The story of this popular baseball team began 62 years ago with their debut in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol, thanks to businessmen Álvaro Ponce Vidiella and Humberto Abimerhi Abimerhi. Their first game was against the Tecolotes of Nuevo Laredo, and the Leones won 8-0. In 1957 they won their first title with their record of 68-52. It didn’t happen again until 27 years later, at the end of the agonizing season of 1984; you can imagine how the team and their fans celebrated that year!
Another 22 years went by before they won their third championship, in 2006, when they defeated the Sultanes de Monterrey in five games. After various changes in ownership over the years, in 2014 the team franchise was bought by Juan José and Erick Arellano Hernández, who have committed to revitalizing the team and making them more competitive than ever.
The 2016 season got under way on April 1 and runs until August 12; the playoffs are during the last two weeks of August.
In the words of Julia Kalmon, a local fan: “This league is on the same level of play as American Triple A. We have also witnessed a perfect game, a rarity in any league, pitched by our own Oscar Rivera. Los Leones play at Parque Kukulcán Alamo Stadium on the southeast side of Mérida, an easy taxi ride from Centro. Tickets prices are reasonable and vary depending on where you want to sit. Butaca Alta is on the second tier and usually has a wonderful evening breeze. Kukulcán stadium will offer a true regional experience with local food, local people, and the special flavor that México gives to its baseball. Some of the food offerings are piedras, pulcanes, and kibis, as well as standard offerings such as French fries, hot dogs, and pizza. You might catch a foul ball; learn some colorful insults in Spanish or Maya; watch the local company sponsored dancers; laugh at the antics of Los Leones mascot “Leoncio”; see a dog, cat, or even a possum interrupt a game; and you’ll get to see diving catches, precise double plays, possibly a home run, and root our Leones on to a victory.”
The team has a shop you can visit for souvenirs and memorabilia; it is located at Edificio Vector 50 (Calle 50 #402-D between 31 and 33, Colonia Jesús Carranza). It is open Monday – Saturday 9 am – 8 pm. With the app “Mi Taxi Yucatán” you can get to Parque Kukulcán Alamo with a special rate during the 2016 season.
For season calendar and tickets visit:
FB: Leones de Yucatán
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