# 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

* Cardenales de Lara (1962-1963 – 1963-1964)
* Centauros de Maracaibo (1956-1957 – 1957-1958)
* Espadón BBC (1954-1955 – 1955-1956)
* Gavilanes BBC (1954-1955 – 1956-1957; 1958-1959 – 1959-1960)
* Maracaibo BBC (1960-1961)
* Lácteos de Pastora (1954-1955 – 1963-1964)
* Petroleros de Cabimas (1954-1955 – 1959-1960; 1962-1963)
* Rapiños de Occidente (1957-1958 – 1963-1964)

## Seasons and statistics

    Champion teams in bold

### 1954–1955

| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| Pastora | 20 | 13 | .606 | – | John Strezza |
| Cabimas | 19 | 14 | .576 | 1 | Clay Bryant |
| Espadón | 14 | 19 | .424 | 6 | Ralston Hunsley |
| Gavilanes | 13 | 20 | .394 | 7 | Fermín Guerra |
Batting and Pitching statistics :
| Batter | Team | Stat | Tot | Pitcher | Team | Stat | Tot |
| Jim Frey | PAS | Batting average | .370 | Bud Podbielan | PAS | Wins | 9 |
| John Malangone | ESP | Home runs | 7 | Barney Schultz | GAV | Strikeouts | 62 |
| Eddie Moore | CAB | Runs batted in | 27 | Kenneth Hommel | PAS | Earned run average | 0.90 |

### 1955–1956

| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| Gavilanes | 33 | 21 | .611 | – | Ernesto Aparicio |
| Cabimas | 32 | 22 | .593 | 1 | Clay Bryant |
| Pastora | 28 | 26 | .519 | 5 | Joe Schultz |
| Espadón | 15 | 39 | .278 | 18 | Ralston Hunsley |
Batting and Pitching statistics :
| Batter | Team | Stat | Tot | Pitcher | Team | Stat | Tot |
| Joe Altobelli | GAV | Batting average | .378 | Dave Hoskins Corky Valentine | GAV PAS | Wins | 11 |
| Don Demeter Russell Rac | CAB PAS | Home runs | 17 | Barney Schultz | GAV | Strikeouts | 62 |
| Russell Rac | PAS | Runs batted in | 52 | Eusebio Pérez | GAV | Earned run average | 2.09 |

### 1956–1957

    Note: Espadón did not return and was replaced by Centauros
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| Gavilanes | 31 | 26 | .544 | – | Donald Griffin |
| Pastora | 29 | 28 | .509 | 2 | Frank Baldwin |
| Centauros | 28 | 29 | .491 | 3 | Bob Wellman |
| Cabimas | 26 | 31 | .456 | 5 | Bill Cronin |
Batting and Pitching statistics :
| Batter | Team | Stat | Tot | Pitcher | Team | Stat | Tot |
| Guilford Dickens | GAV | Batting average | .344 | Dave Hoskins | GAV | Wins | 14 |
| Bob Wellman | CEN | Home runs | 13 | Barney Schultz | GAV | Strikeouts | 62 |
| Bob Wellman | CEN | Runs batted in | 45 | Dave Hoskins | GAV | Earned run average | 1.68 |

### 1957–1958

    Note: Rapiños replaced Gavilanes
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| Rapiños | 30 | 13 | .698 | – | Ira Hutchinson |
| Pastora | 21 | 21 | .500 | 9½ | Johnny Temple |
| Cabimas | 19 | 23 | .452 | 10½ | Bill Cronin |
| Centauros | 14 | 29 | .326 | 16 | Bob Wellman |
Batting and Pitching statistics :
| Batter | Team | Stat | Tot | Pitcher | Team | Stat | Tot |
| Paul Smith | PAS | Batting average | .368 | Robert Smith | PAS | Wins | 9 |
| Billy Queen | CEN | Home runs | 15 | Tom Flanigan | RAP | Strikeouts | 104 |
| Jim Greengrass | PAS | Runs batted in | 35 | Barry Latman | RAP | Earned run average | 1.40 |

