Inter-American League
Encyclopedia
The Inter-American League was a high-level circuit in minor league baseball
that played only three months before folding during the 1979 season
. Conceived as an official Class AAA minor league and member of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues and composed of six clubs unaffiliated with Major League Baseball
farm systems, the Inter-American loop was headed by the respected Roberto Maduro, former owner of the AAA Havana Sugar Kings
and a longtime scout and front-office executive active in Latin American and Major League Baseball.
The six teams were located in the United States
, Panama
, Puerto Rico
, the Dominican Republic
and Venezuela
. They were the Caracas Metropolitanos, Panama Banqueros, Puerto Rico Boricuas, Petroleros de Zulia (based in Maracaibo
, Venezuela
), Miami Amigos and Santo Domingo Azucareros.
On June 17, 1979, the Panama and Puerto Rico teams disbanded, leaving the league with only four clubs. Thirteen days later, the entire league folded. The Miami Amigos, led by future Major League manager Davey Johnson
, were in first place with a 51-21 mark (.708) when the league shut down.
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
that played only three months before folding during the 1979 season
1979 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Baltimore Orioles ; Willie Stargell, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: None.*National League Championship Series MVP: Willie Stargell...
. Conceived as an official Class AAA minor league and member of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues and composed of six clubs unaffiliated with Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
farm systems, the Inter-American loop was headed by the respected Roberto Maduro, former owner of the AAA Havana Sugar Kings
Havana Sugar Kings
The Havana Sugar Kings were a Cuban-based minor league baseball team that played in the Class AAA International League from 1954 to 1960 . They were affiliated with Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds, and their home stadium was El Gran Estadio del Cerro in Havana, Cuba.-History:The Sugar...
and a longtime scout and front-office executive active in Latin American and Major League Baseball.
The six teams were located in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. They were the Caracas Metropolitanos, Panama Banqueros, Puerto Rico Boricuas, Petroleros de Zulia (based in Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
), Miami Amigos and Santo Domingo Azucareros.
On June 17, 1979, the Panama and Puerto Rico teams disbanded, leaving the league with only four clubs. Thirteen days later, the entire league folded. The Miami Amigos, led by future Major League manager Davey Johnson
Davey Johnson
David Allen "Davey" Johnson is an American Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Washington Nationals. He was the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles when they won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1965 and 1972...
, were in first place with a 51-21 mark (.708) when the league shut down.