ThePatriotas de Venezuela baseball club was a founding member of theVenezuelan Professional Baseball League in its inaugural season of1946.
The Patriotas, based inCaracas, played its home games at the now-extinct Estadio Cerveza Caracas, while appearing in nine seasons spanning 1946–1955. The team was also nicknamed theCriollos for a while.
The VPBL opening game was realized on January 12, 1946. Besides Venezuela, the circuit included theCervecería Caracas,Navegantes del Magallanes, andSabios de Vargas teams.
The Patriotas were owned and established byJuan Antonio Yanes, one of the early pioneers of professional baseball in the country, who alsomanaged his team in parts of two seasons. In addition, bothPaul Richards,Eddie Popowski andJunior Thompson will manage the team at some point.
Venezuela did not have a particularly good record with 162 wins and 228 losses during its stint in the league, and never had a winning season or made the playoffs. Nevertheless, it was a team that never lacked spirit, determination and hustle, gamely battling against their strongest rivals down to the final of each game.
The Patriotas were out during the 1953-54 season due to economic issues. They reappeared in 1954-55, but folded at the end of the season. Following a change of ownership, the new owners renamed the franchise as theLicoreros de Pampero starting the 1955-56 season.
| Season | Record | Finish | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 15-16 | 3rd (Lost 2nd place tie-breaker) | Juan Antonio Yanes Tom Glover |
| 1946-47 | 7-11(1st half) 5-13(2nd half) | 4th 4th | Juan Antonio Yanes |
| 1947-48 | 13-26 | 4th | León Díaz |
| 1948-49 | 14-17 | 3rd | León Díaz |
| 1949-50 | 17-28 | 3rd | Alberto Hidalgo |
| 1950-51 | 19-34 | 4th | Alberto Hidalgo Rogelio López |
| 1951-52 | 23-34 | 3rd | Junior Thompson |
| 1952-53 | 26-31 | 3rd | Reinaldo Cordeiro |
| 1954-55 | 23-28 | 3rd | Paul Richards Eddie Popowski |