Leones de Ponce (baseball)
Encyclopedia
This article is about the Ponce baseball team. For the basketball team of the same name, see Ponce Lions (basketball)
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The Leones de Ponce are a baseball team in the Puerto Rico Baseball League. The organization is based in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico
. The team plays at the Francisco Montaner Stadium
. Contrary to popular belief, the name Leones comes from their team owner being photographed with a whip as if tamming lions.
, son of Tony Pérez
, to coach the team during the season. The Leones were the first team to surpass twenty victories during the regular season, eventually concluding in the first place. For his team’s performance, Eduardo Pérez won the award for "Manager of the Year", while Jorge Padilla was selected the league's Most Valuable Player.
After concluding the first two stages of the playoffs undefeated, the Leones were joined by the Lobos de Arecibo
in the final bracket. In the final series, the team won the first game, before losing the second in Arecibo. The Leones then won three consecutive games, including the decisive contest before 15,000 fans in Ponce. With this streak, the team finished with a 12-1 record in the final month of action, including the latter part of the regular season. With this victory, Eduardo Pérez became the first son of a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer to win a championship in a professional baseball league. After beginning the 2009-10 season with three consecutive losses, the Leones defeated the Criollos to win their first game. On November 20, 2009, the Gigantes defeated the team, scoring 17 hits. On November 25, 2009, the Indios defeated the Leones to win their fourth game of the season. In their next game, the Leones defeated Carolina. On November 28, 2009, the Leones defeated the Gigantes del Cibao
in inter-league action. On November 30, 2009, Ramón Martínez began practicing with the Leones, marking his return to the league since 2001-02.
, gathering a 5-1 record.
Ponce Lions (basketball)
The Leones de Ponce are a BSN basketball team based in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The Lions are one of the BSN's most successful franchises, having won a total of twelve championships...
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The Leones de Ponce are a baseball team in the Puerto Rico Baseball League. The organization is based in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
. The team plays at the Francisco Montaner Stadium
Francisco Montaner Stadium
The Estadio Francisco Montaner is a multi-use stadium in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is home to the Leones de Ponce team of the Puerto Rico Baseball League and FC Leones of the Puerto Rico Soccer League . The stadium has a capacity of 16,000 seats...
. Contrary to popular belief, the name Leones comes from their team owner being photographed with a whip as if tamming lions.
Liga de Béisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico
As of 2009, the Leones won 11 LBPPR championships, including four straight from 1942-1945.Puerto Rico Baseball League
After the suspension of the 2007 season, the Liga de Béisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico reestablished itself, while doing several changes to its format. Due to this, the league was renamed to Puerto Rico Baseball League. The Leones chose Eduardo PérezEduardo Perez
Eduardo Atanasio Pérez, a Cuban-American is a former Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball player. He is currently the hitting coach of the Miami Marlins. He batted and threw right-handed and joined the league in after playing college baseball under head coach Mike Martin for the...
, son of Tony Pérez
Tony Pérez
Atanasio Pérez Rigal , more commonly known as Tony Pérez, is a former Major League Baseball player. He was also known by the nickname "Big Dog," "Big Doggie," and "Doggie."...
, to coach the team during the season. The Leones were the first team to surpass twenty victories during the regular season, eventually concluding in the first place. For his team’s performance, Eduardo Pérez won the award for "Manager of the Year", while Jorge Padilla was selected the league's Most Valuable Player.
After concluding the first two stages of the playoffs undefeated, the Leones were joined by the Lobos de Arecibo
Lobos de Arecibo
Lobos de Arecibo are a professional baseball team in the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League, based in Arecibo. The Lobos won the 1983 national baseball championship and the 1983 Caribbean World Series, the only time the franchise won both titles....
in the final bracket. In the final series, the team won the first game, before losing the second in Arecibo. The Leones then won three consecutive games, including the decisive contest before 15,000 fans in Ponce. With this streak, the team finished with a 12-1 record in the final month of action, including the latter part of the regular season. With this victory, Eduardo Pérez became the first son of a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer to win a championship in a professional baseball league. After beginning the 2009-10 season with three consecutive losses, the Leones defeated the Criollos to win their first game. On November 20, 2009, the Gigantes defeated the team, scoring 17 hits. On November 25, 2009, the Indios defeated the Leones to win their fourth game of the season. In their next game, the Leones defeated Carolina. On November 28, 2009, the Leones defeated the Gigantes del Cibao
Gigantes del Cibao
The Gigantes del Cibao are a baseball team that plays in the Dominican Winter League. The Gigantes have produced a number of successful major league ballplayers, including Albert Pujols and José Reyes....
in inter-league action. On November 30, 2009, Ramón Martínez began practicing with the Leones, marking his return to the league since 2001-02.
Caribbean Series
In 1972, the Leones won their first Caribbean Series championship at Santo DomingoSanto Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
, gathering a 5-1 record.