Victory of Giron: 48 years of Matanzas Pride.

More than 25 thousand fans gathered to witness the clash between the Havana and Matanzas teams, which started the Third Selective Series.

48 years after its inauguration, the Victoria de Girón stadium maintains an image of care and quality in its areas as it did on February 20th, 1977 when it was inaugurated by the leader of the Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz.

More than 25 thousand fans gathered to witness the match between the Havana and Matanzas teams, which started the Third Selective Series. The match was won by the representation of Havana with a score of 5 runs for 1, thanks to the good work of pitchers Eladio Iglesias and Ramón Villabrille.

As significant data, on that day the aluminum bat was used for the first time in an official championship in Cuba and Television transmitted the game in color for the whole nation.

During these years of its foundation, the Victoria de Girón has hosted all the baseball championships in the country and its fans enjoyed the triumphs of the Matanzas teams Citricultores, in the 1983-1984 campaign; the two titles of Henequeneros, in 1990 and 1991 and Matanzas, 2019 to 2020, as well as the most recent, in the Second Elite League, in 2024; in addition, seven teams of the yard have been runners-up and six occupied the third position.

It was the scene of innumerable national baseball records, among the most outstanding, the 1,000 and 2,000 home runs hit by Wilfredo Sanchez; the 400 home runs of Lazaro Junco; the 234 hits of left-hander Jorge Luis Valdes or the longest game, 24 innings, between Havana and Matanzas in 1993.

There has been held international events such as the José Antonio Huelga Tournaments; the 1995 and 2002 Intercontinental Cups; the 2003 World Championship; matches against teams from Mexico, Japan, Canada and the United States, among others without forgetting the Giraldo Córdova Cardín International Boxing Tournaments in 1977 and 1995.

For those who love statistics and history, here I leave you with this memory of the first actions that took place on February 20th, 1977 on the grass of the Victoria de Girón and on other dates:

-First out: Rey Vicente Anglada (HAB), on fly to second baseman Israel Delgado (MAT).

-First hit: Rodolfo Puente (HAB), in the first episode, who then executed the first base steal. On that same play, Matanzas catcher Evelio Hernández committed the first error.

-Puente, then scored the first run in Girón’s Victoria, driven in by Eulogio Osorio’s (HAB) hit.

-First strikeout: Fernando Sánchez (MAT), by Eladio Iglesias, in the first inning.

-Touch sacrifice: Lázaro Madan (MAT).

-Wild pitch: Eladio Iglesias (HAB).

-First passed ball: Evelio Hernández (MAT).

-Fly sacrifice: Pedro Medina (HAB).

-First reliever: Jesús Bello (MAT), for starter Rafael Rodríguez, who was defeated.

-Catched stealing: Ernudis Poulot (HAB) for Evelio Hernández, in the 6th Inn.

-First starter: Roberto Sotolongo (MAT).

-Double: Rey Vicente Anglada (HAB).

-First triple: Lázaro Madan (MAT), on Feb. 22 against Orientales.

-First home run in the Victoria de Giròn: Modesto Larduet of Orientales in the game of February 22, against Luis Ortega (MAT).

-First home run in the field: Reynaldo Fernández (Camagüeyanos) in the third sub-series played at the stadium.

Written by Francisco Soriano.