez, Mi Mayagüez", written by local music professor Luciano Quiñones, but before the song was commissioned as such, the city's unofficial theme song was (and still is) Cesar ConcepciónCesar Concepcion
Cayetano César Concepción Martínez, , was a Puerto Rican musician and composer, who brought the music of his native land to Latin American ballroom dancing, and ballrooms all over the world...
's plena A Mayagüez, which references the team. The song suggests that the singer will visit the city to "vacilar con los Indios, que en verdad echan candela" ("have fun with the Indios, which are really on fire lately")."
Mon Rivera
Mon Rivera
Mon Rivera is the common name given to two distinct Puerto Rican musicians , namely Monserrate Rivera Alers and his oldest son, Efraín Rivera Castillo Mon Rivera is the common name given to two distinct Puerto Rican musicians (both born in Mayagüez), namely Monserrate Rivera Alers (originally...
, who was a successful shortstop with the Indios before becoming an even more successful bandleader, wrote a humorous song about an anecdote he experienced while he was related to the team. It makes mention of Humberto "Pita" Martí, one of the team's catchers. Martí was good enough as a catcher to deserve having his number eventually retired by the team. Apparently, though, his English language skills were not as good. Since the team featured major baseball players from the United States, interaction among players had to happen in English, Spanish, Spanglish
Spanglish
.Spanglish refers to the blend of Spanish and English, in the speech of people who speak parts of two languages, or whose normal language is different from that of the country where they live. The Hispanic population of the United States and the British population in Argentina use varieties of...
, sign language or a combination thereof. Apparently Martí was asked "how do you feel?" before a game, to which he replied: "yo no juego field, lo que juego es catcher de Mayagüez" ("I'm not a fielder, I play catcher for Mayagüez"). The joke persisted enough to deserve a song.
Indio de Mayagüez, the team's mascot
Since the late 1970s, and well into the early 2000s, the "Indio de Mayagüez" character has become an unofficial cheerleader of the team. The Indio is namely a costumed fan wearing a woolen poncho and feathered headdress who demands cheers from the audience for the local team and boos for the visitors. The Indio then finishes his session by placing a handkerchief (or a banner borrowed from a fan) on one side of the Indios dugout's roof, walking to the opposite side, and then running and sliding towards the handkerchief to pick it up head-first, as if he were stealing a baseStolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
.
At one time during the late 1990s, the cheerleader sled past the dugout's roof and landed on a nearby staircase, fracturing a leg and three ribs. After a long convalescence, the Indio returned to his usual chanting grounds on top of the stadium's first base dugout, calling for cheers wearing a cast and crutches. At times the Indio is allowed into the infield, runs the bases, and steals home plate.
Radio broadcasts
The Indios de Mayagüez radio broadcast crew has had one constant member during the last thirty-one years (as of 2010), radio announcer Arturo Soto Cardona. A native of nearby San Sebastián, Puerto RicoSan Sebastián, Puerto Rico
San Sebastián is a municipality of Puerto Rico located northwest of the island south of Isabela and Quebradillas; north of Las Marías; east of Moca and Añasco; and west of Lares. San Sebastián is spread over twenty-four wards and San Sebastián Pueblo...
, Soto's has been narrating Indios' games since 1977.
Fiercely territorial as some Indios fans are, a common practice for many of them is to turn the volume down on television broadcasts featuring the Indios, and turning a radio set on to the official Indios radio broadcast, which is aired on station WZNA (1040 kHz) and various other repeater stations along the western and southern coasts of the island. Soto's vocal inflections are so well recognized by fans that by just listening to his voice many can identify the difference between a pop-up fly and a hit before the ball actually lands.
A former member of the broadcast team, commercial spot coordinator David Castro had a reputation for having attended all Indios games home and abroad (except for one non-local game during the early 1960s) since the team's inception in 1938 until his retirement in 2005.