1951 Caribbean Series

1951 Caribbean Series
Tournament details
CountryVenezuela
CityCaracas
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Dates22–26 February
Teams4
Final positions
ChampionsPuerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce (1st title)
Runner-upCuba Leones del Habana
Tournament statistics
MVPPuerto Rico Luis Olmo
← 1950
1952 →

The third edition of the Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) was played in 1951. The Series inauguration on February 21 was delayed due to heavy rain and it was held from February 22 through February 26, including two double-headers on February 25, featuring the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Leones del Habana; Panama, Spur Cola Colonites; Puerto Rico, Cangrejeros de Santurce, and Venezuela, Navegantes del Magallanes. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at Cervecería Caracas Stadium in Caracas, Venezuela.

Summary

The Puerto Rico team won the Series with a 5-1 record and was managed by George Scales. Their only defeat came from Cuba. The team was led by OF Luis Rodríguez Olmo, who was named Most Valuable Player after hitting .423 (11-for-26) with three home runs and nine RBI. Other contributions came from pitchers Pantalones Santiago (two complete-game wins), Rubén Gómez (two wins, one save), 1B George Crowe (.333, one grand slam, 7 RBI), and SS Stan Breard (.423, seven runs, 4 doubles, 8 RBI). Also in the Puerto Rican roster were Jim Gilliam (2B), Buster Clarkson (3B), Bob Thurman (OF) and Willard Brown (OF).

Managed by Mike González, Cuba finished in second place with a 4-2 mark. 1B Lorenzo Cabrera led the Series hitters with an astronomical .619 batting average (13-for-23), while the pitching staff was led by Adrián Zabala (2-0), Hoyt Wilhelm (1-1) and Bill Ayers (1 win, 1 save). Also included in the roster were Sandy Amorós (OF), Pedro Formental (OF), Bert Haas (3B), Spider Jorgensen (2B), Ed Mierkowicz (OF), Jiquí Moreno (P) and Carlos Pascual (P).

Venezuela was managed by Lázaro Salazar and finished 2-4, with both victories over Panama. The team was led by 1B René González, who hit .316 (6-for-19), including two doubles, two home runs and a Series-leading 11 RBI. Pitcher José Bracho posted a 1-0 record and a 0.71 earned run average in 12+2⁄3 innings pitched, helping himself with the bat while hitting .500 (3-for-6) with a double, one run and four RBIs. Other significant players in the roster included Luis García (3B), Vidal López (LF), Jim Pendleton (SS), Chucho Ramos (1B) and Ken Staples (C), as well as pitchers Frank Biscan, Julio Bracho, Alex Carrasquel and Clem Labine.

Panama ended with a 1-5 mark and was managed by catcher León Kellman. The team's only victory came behind a strong pitching effort from starter Connie Johnson over the Cuban team, while 1B Archie Ware paced the offense in average (.348), hits (8) and RBI (4).

Participating teams

Team Manager
Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce United States George Scales
Cuba Leones del Habana Cuba Mike González
Venezuela Navegantes del Magallanes Cuba Lázaro Salazar
Panama Spur Cola Colonites Panama León Kellman

Final standings

Pos Team Pld W L RF RA RD PCT GB
1 Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce 6 5 1 46 20 +26 .833 —
2 Cuba Leones del Habana 6 4 2 25 35 −10 .667 1
3 Venezuela Navegantes del Magallanes (H) 6 2 4 40 34 +6 .333 3
4 Panama Spur Cola Colonites 6 1 5 21 43 −22 .167 4
Source: CBPC
(H) Hosts

Scoreboards

Game 1, February 22

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 0 0 1 0 0 2 4 6 0 13 18 0
Cuba 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   1   9 1
WP: José Santiago (1-0)   LP: Hoyt Wilhelm (0-1)

Game 2, February 22

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Panama 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0   2 5 2
Venezuela 0 0 0 0 4 3 3 0 x 10 8 2
WP: Clem Labine (1-0)   LP: Webbo Clarke (0-1)
Home runs:
PAN: None
VEN: René González (1)

