The Alijadores de Tampico (Tampico Lightermen) were a professional baseball club based in Tampico, Tamaulipas that played in the Mexican League between the 1940s and 1980s.
History The Alijadores de Tampico were established in 1937 and joined the Mexican League. The team won titles in 1945 and 1946. However, they were not very profitable and did not play from 1949 through 1970.
Between 1968 and 1970, a new stadium was built in Tampico, financed by Nicolás Canavati, a businessman from Monterrey: the Parque Alijadores. In 1971 the league expanded from 10 to 12 teams, reinstating the franchise, that played as the Estibadores de Tampico (Tampico Stevedores) during two seasons. Starting 1973, the team returned to its former name and won the championship title in 1975.
After the 1979 season, Tampico was once again removed from the league, with the franchise moving to Toluca, becoming the Osos Negros de Toluca. The franchise once again returned in 1983 and was renamed the Astros de Tampico for that season, playing again as the Alijadores in 1984. Since then, no other team based in Tampico has participated in Mexican professional baseball.
Notable players 21 All-time Mexican League great Héctor Espino helped win a Mexican League championship for the Alijadores de Tampico in 1975.
Year-by-year record YearRecordFinishManagerPostseasonNotes 1940 46–41 4th Guillermo Ornelas — 1941 52–49 3rd Guillermo Ornelas — 1942 44–40 3rd Manuel Arroyo — 1943 41–48 4th Willie Wells / Santos Amaro — 1944 40–47 5th Porfirio Martínez / Manuel Arroyo — 1945 52–38 1st Armando Marsans — 1946 56–41 1st Armando Marsans — 1947 53–65 4th Armando Marsans / Santos Amaro — 1948 34–33 3rd Chile Gómez — Folded in mid-season 1971 79–65 6th Miguel Sotelo 1972 86–51 2nd Pedro González 1973 74–56 5th Pedro González Lost in Semifinals(Saraperos) 3–2 1974 66–71 8th Pancho Herrera Lost in Quarterfinals(Unión Laguna) 4–1 1975 73–62 6th Benny Valenzuela Won Serie del Rey(Córdoba) 4–1 1976 66–68 8th Benny Valenzuela / Ronnie Camacho 1977 57–97 15th Clemente Carreras / Benny Valenzuela 1978 76–78 8th Benny Valenzuela Lost in Quarterfinals(Saltillo) 4–2 1979 79–75 15th Félipe Leal / Carlos Trevino 1983 57–55 7th Felipe Hernandez / Roberto Casellon 1984 54–56 10th Gregorio Luque 1985 66–64 9th Gregorio Luque Lost in Quarterfinals(Aguascalientes) 4–0
References