The ninth edition of the Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) was played in 1957. It was held from February 9 through February 14, featuring the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Tigres de Marianao; Panama, Cerveza Balboa; Puerto Rico, Indios de Mayagüez, and Venezuela, Leones del Caracas. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio del Cerro in Havana, the Cuban capital. The first pitch was thrown by Ford Frick, by then the Commissioner of Major League Baseball.

1957 Caribbean Series
Tournament details
CountryCuba
CityHavana
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Dates9–14 February
Teams4
Final positions
ChampionsCuba Tigres de Marianao (1st title)
Runner-upPanama Cerveza Balboa
Tournament statistics
MVPUnited States Solly Drake
← 1956
1958 →

Summary edit

The Cuban team was managed by Napoleón Reyes and finished with a 5–1 mark, with their only loss coming to Puerto Rico. Marianao offensive was clearly guided by Series MVP outfielder Solly Drake, who won the batting title with a .500 batting average and also led in runs (9), hits (11) and stolen bases (4). Supporting him were fellow OF Minnie Miñoso (.391, seven RBI, five runs) and catcher Hal Smith (.273, seven RBI). Pitcher Jim Bunning got two wins with a 0.61 ERA, including a seven-hit, one-run game and 5+23 scoreless innings of relief. Behind him were Mike Fornieles (1–0, 3.00), Bill Werle (1–1, 3.94) and Conrado Marrero (0–0, 2.70). Also in the roster were reliever Enrique Maroto and infielders Julio Bécquer, Harold Bevan and José Valdivielso.

Panama, managed by catcher León Kellman, posted a 3–3 record for a surprising second-place finish. Balboa most prominent player was Winston Brown, who pitched a six-hit, one run complete game and a four-hit shutout, in both cases against Venezuela. Another gem game from George Brunet (1–1, 17 SO, 1.76 ERA), who pitched the first shutout for a Panamanian team in Series history, and also hit one of the club's two homers. 1B Harold Gordon led the attack with a .412 BA. Other roster members included 2B Héctor López and P Dutch Romberger.

Puerto Rico tied with Venezuela for third place with a 2–4 mark. The Mayagüez team was piloted by Mickey Owen, while RF Canena Márquez provided the support attack (375, three HR, five runs, .792 SLG). The other major contributors were 1B Bob Speake (.391, one HR, five RBI, .652 SLG) and P José Santiago, who handed Marianao their only lost, throwing a three-hit shutout. Puerto Rico also featured 2B Bob Aspromonte, OF Bob Smith, and pitchers Herb Plews and Pete Wojey, among others.

Venezuela, guided by Clay Bryant, included C John Roseboro (.376 BA, .556 SLG); IFs Rudy Regalado (.292 BA), Pompeyo Davalillo (.381, three SB, four runs), Chico Carrasquel (.292, HR, .458 SLG) and Luis García (2-for-13, 2B, RBI), as well as OFs Tom Burgess (4-for-24) and Bob Wilson (4-for-22). Caracas pitchers Babe Birrer (1–1, 2.60) and Julián Ladera (1–0, 2.25) collected the only wins for the team in complete-game efforts. Emilio Cueche took a complete-game loss after giving up two unearned runs in Game 5, and later hurled two scoreless innings of relief for a perfect 0.00 ERA, the best for the Series.

Participating teams edit

Team Manager
  Cerveza Balboa   León Kellman
  Indios de Mayagüez   Mickey Owen
  Leones del Caracas   Clay Bryant
  Tigres de Marianao   Napoleón Reyes

Final standings edit

Pos Team Pld W L RF RA RD PCT GB
1   Tigres de Marianao (H) 6 5 1 27 16 +11 .833
2   Cerveza Balboa 6 3 3 14 15 −1 .500 2
3   Indios de Mayagüez 6 2 4 22 31 −9 .333 3
4   Leones del Caracas 6 2 4 23 24 −1 .333 3
Source: CBPC
(H) Hosts

