Bayamón Cowboys Dominate the 1975 Caribbean Series with All-Star Cast

The 1938-39 to 1973-74 San Juan (SJ) Senators moved to Bayamón, Puerto Rico (PR) for the 1974-75 PR Winter League (PRWL) season. It was an exciting campaign, culminating in the February 1-6, 1975 Caribbean Series (CS) title at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, Hato Rey, PR. This article focuses on the newly minted 1974-75 Bayamón Cowboys.

José A. Pagán Debuts as a Rookie Skipper in the PRWL

Bayamón team President Roberto Inclán gave José Pagán his first PRWL managing job with the 1974-75 Bayamón team. Pagán completed his 18-year PRWL career with 1973-74 SJ, as a DH for skipper Jim “Junior” Gilliam. The Cowboys were reinforced by Ken Griffey Sr., Dan Driessen, Tim Foli, Art Howe, and lefty Tom Hilgendorf, among others. Table I is the league standings/SO leaders. Table II comprises Bayamón’s basic hitting data, and Table III covers pitching stats. 

Table I: PRWL 1974-75 Regular Season Standings/Most SO

*Won playoffs. ARE: Arecibo, BAY: Bayamón, CAG: Caguas, MAY: Mayagüez, PON: Ponce, SAN: Santurce. !Frank Robinson managed the Santurce team; he became the first African-American skipper in the AL (or NL) for the 1975 Cleveland team. Sources: José Crescioni Benítez, El Béisbol Profesional Boricua, 1997, and Tom Van Hyning, The Santurce Crabbers, 1999.

Table II: Bayamón Cowboys 1974-75 Basic Hitting Data

#Won batting title. Source: Roberto Inclán, SJ/BAY 1938-1983 Team Booklet.

Table III: Bayamón Cowboys 1974-75 Basic Pitching Data

Source: Inclán Booklet, 1938-39 to 1982-83.

PRWL Playoffs

Bayamón topped second-place Ponce, 4 games to 2, in the semis, behind Hilgendorf (2-0), John Candelaria (1-0), and Tom “T-Bone” Walker (1-1). Veteran Orlando Peña was 0-1. Goose Gossage sparkled for Ponce, 1-0, 2.45 ERA, under manager Pat Corrales. The Cowboys edged defending league/CS champ Caguas, 4-3, in the finals. Hilgendorf (2-0) and John Montague (2-1) were difference-makers. Peña and Walker each lost one. Caguas skipper Jim Bunning hoped for a different outcome. “I pitched in Cuba [1956-57] and Mexico [1954-55]; managed in PR [1974-76] and Dominican Republic (DR) [1976-77]. The 1957 CS, in Havana, was fun, and I enjoyed winter ball.”

Transition to February 1-6, 1975 CS

Cowboys President/GM Roberto Inclán replaced Orlando Peña at CS with Caguas ace Ed Figueroa, a 10-game PRWL winner who won 16 for the 1975 California Angels. Inclán signed four Criollos regulars: 1B Willie Montañez, 2B Félix Millán, LF Jay Johnstone, and CF Jerry Morales. Johnstone, loop MVP at .345, nine HR, and a league-leading 46 RBI, noted that he had “a better experience, culture-wise, off the field, and playing the game.” He liked getting together with native players and learning more about the Island.

Jay Johnstone, 1974-75 Criollos, reinforced Bayamón, 1975 CS. He was a 2x CS and 2x World Series champ. Photo credit: PR Pro Baseball League. Color by Joe Towers (2020).

Let the Games Begin/Continue

Bayamón’s CS rotation was Figueroa (Games 1/6), Tom Walker (Game 2), Hilgendorf (Game 3), John Montague (Game 4), and Julio Navarro (Game 5). Pagán’s (Games 1-5) line-up had: Griffey (RF), Millán (2B), Montañez (1B), Johnstone (LF), Jerry Morales (CF), Art Howe (3B), Eliseo Rodríguez (C), Orlando Álvarez (DH), and Cuchito Ferrer (SS), since Tim Foli departed for the States. Águilas Cibaeñas (AC) from the Dominican Republic (DR), Aragua Tigers (Venezuela), and Hermosillo Orange Growers (Mexico) were worthy opponents.

Bayamón trounced Aragua, 12-2, on opening night behind Figueroa’s seven innings and mop-up duty by Jim Minshall and Carlín Velázquez. Howe slammed two doubles, homered, drove in four, and scored three. He walked and was HBP. Álvarez tripled in going 3 for 5 with three RBI. On Sunday, February 2, Ponce native Luis R. Mayoral was honored for his work since 1970 in organizing Latin American Day celebrations at major league stadiums. Ed Figueroa, Rennie Stennett, Mike Cuéllar, Félix Millán, and broadcaster Josué “Elevadito” González joined Luis in this pre-game ceremony.

Art Howe played four seasons with Bayamón (1974-78) and managed them for three winters. Photo credit: beisbol101.com.

