Venezuelan Professional Baseball League

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Poster

Established
1945 (80 years old)

First Recorded Event
2012-10-12

Current Season
2024-2025

Current Round

Sport
Sport Icon

Baseball

Location
Venezuela

Gender
Male

TV Rights

Logo

Upcoming
None...
Results
26 Jan	Cardenale	9 - 0	Bravos de
24 Jan	Bravos de	9 - 12	Cardenale
23 Jan	Bravos de	2 - 8	Cardenale
22 Jan	Bravos de	2 - 9	Cardenale
20 Jan	Cardenale	4 - 12	Bravos de
19 Jan	Cardenale	2 - 4	Bravos de
17 Jan	Águilas	6 - 4	Cardenale
17 Jan	Navegante	4 - 16	Tigres de
16 Jan	Águilas	1 - 7	Cardenale
16 Jan	Tigres de	4 - 13	Bravos de

Description

The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League or Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (LVBP) is the professional baseball league in Venezuela. The league's champion takes part in the Caribbean Series each year.

History
Early years
Baseball exploded in Venezuela in 1941, following the world championship in Havana. By then, the appearance of professional baseball in Venezuela attracted many ball players from the Caribbean and the United States to the country, showing a more integrated sport there than it was in the United States. This is evidenced in the hiring of stellar players like Ramón Bragaña, Martín Dihigo, Oscar Estrada, Cocaina Garcia, Bertrum Hunter, Roy Campanella, Sam Jethroe, Satchel Paige, and Roy Welmaker.

On December 27, 1945, the owners of Cervecería Caracas (Caracas Brewery), Sabios de Vargas (Vargas Wisemen), Navegantes del Magallanes (Magellan Navigators), and Patriotas de Venezuela (Venezuelan Patriots) created the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. The league was formally registered as an institution during January 1946, and in the same month organized its first tournament, starting on January 3, 1946.

Sabios de Vargas, led by Daniel 'Chino' Canónico, became the first champion, with a record of 18 wins and 12 losses.

During the first tournaments, games were played on Thursdays and Saturdays on the afternoons, and Sundays in the morning. This was the norm until Cervecería Caracas' park — located in the San Agustín del Norte zone of Caracas — was fitted with electric lights, enabling its use during night games. Thus, a game was added on Tuesday nights.

Eventually, the tournament was changed to accommodate two rounds, with the top team of each round having a best-of-5 play-off to determine the champion.

Seasons