Victoria de Girón Stadium: 47 years of Matanzas Pride.
Thanks to the efforts of its workers, the Victoria de Girón stadium maintains an image of care and quality in its areas, a source of pride for the people of Matanzas, as it reaches its 47th anniversary.
On February 20th, 1977, the Victoria de Girón stadium in Matanzas was inaugurated with the presence of the Leader of the Revolution, Fidel Castro, who hit the first ball, thrown by Julián Rizo Álvarez, then first secretary of the Party in the province.
That day, some 25 thousand fans filled the park as a fair recognition to the effort made by the masses in the construction of the facility and to enjoy the first game of the Third Selective Baseball Series between the teams Havana and Matanzas.
As significant data that day they used for the first time in an official championship in Cuba the aluminum bat and the Television transmitted the game in color for the whole nation.
In these 47 years, the Victoria de Girón stadium has hosted all the baseball championships in the country and its fans have enjoyed the performances of Citricultores, champion in 1984, led by Tomás Soto, the two titles of Henequeneros, in 1990 and 1991, with «Sile» Junco, as well as the great performances of the last years of the Cocodrilos, included in the postseasons and that achieved the long-awaited triumph in the LIX Series, from 2019 to 2020, led by Armando Ferrer.
Always the decisive games that gave the championship to these teams, were as visitors, that is to say, that the popularly called Palacio de los Cocodrilos, could not celebrate the victories with its public.
Fortunately, in January of this year, the local team, also under the command of Armando Ferrer, reached the first place in the Second Elite League, with the final game against the tough team of Artemisa, in a Victoria de Giron completely crowded with public and days later repeated the success in the International All-Star Series, against teams from Venezuela, Mexico and the selection of losing teams.
The Yumurina facility has been the scene of innumerable national baseball records, among the most outstanding, the thousand and two thousand hits batted by Wilfredo Sanchez, the 400 home runs of Lazaro Junco, the 234 hits of left-hander Jorge Luis Valdes or the longest game of 24 innings between Havana and Matanzas in 1993.
Considered among the best baseball parks in the nation, the Victoria de Girón developed international events such as the José Antonio Huelga Tournaments, the Intercontinental Cups of 1995 and 2002, the 2003 World Championship, matches against teams from Mexico, Japan, Canada and the United States, Canada and the United States, without forgetting that it hosted the Giraldo Córdova Cardín International Boxing Tournaments in 1977 and 1995.
Congratulations on this 47th anniversary to the workers’ collective in charge of maintaining this facility, the flagship of Matanzas sports and one of the most important in the country.
Written by Francisco Soriano Bermúdez.
