Museo Francisco Pancho Coimbre
Encyclopedia
The Museo Francisco "Pancho" Coímbre (English: Francisco "Pancho" Coímbre Museum) is a sports museum in Ponce, Puerto Rico
.
, who is considered "the most feared and productive Puerto Rican baseball batter of all times." It is considered Ponce's sports hall of fame. The museum is located on Lolita Tizol
street, next to various other attractions, including the old Spanish military barracks
.
One January 12, 2010, a new track and field gallery was inaugurated in memory of Juan (Papo) Franceschi, one of many heroes from the San Antón barrio
.
The museum portraits figures such as Willy Mays and Richard Nixon
. Some of the names in the museum might be not be instantly recognized. Names such as Francisco “Pancho” Coimbre, Rafael “Rafaelito” Ortíz
, or Emilio "Millito" Navarro
-- as they never played in the Major Leagues. However, they did serve as as the source of inspiration for easily recognized figures such as Roberto Clemente
. Pancho Coimbre Museum has some great information about not only Puerto Rican sports history, but also features fascinating information about early women sport stars and racially divided baseball leagues.
The museum is a one-room museum honoring ponceño athletes in all sports. Among the interesting pieces of memorabilia is a uniform from Ponce’s short-lived women’s baseball team and a baseball bat that was the only object to survive the house fire that killed Coimbre.
"Coimbre began his career as an eager seventeen year old in 1926 and had landed a place in the New York Cubans. By the time he retired from professional baseball in 1951, he was the darling of every local in Ponce and they opened their hearts and gave support to the magnificent sportsman. He remained in the sports industry, and in Ponce, until his tragic death in 1989 when his home burnt to the ground."
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
.
History
The Francisco Pancho Coimbre Sports Museum was inaugurated on January 21, 1992. It was named after Ponce's own baseball great Pancho CoímbreFrancisco Coimbre
Francisco "Pancho" Coimbre Atiles , more commonly known as Pancho Coimbre, was a Puerto Rican professional baseball player. He was born in the municipality of Coamo and moved to Ponce early in his life. It was in Ponce where he would begin to actively participate in sports, both in sprinting and...
, who is considered "the most feared and productive Puerto Rican baseball batter of all times." It is considered Ponce's sports hall of fame. The museum is located on Lolita Tizol
Lolita Tizol
Lolita Tizol was a Puerto Rican educator.Tizol was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico on June 19, 1890. She spent her live educating children at a time when most people in Ponce, as most of Puerto Rico, did not know how to read and write, and when teachers were paid only $50USD per month, even in the large...
street, next to various other attractions, including the old Spanish military barracks
Antiguo Cuartel Militar Español de Ponce
The Antiguo Cuartel Militar Español de Ponce or "El Castillo" is the only structure directly related to the events of the land defense of Puerto Rico during the 1898 American invasion of the Island...
.
One January 12, 2010, a new track and field gallery was inaugurated in memory of Juan (Papo) Franceschi, one of many heroes from the San Antón barrio
San Antón
San Antón is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Canas Urbano, Machuelo Abajo, Magueyes Urbano, and Portugués Urbano, San Antón is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce. It is...
.
Features
The museum houses a collection of photographs, documents and memorabilia regarding the early days of baseball in Puerto Rico, "back when professional players won only $5 per game and played the game during daylight hours only."The museum portraits figures such as Willy Mays and Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
. Some of the names in the museum might be not be instantly recognized. Names such as Francisco “Pancho” Coimbre, Rafael “Rafaelito” Ortíz
Raphel Ortiz Huertas
Raphel "Mime" Ortiz is a Puerto Rican professional soccer player. He is currently playing with Bayamon FC of the Puerto Rico Soccer League. He also plays for the Puerto Rico national team....
, or Emilio "Millito" Navarro
Emilio Navarro
Emilio "Millito" Navarro was the first Puerto Rican to play baseball in the Negro Leagues. At age 105, Navarro was also the oldest living professional baseball player to have played in the Negro Leagues.-Biography:...
-- as they never played in the Major Leagues. However, they did serve as as the source of inspiration for easily recognized figures such as Roberto Clemente
Roberto Clemente
Roberto Clemente Walker was a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball right fielder. He was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the youngest of seven children. Clemente played his entire 18-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates . He was awarded the National League's Most Valuable Player Award in...
. Pancho Coimbre Museum has some great information about not only Puerto Rican sports history, but also features fascinating information about early women sport stars and racially divided baseball leagues.
The museum is a one-room museum honoring ponceño athletes in all sports. Among the interesting pieces of memorabilia is a uniform from Ponce’s short-lived women’s baseball team and a baseball bat that was the only object to survive the house fire that killed Coimbre.
Significance
The respect for Coimbre's natural talent, his ability to dominate the field with speed and strength and for bringing confidence and pride home to other Puerto Ricans and aspiring baseball players is evident in the museum."Coimbre began his career as an eager seventeen year old in 1926 and had landed a place in the New York Cubans. By the time he retired from professional baseball in 1951, he was the darling of every local in Ponce and they opened their hearts and gave support to the magnificent sportsman. He remained in the sports industry, and in Ponce, until his tragic death in 1989 when his home burnt to the ground."