Scoreboards edit

Game 1, February 9 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1   3   7 2
Venezuela 2 3 1 1 0 0 0 3 X 10 14 3
WP: Babe Birrer (1-0)   LP: Bob Smith (0-1)
Home runs:
PRI: Luis Márquez (1)
VEN: John Roseboro (1)

Game 2, February 9 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Panama 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 7 1
Cuba 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 X 4 6 0
WP: Jim Bunning (1-0)   LP: Ronald Scheetz (0-1)
Home runs:
PAN: John Gleen (1)
CUB: None

Game 3, February 10 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 2 0 7 11 1
Panama 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1   2 6
WP: Pete Wojey (1-0)   LP: George Brunet (0-1)
Home runs:
PRI: Pete Wojey (1)
PAN: None

Game 4, February 10 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 2 0 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 7 12 0
Venezuela 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1   3 1
WP: Mike Fornieles (1-0)   LP: Bob Blaylock (0-1)
Home runs:
CUB: None
VEN: Chico Carrasquel (1)

Game 5, February 11 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Venezuela 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 6 3
Panama 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 X 2 4 0
WP: Winston Brown (1-0)   LP: Emilio Cueche (0-1)

Game 6, February 11 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 6 16 1
Cuba 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   3 2
WP: José Santiago (1-0)   LP: Bill Werle (0-1)
Home runs:
PRI: Luis Márquez (2)
CUB: None

Game 7, February 12 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Venezuela 0 2 0 1 3 0 0 1 0 7 9 1
Puerto Rico 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 3 6 2
WP: Julián Ladera (1-0)   LP: Duke Maas (0-1)
Home runs:
VEN: None
PRI: Bob Speake (1)

Game 8, February 12 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 3 0
Panama 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 1
WP: Jim Bunning (2-0)   LP: Ronald Scheetz (0-2)

Game 9, February 13 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Panama 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 5 10 1
Puerto Rico 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   4 2
WP: George Brunet (1-1)   LP: Bob Smith (0-2)

Game 10, February 13 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Venezuela 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 4 10 4
Cuba 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 5 10 0
WP: Vicente López (1-0)   LP: Babe Birrer (1-1)
Home runs:
VEN: Bob Wilson (1)
CUB: None

Game 11, February 14 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Panama 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 12 1
Venezuela 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3
WP: Winston Brown (2-0)   LP: John Jancse (0-1)

Game 12, February 14 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 1 0 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 8 11 1
Puerto Rico 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 11 3
WP: Bill Werle (1-1)   LP: Pete Wojey (1-1)
Home runs:
CUB: Julio Bécquer (1)
PRI: None

Statistics leaders edit

Statistic Player Team Total
Batting average   Solly Drake   Tigres de Marianao .500
Home runs   Luis Márquez   Indios de Mayagüez 2
Runs batted in   Minnie Miñoso   Tigres de Marianao 7
  Hal R. Smith   Tigres de Marianao
Runs   Solly Drake   Tigres de Marianao 9
Hits   Solly Drake   Tigres de Marianao 11
Doubles   John Roseboro   Leones del Caracas 2
Triples Five tied 1
Stolen bases   Solly Drake   Tigres de Marianao 4
Wins   Winston Brown   Cerveza Balboa 2
  Jim Bunning   Tigres de Marianao
Earned run average   Emilio Cueche   Leones del Caracas 0.00
Strikeouts   George Brunet   Cerveza Balboa 17
Innings pitched   Winston Brown   Cerveza Balboa 18.0

Awards edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Posiciones de los Equipos". seriedelcaribe.net (in Spanish). Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Anuario oficial Serie Del Caribe 2022" (in Spanish). Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe. p. 26. Retrieved 13 June 2023. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)

Sources edit

  • Antero Núñez, José. Series del Caribe. Jefferson, Caracas, Venezuela: Impresos Urbina, C.A., 1987.
  • Gutiérrez, Daniel. Enciclopedia del Béisbol en Venezuela – 1895-2006 . Caracas, Venezuela: Impresión Arte, C.A., 2007.

External links edit