Bolivia had strange championship even by South American standards – it went through 3 stages before the final play-offs, and in the 3rd phase 2 clubs not members of first division were added. The season itself was the third since the Bolivian federation organized professional league. Like many other countries, professionalism did not mean introduction of or even legalizing those who played for money – professional players were nothing new and all foreigners were strictly professionals – but rather structural and other requirements: professional league made of professional clubs. Yet, it was not a classic league. It was made of 15 clubs this season, divided into 2 groups for the opening phase of the championship. One team was relegated – seemingly, combined record of 2 or more seasons determined the unfortunate club. Standard league tournament was played at first and the top 5 clubs of each group proceeded to the second stage. At the end of this phase, two things deserved notice: the first was the weak season of the one of the best known Bolivian clubs – Jorge Wilstermann finished 6th in Group A.
The boys from Cochabamba exited early the championship – a surprise.
The second note is also about a club from Cochabamba: Bata.
If the name and the logo appear familiar, it was not coincidence – it was founded in 1941 by the famous Czechoslovakian show-making firm. A factory club with various sections. Almost to the end of the 1950s Czechs were club Presidents. One may think that the fate of the company, which had to close operations at home and owners, engineers, and workers fled from Czechoslovakia when the Communists took power, would close the club in distant Bolivia – but it was not so. Bata was never leading club and even rarely played top league football, but exists to this very day. As for location, it is a bit confusing: the club is often listed representing Cochabamba. But there is not only a city, but also a province with the same name… Bata was founded and located in Quillacollo, where the shoe factory was. This city today is part of Greater Cochabamba and may be already was in the 1970s. The pride of Quillacollo made it to first division, as they did for awhile in the 1960s, but seemingly survival was their only aim. Here is the confusing part: Bata finished 5th in Group B and proceeded to the second phase. Normally, this should be the end of the story: relegation should concern the lowest 5 clubs eliminated in the first phase. But Bata was relegated… unless a combined record of the last 2 or 3 season determined relegation, nothing explains why Bata went down. Anyhow, world-famous shows do not mean strong football team.
The Bolivian league in general represented 6 cities – La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz had 4 league members each and Sucre, Potosi, and Oruro had a single team each. Small, but not unusual geography – the big clubs and their local and inter-city rivalries were concentrated in those places from the early days of the game in Bolivia. It was familiar picture, which seasonal strength varied a bit. Along with Jorge Wilstermann, San Jose (Oruro) and Always Ready (La Paz) exited the championship after the first phase. Always Ready was in a decline since the beginning of the 1970s, gradually losing their historic position. In Group B the eliminated were also old clubs – Stormers (Sucre) and Aurora (Cochabamba). The shift of power was taking place since the late 1960s: younger clubs, tied to the oil industry were pushing back historically strong clubs – Oriente Petrolero (Santa Crus) and Petrolero (Cochabamba). Both were at the top of Group A. Along with them, traditional big clubs kept their positions – The Strongest, Bolivar, and Municipal, all from La Paz, and Blooming (Santa Cruz). The rest of the best during the first phase may be just had a good season – Real (Santa Cruz), Independiente Unificada (Potosi), and Guabira (Santa Cruz). Bata was the 10th team going ahead. The group winners of the first phase got 2 bonus points to start the second phase with, and those taking 2nd and 3rd place – 1 point.
The second phase was also played in 2 groups in a standard league format. The top two teams of each group moved to the third phase . Bonus points played no role in Group A – The Strongest and Oriente Petrolero took the top places anyway. Even with their bonus point Petrolero (Cochabamba) was still only 3rd. Guabira and Bata were hopeless outsiders, Bata ending last with 3 points.
This was not the year for the teams from Cochabamba – Petrolero was the strongest, but this stage was the end of the road.
Group B was more dramatic – only Real (Santa Cruz) was out of the race, the other 4 clubs fought bitterly for the coveted top spots. Two finished with 9 points and two – with 10. Here bonus points played a role – Municipal stayed competitive thanks to their bonus point – yet, finished 4th because of worse goal-difference. Independiente Unificada were the second strongest team in the group – only they and Bolivar earned 9 points during this stage. But they had no bonus points and finished 3rd. Blooming finished 2nd thanks to their 2 bonus points. As for Bolivar, they took 1st place thanks to their bonus point, but would have qualified for the next stage even without the bonus: on goal-difference. They were the only team in the group with positive goal-difference.
Third phase next… again 2 groups of 3 teams each. Four teams going ahead to… the semi-finals.
Well, 4 clubs already went through two phases. The other two were not members of first division and were included at this stage. Strange rules. No doubt, the newcomers went through many stages to reach this level, but competing with all other clubs of the country did not automatically mean they deserved to have a chance to win the national title: the question is a simple one – what was the point of having first division when some obscure team, playing against weaker teams can win the championship?
The newcomers were both from La Paz –
Ferroviario and
31 de Octubre. Smaller clubs, to be sure, but at this stage everything was possible in theory. At least geographically there was no trouble: at this stage, the competition was reduced to 2 cities – 4 clubs from La Paz and 2 from Santa Cruz. Easy on the pocket… Bolivian clubs were not rich, travel in South America was considerable expense. As for strength, the newcomers proved to be no threat – both were just punching bags. They managed a combined record of 2 ties, scored 3 goals, and received 22. Evidently, there was no point of including such teams in the late stage of the national championship – the theoretical threat to first division was only theoretical, but why placing such teams so high anyway? There presence had nothing to do with competitive football – this phase was entirely redundant: the best four of the previous phase went to the semi-finals.