Mexican Central League
| Classification | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Baseball |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Ceased | 1978 |
| Country | Mexico |
The Mexican Central League was a Minor League Baseball circuit that operated for 19 seasons, from 1960 through 1978, with several clubs based across Mexico, primarily in the Northern Mexico, Bajío and Huasteca regions.
History
The Mexican Central League was formed in 1960 at the Class D level.[1]: 508 It was placed in Class C in 1961,[1]: 512 where it remained through the 1962 season.[1]: 515 Upon the reorganization of Minor League Baseball in 1963, it was reclassified as Class A.[1]: 522 In 1979, the circuit was absorbed into the expanded Mexican Baseball League (Liga Mexicana de Beisbol). This expansion elevated the Mexican Central League teams to Triple-A, with the newly expanded Mexican Baseball League featuring a 20-team circuit with four divisions.
Cities represented/Teams
- Acámbaro, Guanajuato
- Acámbaro (1975–1976)
- Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes
- Tigres de Aguascalientes (1960–1963; 1965; 1969–1974)
- Broncos de Aguascalientes (1966–1967)
- Arandas, Jalisco
- Arandas (1977)
- Jalisco (1977)
- Celaya, Guanajuato
- Cajeteros de Celaya (1960–1961; 1975)
- Cerro Azul, Veracruz
- Cerro Azul (1978)
- Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas
- Bravos de Ciudad Madero (1968–1970)
- Ciudad Mante, Tamaulipas
- Broncos de Ciudad Mante (1969–1970)
- Cañeros de Ciudad Mante (1971)
- Azucareros de Ciudad Mante (1973–1974)
- Ciudad Mante (1977)
- Ciudad Miguel Alemán, Tamaulipas
- Miguel Alemán (1978)
- Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí
- Ciudad Valles (1974, 1978)
- Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas
- Henequeneros de Ciudad Victoria (1971; 1973-1974)
- Ciudad Victoria (1976 –1978)
- Cortazar, Guanajuato
- Cortazar (1975)
- Durango, Durango
- Alacranes de Durango (1965–1967; 1973–1974)
- Algodoneros de Durango (1972)
- Ebano, San Luis Potosí
- Rojos de Ebano (1971–1974)
- Ebano (1977)
- Fresnillo, Zacatecas
- Rojos de Fresnillo (1962)
- Charros de Fresnillo (1964)
- Mineros de Fresnillo (1965–1968; 1976–1978)
- Guadalajara, Jalisco
- Charros de Guadalajara (1977–1978)
- Guanajuato, Guanajuato
- Tuzos de Guanajuato (1960–1967; 1975–1976; 1978)
- Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, Tamaulipas
- Díaz Ordaz (1978)
- La Barca, Jalisco
- La Barca (1978)
- Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco
- Lagos de Moreno Caporales (1975–1977)
- León, Guanajuato
- Diablos Rojos de León (1960)
- Aguilas de León (1961)
- Diablos Verdes de León (1962–1963; 1965-1966)
- Broncos de León (1964)
- Bravos de León (1967; 1971; 1975)
- Aguiluchos de León (1968–1970)
- Matamoros, Tamaulipas
- Matamoros (1978)
- Monterrey, Nuevo León
- Indios de Monterrey (1970–1971)
- Sultanes de Monterrey (1972)
- Morelia, Michoacán
- Tigres de Morelia (1966)
- Naranjos, Veracruz
- Naranjos (1972–1973)
- Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas
- Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo (1968)
- Parras de la Fuente, Coahuila
- Saraperos de Parras (1974)
- Salamanca, Guanajuato
- Petroleros de Salamanca (1960–1962; 1975)
- Tigres de Salamanca (1964–1965)
- Saltillo, Coahuila
- Sultanes de Saltillo (1964)
- Saraperos de Saltillo (1967–1969)
- San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí
- Tuneros de San Luis Potosí (1960–1962)
- Indios de San Luis Potosí (1963)
- Rojos de San Luis Potosí (1963–1966)
- Charros de San Luis Potosí (1969–1970)
- Tuneros de San Luis Potosí (1971)
- San Pedro, Coahuila
- Algodoneros de San Pedro (1974)
- Silao, Guanajuato
- Catarinos de Silao (1978)
- Tampico, Tamaulipas
- Piratas de Tampico (1967–1969)
- Algodoneros de Tampico (1970)
- Tamuín, San Luis Potosí
- Tamuin Cafeteritos (1973)
- Teocaltiche, Jalisco
- Teocaltiche (1977–1978)
- Torreón, Coahuila
- Algodoneros de Torreón (1968)
- Uriangato, Guanajuato
- Uriangato (1975)
- Zacatecas, Zacatecas
- Pericos de Zacatecas (1965–1967)
- Petroleros de Zacatecas (1968–1970)
- Tuzos de Zacatecas (1971–1973; 1976–1978)
Winners
The following is a list of winners of the Mexican Central League.[2]
| Team | Winners | Runners-up | Winning seasons | Runners-up seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tigres de Aguascalientes | 2 | 2 | 1961, 1972 | 1962, 1963 |
| Tuzos de Guanajuato | 2 | 2 | 1963, 1966 | 1964, 1976 |
| Rojos de Ébano | 1 | 2 | 1971 | 1972, 1973 |
| Rojos de San Luis Potosí | 1 | 1 | 1965 | 1966 |
| Saraperos de Saltillo | 1 | 1 | 1968 | 1967 |
| Bravos de Ciudad Madero | 1 | 1 | 1970 | 1968 |
| Petroleros de Salamanca | 1 | 0 | 1960 | – |
| Rojos de Fresnillo | 1 | 0 | 1962 | – |
| Broncos de León | 1 | 0 | 1964 | – |
| Bravos de León | 1 | 0 | 1967 | – |
| Charros de San Luis Potosí | 1 | 0 | 1969 | – |
| Tuzos de Zacatecas | 1 | 0 | 1973 | – |
| Alacranes de Durango | 1 | 0 | 1974 | – |
| Uriangato | 1 | 0 | 1975 | – |
| Caporales de Lagos de Moreno | 1 | 0 | 1976 | – |
| Teocaltiche | 1 | 0 | 1977 | – |
| La Barca | 1 | 0 | 1978 | – |
| Cajeteros de Celaya | 0 | 2 | – | 1960, 1961 |
| Diablos Verdes de León | 0 | 1 | – | 1965 |
| Petroleros de Zacatecas | 0 | 1 | – | 1969 |
| Algodoneros de Tampico | 0 | 1 | – | 1970 |
| Tuneros de San Luis Potosí | 0 | 1 | – | 1971 |
| Valles de Ciudad Valles | 0 | 1 | – | 1974 |
| Cortázar | 0 | 1 | – | 1975 |
| Ciudad Victoria | 0 | 1 | – | 1977 |
| Matamoros | 0 | 1 | – | 1978 |
Notable players
- 21 Héctor Espino – Began his career in 1960 with the Tuneros de San Luis Potosí
- 34 Fernando Valenzuela – Began his career in 1978 with the Tuzos de Guanajuato
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles (2007). Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 9781932391176.
- ^ Sumner, Benjamin Barrett (2000). Minor League Baseball Standings All North American Leagues, Through 1999. McFarland & Company. p. 377–379. ISBN 0786407816. Retrieved 2 March 2026.