T-Bone Walker won Bayamón’s second game, 6-4, over Hermosillo, with help from Candelaria, Fernando Vega, and Minshall, who fanned four in 2.2 innings. Montañez homered in a 3-for-5 game while Millán went 3-for-5. Howe contributed two singles. Attendance declined from 17,000 on opening night to 9,000. Hermosillo’s Joe Pactwa, first DH in CS history, homered. Bayamón bested AC, 6-4, on February 3, as Hilgendorf toiled 7.1 innings before Carlín Velázquez saved it. Griffey went 5-for-5 and scored four runs. Montañez drove in four with three hits, including a double. Héctor Espino homered twice for Hermosillo versus Aragua, in the other game.

Four teams and dignitaries attended a ceremony at La Fortaleza, PR’s Governor’s Mansion in Old SJ. Caribbean Confederation executive Bobby Maduro told Caguas owner Emigdio Buonomo (an ophthalmologist): “You lost the [PRWL] title to Bayamón because I took away Phil Garner,” who ended up with 1974-75 Aragua, after Caguas was unable to sign him. “I played for [1973-74] Ponce,” noted Garner. PR and Venezuela were both helpful for my big-league career. I saw the ocean for the first time [October 1973] when a Ponce official picked me up at the [Luis Muñoz Marín] International Airport; we stopped at the beach, en route to Ponce.”

On February 4, Garner doubled in three trips to the plate versus Bayamón. Still, Montague blanked Aragua, 6-0, with a 16-hit attack, including a trio of two-run HR by Griffey, Johnstone, and Montañez.  Just 4,018 fans witnessed the two-hour-and-five-minute game, a Montague four-hitter. “I pitched for Caguas when we won the 1974 CS,” recalled Montague. “Mike Schmidt and Craig Swan were my [1974] teammates—we played tennis during that season. I love PR rice and beans, the party atmosphere during the 1975 CS, and the hospitality of Bayamón’s owner, Jorge Bird.”

Bayamón clinched the CS crown on February 5 by edging Hermosillo, 5-4. Four Cowboys miscues victimized Julio Navarro, but Fernando Vega came to the rescue with seven shutout frames. Pagán emptied his bench the next day when AC squeaked by Bayamón, 5-4. Ed Figueroa pitched four scoreless innings before each infielder made a fifth-inning miscue—Boogie Colón (1B), Mako Oliveras (2B), José del Moral (3B), and Cuchito Ferrer (SS). John Candelaria took the loss when Frank Taveras’s single drove in Sam Mejías with the winner. Julio Navarro had a special bond with 21-year-old Candelaria, stating: “When Pagán, a Pittsburgh coach, was appointed to manage Bayamón, he wanted me to continue pitching, but had me coach the younger hurlers. Candelaria was one of my major projects, and I paid special attention to John.”  (Candelaria played amateur basketball for the Quebradillas Pirates and was a member of PR’s national hoop team.) Navarro told Candelaria he had a “golden arm” and warned him “not to waste his opportunity for big-league stardom.” Tears of gratitude flowed from Candelaria’s eyes after listening to a Navarro pep talk.

Excellent 1975 CS Bayamón Hitting/Pitching Stats

MVP Montañez drove in 11. Griffey’s .500 BA and 12 hits led all hitters. His nine hits in consecutive games were a CS record. Bayamón posted a .342/.390/.500 slash line, with an .890 OPS. They scored 39 runs with 16 doubles and five HR. Their nine regulars reflected:

• Griffey 12/24, 8 R, 4 D, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .500/.500/.792 slash, 1.292 OPS
• Millán 10/23, 5 R, 2 D, 2 RBI, .435/.458/.522 slash, .980 OPS
• Montañez 11/23, 5 R, 1 D, 2 HR, 11 RBI, .478/.538/.783 slash, 1.321 OPS
• Johnstone 7/24, 4 R, 2 D, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .292/.379/.500 slash, .879 OPS
• Morales 5/22, 4 R, 1 D, 1 RBI, .227/.217/.273 slash, .490 OPS
• Howe 6/19, 5 R, 3 D, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .316/.435/.632 slash, 1.067 OPS
• Rodríguez 4/16, 2 R, .250/.400/.250 slash, .650 OPS
• Álvarez 9/25, 1 R, 2 T, 7 RBI, .360/.360/.520 slash, .880 OPS
• Ferrer 6/22, 3 R, 3 D, .273/.304/.409 slash, .713 OPS. Six reserves were 6/24, 2 R, 3 RBI, .250/.250/.250 slash, .500 OPS.

Ken Griffey Sr. starred for the 1974-75 Bayamón Cowboys. Photo courtesy of Angel Colón, PRWL Players Association.

Bayamón 1975 CS Pitching Stats

The 2.17 team ERA and 1.06 WHIP (walks+hits/IP) were superb. Nine hurlers posted this:

• Figueroa 1-0, 12 IP, 12 H, 3 ER, 9 SO, 2 BB, 2.25 ERA/1.17 WHIP
• Montague 1-0, SHO, 9 IP, 4 H, 5 SO, 1 BB, 0.00/0.56
• Hilgendorf 1-0, 7.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 6 SO, 0 BB, 2.45/0.82
• Vega 1-0, 7.1 IP, 2 H, 2 SO, 2 BB, 0.00/0.55
• Walker 1-0, 5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 SO, 1 BB, 3.38/1.31
• Velázquez 1 SV, 4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 SO, 5.79/1.29
• Minshall 1SV, 3.2 IP, 1 H, 4 SO, 2 BB, 0.00/0.82
• Candelaria 0-1, 2.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 SO, 2 BB, 6.75/2.63
• Navarro 2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4.50/2.50.