### 1958–1959

    Note: Gavilanes returned as a replacement for Centauros
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| Rapiños | 28 | 25 | .528 | – | Les Moss |
| Pastora | 27 | 26 | .509 | 1 | Duane Pillette |
| Gavilanes | 26 | 26 | .500 | 1½ | Red Kress |
| Cabimas | 21 | 30 | .412 | 6 | Pete Reiser |
Batting and Pitching statistics :
| Batter | Team | Stat | Tot | Pitcher | Team | Stat | Tot |
| Sammy Miley | PAS | Batting average | ..357 | Dave Hoskins | RAP | Wins | 12 |
| Billy Queen | GAV | Home runs | 11 | Larry Sherry | CAB | Strikeouts | 138 |
| Billy Queen | GAV | Runs batted in | 40 | Dave Hoskins | RAP | Earned run average | 2.27 |

### 1959–1960

    Classified teams in bold
| Regular season standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| Rapiños | 18 | 13 | .581 | – | Les Moss |
| Gavilanes | 14 | 17 | .452 | 4 | Jim Fanning |
| Pastora | 14 | 17 | .452 | 4 | Leslie Peden |
| Cabimas | 13 | 18 | .419 | 5 | Bill Harris |
Postseason :
| First round Best of twelve series | W | L | PCT | GB | Second round Best of seven series | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 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 :
| Batter | Team | Stat | Tot | Pitcher | Team | Stat | Tot |
| Al Grunwald | PAS | Batting average | .336 | Ted Bowsfield | RAP | Wins | 14 |
| Norman Cash | RAP | Home runs | 14 | Ed Hobaugh | RAP | Strikeouts | 135 |
| Norman Cash | RAP | Runs batted in | 38 | Bill Harris | CAB | Earned run average | 2.27 |

### 1960–1961

    Notes:
    Cabimas and Gavilanes did not return
    The new Maracaibo club folded during the midseason
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| Rapiños | 30 | 25 | .545 | – | Les Moss |
| Pastora | 26 | 30 | .464 | 4½ | Joe Schultz |
| Maracaibo | 8 | 16 | .333 | n/a | Preston Gómez |
Batting and Pitching statistics :
| Batter | Team | Stat | Tot | Pitcher | Team | Stat | Tot |
| Camilo Carreon | PAS | Batting average | .303 | Don Rudolph | PAS | Wins | 12 |
| Harry Watts | PAS | Home runs | 12 | Ed Rakow | MCB RAP | Strikeouts | 185 |
| Harry Watts | PAS | Runs batted in | 37 | Ed Rakow | MCB 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 | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| Rapiños | 21 | 12 | .636 | – | Les Moss |
| Cardenales | 16 | 15 | .516 | 4 | Earl Weaver Joe Schultz |
| Pastora | 15 | 18 | .484 | 6 | Frank Lucchesi |
| Cabimas | 12 | 18 | .387 | 8 | Johnny Werhas |
Postseason :
| Best of 16 series | W | L | PCT | GB |
| Rapiños | 12 | 4 | .750 | – |
| Cardenales | 9 | 7 | .563 | 3 |
| Pastora | 2 | 14 | .125 | 10 |
Batting and Pitching statistics :
| Batter | Team | Stat | Tot | Pitcher | Team | Stat | Tot |
| Deacon Jones | RAP | Batting average | .420 | Fritz Ackley | RAP | Wins | 11 |
| Deacon Jones | RAP | Home runs | 15 | Bill Phillips | RAP | Strikeouts | 152 |
| Deacon Jones | RAP | Runs batted in | 49 | Fritz Ackley | RAP | Earned run average | 2.47 |

### 1963–1964

| Shortened season standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| Cardenales | 14 | 3 | .824 | n/a | Rodolfo Fernández |
| Pastora | 8 | 9 | .471 | n/a | Jimmy Brown |
| Cabimas | 7 | 10 | .411 | n/a | Dalmiro Finol |
| Rapiños | 6 | 13 | .316 | n/a | Antonio Briñez |
Batting and Pitching statistics :
| Batter | Team | Stat | Tot | Pitcher | Team | Stat | Tot |
| Danny Morejón | CAR | Batting average | .391 | Luis Tiant | CAR | Wins | 6 |
| Héctor Cárdenas Bob Taylor | CAR PAS | Home runs | 3 | Luis Tiant | CAR | Strikeouts | 81 |
| Danny Morejón | CAR | Runs batted in | 18 | Luis Tiant | CAR | Earned 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