Indios was the first professional baseball team in Colombia, founded in March 1948 by Juan González Cornett and sponsored by Cigarillos Piel Roja (lit.

Redskin Cigarettes); it gained its name from Pielroja's mascot, a stereotypical North American Indian.

[1] During this era, Indios was the "criollo" team, made up of all-Colombian players, as opposed to other teams including its crosstown rival Torices that used foreign players.

[2] The team won three more titles in the so-called first era of Colombian baseball, the last in 1955–56, before the league ceased operations in 1958.

During this period, it was headlined by "Los Ñatos" (The Snub-Nosed Ones), shortstops Orlando Ramírez and Carlos Velázquez.