Liga Occidental de Béisbol Profesional


The Liga Occidental de Béisbol Profesional 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, 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

1954–1955

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

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

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Gavilanes3126.544 –Donald Griffin
Pastora2928.509 2Frank Baldwin
Centauros2829.491 3Bob Wellman
Cabimas2631.456 5Bill Cronin

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

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Rapiños3013.698 –Ira Hutchinson
Pastora2121.500 9½Johnny Temple
Cabimas1923.45210½Bill Cronin
Centauros1429.326 16Bob Wellman

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

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Rapiños2825.528 –Les Moss
Pastora2726.509 1Duane Pillette
Gavilanes2626.5001½Red Kress
Cabimas2130.412 6Pete Reiser

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

Regular season
standings		WLPCTGBManagers
Rapiños1813.581 – Les Moss
Gavilanes1417.452 4 Jim Fanning
Pastora1417.452 4 Leslie Peden
Cabimas1318.419 5 Bill Harris

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

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Rapiños3025.545 –Les Moss
Pastora2630.464 4½ Joe Schultz
Maracaibo 816.333 n/aPreston Gómez

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

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

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

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