Game 3, February 23

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1   2   8 4
Panama 3 0 0 2 5 0 2 0 x 12 16 1
WP: Connie Johnson (1-0)   LP: Eddie Yuhas (0-1)
Home runs:
CUB: Gilberto Valdivia (1)
PAN: None

Game 4, February 23

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 0 0 1 0 5 0 0 0 2 8   5 3
Venezuela 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 1 2 7 11 2
WP: Roberto Vargas (1-0)   LP: Frank Biscan (0-1)   Sv: Rubén Gómez (1)
Home runs:
PUR: George Crowe (1)
VEN: René González (2)

Game 5, February 24

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Panama 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 3 7 3
Puerto Rico 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 8 3
WP: Rubén Gómez (1-0)   LP: Pat Scantlebury (0-1)

Game 6, February 24

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 0 0 0 0 3 0 2 1 3 9 10 0
Venezuela 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1   9 2
WP: Bill Ayers (1-0)   LP: Alex Carrasquel (0-1)
Home runs:
CUB: Pedro Formental (1)
VEN: Luis García (1)

Game 7, February 25

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4   7 0
Puerto Rico 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 3 10 1
WP: Adrián Zabala (1-0)   LP: Mike Clark (0-1)

Game 8, February 25

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Venezuela 0 4 3 0 0 4 2 0 0 13 14 3
Panama 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0   2   5 2
WP: José Bracho (1-0)   LP: Gentry Jessup (0-1)
Home runs:
VEN: Eddie Knoblauch (1)
PAN: None
Notes: Bracho hurled a complete game and went 3-for-5 with a double, driving in four runs while scoring one more.

Game 9, February 25

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Panama 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 4 0
Cuba 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 x 2 7 2
WP: Hoyt Wilhelm (1-1)   LP: Connie Johnson (1-1)
Home runs:
PAN: None
CUB: Spider Jorgensen (1)

Game 10, February 25

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Venezuela 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 6 2
Puerto Rico 0 0 3 0 0 0 2 1 x 6 9 0
WP: José Santiago (2-0)   LP: Clem Labine (1-1)

Game 11, February 26

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 3 0 2 3 0 4 0 x x 12 8 0
Panama 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 x x   1 6 2
WP: Rubén Gómez (2-0)   LP: Webbo Clarke (0-2)
Home runs:
PUR: None
PAN: Luis Rodríguez Olmo 2 (3), Buster Clarkson (1), Willard Brown (1)

Game 12, February 26

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Venezuela 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 x x 5 6 1
Cuba 3 0 0 0 1 3 x x x 7 9 0
WP: Adrián Zabala (2-0)   LP: José Bracho (1-1)   Sv: Bill Ayers (1)

Statistics leaders

Statistic Player Team Total
Batting average Cuba Lorenzo Cabrera Cuba Leones del Habana .615
Home runs Puerto Rico Luis Olmo Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce 3
Runs batted in Cuba René González Venezuela Navegantes del Magallanes 11
Runs Canada Stan Breard Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce 8
Hits Cuba Lorenzo Cabrera Cuba Leones del Habana 13
Doubles Canada Stan Breard Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce 4
Triples Cuba Sandy Amorós Cuba Leones del Habana 1
United States Jim Gilliam Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce
United States Bob Thurman Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce
Stolen bases United States Charles Douglas Panama Spur Cola Colonites 3
Wins Puerto Rico Rubén Gómez Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce 2
Puerto Rico José Santiago Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce
Cuba Adrián Zabala Cuba Leones del Habana

Awards

See also

References

  1. ^ "Posiciones de los Equipos". seriedelcaribe.net (in Spanish). Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Anuario oficial Serie Del Caribe 2022" (in Spanish). Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe. p. 26. Retrieved 28 December 2022. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)

Sources

  • 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.