Baseball in Puerto Rico
By the 1949-50 season, several new ballparks were built, each containing 6,000 or more seats. The largest new stadium was Ponce's Estadio Francisco Montaner with 9,718 seats. Montaner has the distinction of being the first stadium in Puerto Rico that installed an artificial surface field. The installation of lights, which allowed for night games, further boosted stadium attendances. The Stadium was named to honor Francisco "Paquito" Montaner, one of the greatest Puerto Rican pitchers of all times.
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Most of Ponce's professional teams are called the "Leones de Ponce" ("Ponce Lions", or "Ponce Lionesses" as the case may be) regardless of the sport. The Leones de Ponce basketball team is one of the leading teams of the island, winning a total of 12 championships during their tenure. The team's venue is the Juan Pachín Vicéns Auditorium. The Leones de Ponce (men's) baseball and the Leonas de Ponce (women's) baseball teams have also been fairly successful. The baseball teams venue is the Francisco Montaner Stadium. The stadium is located next to the Juan Pachín Vicéns Auditorium.