1957 Caribbean Series

1957 Caribbean Series
Tournament details
Country Cuba
City Havana
Venue(s) 1 (in 1 host city)
Dates 9–14 February
Teams 4
Final positions
Champions Tigres de Marianao (1st title)
Runner-up Cerveza Balboa
Tournament statistics
MVP Solly Drake

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.

Summary

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

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

Final standings

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

Game 1, February 9

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See also