Mexican Baseball League LMB celebrates 95-year anniversary

Mexican Baseball League LMB celebrates 95-year anniversary
28/06/2020
With 95 years of history, the LMB is the oldest sports league in the country.

On 28 June 1925, Mexico and Agraria faced off at Parque Franco Inglés in Mexico City to play the inaugural game of the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol (LMB - Mexican Baseball League). Mexico defeated Agraria, 7-5, starting a long-lived, 95-year history that continues shining today as one of the most renowned professional baseball leagues in the world.

The first LMB season had seven teams: Club México, Carmona, Nacional, Agraria, Guanajuato, Águila and 74 Regimiento. The latter was the first LMB champion.

A total of 144 teams have participated in the league. The oldest squad among the current participants is Sultanes de Monterrey with 81 seasons played, followed by Diablos de México (80), Tigres de Quintana Roo (65) and Saraperos de Saltillo (50). Diablos have won the most LMB titles with 16, followed by Tigres (12) and Sultanes de Monterrey (10).

Currently, a total of 16 teams play the LMB, split into North and South Zones. The top team of each zone advances to the Serie del Rey (The King Series) to battle for the LMB title. Last year, Acereros de Monclova claimed their first ever Serie del Rey, beating Leones de Yucatán in seven games.

In 2018, LMB along with Liga Mexicana del Pacífico (LMP), joined the WBSC family as Associate Members. After the 2019 WBSC Congress, the total number of WBSC member federations increased to 198, plus 13 associate members.

The 2020 LMB season is still to be confirmed since baseball in Mexico has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. LMB has announced a tentative 48-game season starting on 7 August, but it's still pending approval of the Mexican authorities.