Overall, they went 5-1 in 54 innings, allowing 46 hits, fanning 33, and walking 11. AC and Hermosillo finished 3-3; Aragua went 1-5.

Cowboys Dominate 1975 CS All-Star Team

Bayamón almost swept All-Star honors, except Phil Garner was chosen at 3B over Howe, and Jerry Hairston Sr. nudged Johnstone for LF honors. Garner’s .318 BA edged Howe’s .316, but the latter homered and drove in six and outscored Garner, five-to-three. Garner drove in one and stole a base. “Bayamón’s fans were terrific,” said Howe. “My Bayamón managing experience prepared me for the majors. I developed special friendships with [Bayamón’s] Dickie Thon and [Caguas’s] José Cruz, high-quality people, in PR and Houston.” Table IV is the All-Star Team.

Table IV: 1975 CS All-Star Team

Source: Tom Van Hyning, The Caribbean Series: 1949-2024.

Eliseo Rodríguez was Bayamón’s team leader. “When we won, we laughed and cried together,” he said. “The guys came to my house after we won it all. I caught one of [June 1, 1975] Nolan Ryan’s no-hitters with California, but those 1974-75/1975-76 Bayamón clubs were special…”

Tom Hilgendorf had fond memories, too. He became one of the few American players in PRWL history to receive the key to the city. Team owner Jorge Bird/GM Roberto Inclán rewarded him after the league playoffs and his CS win. “The fans never stopped cheering,” said Hilgendorf. “Inclán told me: ‘You better get out of here, because a lot of women will be after you.’ I then flew to Tucson since we [Cleveland Indians] had spring training coming up.”

1975-76 Bayamón Cowboys Media Guide depicting 1974-75 “Trifecta”: Metropolitan, PRWL, and CS Titles. Photo courtesy of Roberto Inclán, Cowboys President/GM.

Post-Script

The same four 1975 CS teams returned to the February 4-9, 1976 CS in the DR. Hermosillo (5-1 W-L) won Mexico’s first crown. Aragua (3-3), AC (2-4), and Bayamón (2-4) were outplayed by the Orange Growers. Pagán (Bayamón), Ozzie Virgil Sr. (Aragua), and Cananea Reyes (Hermosillo) managed the same teams. Tim Murtaugh replaced Al Widmar for the 1976 AC entry. Pagán, in 1975, was the first PR-born skipper to win a CS, and the only manager to do this with Bayamón. (Carmelo Martínez managed Bayamón in the 2002 CS.)

Dickie Thon, at 17, was signed by Bayamón in 1975 and practiced with them before taking over at SS, 1977-78. Art Howe led Bayamón to a 1979-80 PRWL crown and second-place 1980 CS tie with Caracas at 3-3. Licey (4-2) won, with Hermosillo last (2-4). Howe/Inclán were key reasons why Bayamón set up a working agreement with the Astros. Top prospects from other big-league clubs also reinforced Bayamón, including Wade Boggs (.354 BA, 1981-82) and Tony Gwynn (.368 BA, 1982-83).

John Candelaria (20-5, 1977 Pittsburgh Pirates): the first pitcher of PR heritage to win 20 big-league games, and Ed Figueroa (20-9, 1978 NY Yankees) was the first PR-born hurler to win 20. The author honors the memory of Phil Garner, Jefferson City, Tennessee (born April 30, 1949; died April 11, 2026), and Eliseo Rodríguez, Fajardo, PR (born May 24, 1946; died April 23, 2026). Phil was Candelaria’s 1979 Pittsburgh teammate when they won the World Series. Eliseo: first PR-born catcher in the AL, 1968 NY Yankees.

Wade Boggs, 1981-82 Bayamón Cowboys. Photo credit: Jorge Colón Delgado.

Thanks to Jim Bunning, John Candelaria, Phil Garner, Jerry Hairston Sr., Tom Hilgendorf, Art Howe, Roberto Inclán, Jay Johnstone, John Montague, Julio Navarro, Eliseo Rodríguez, and Dickie Thon. Jorge Colón Delgado did the editing and photo placements.

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Tom Van Hyning

Tom Van Hyning se crió en Santurce, Puerto Rico. Su familia se mudó a esta preciosa Isla cuando tenía dos años. Tom es el autor de tres libros: “Puerto Rico’s Winter League”, “The Santurce Crabbers” y “The Caribbean Series: Latin America’s Annual Baseball Tournament 1949-2024, que fue publicado en 2025. Laboró como Economista de Turismo en el estado de Mississippi y es miembro de SABR, Capítulo Cool Papa Bell en Mississippi. Sus artículos han sido publicados por SABR en la revista National Pastime y Baseball Research Journal. Igualmente escribe para las páginas web negroleaguerspuertorico.com y safabpp.com.