The ninth edition of the

Caribbean Series The Caribbean Series (''Spanish'': ''Serie del Caribe''), also called Caribbean World Series, is the highest tournament for professional baseball teams in Latin America. The tournament location is rotated annually among the countries and is norma ...

(''Serie del Caribe'') was played in

1957 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1957th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 957th year of the 2nd millennium, the 57th year of the 20th century, and the 8th y ...

. It was held from February 9 through February 14, featuring the champion baseball teams of

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

, Tigres de Marianao;

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...

, Cerveza Balboa;

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

Indios de Mayagüez The Indios de Mayagüez (Mayagüez Indians) are a baseball team in Puerto Rico's Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League, in Spanish). Based in Mayagüez, the ''Indios'' have won 18 national ...

, and

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

Leones del Caracas The Caracas Base Ball Club C.A. or better known by its commercial name as the ''Leones del Caracas'', is a professional baseball team of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. In its creation, its headquarters are the University Stadium of C ...

. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio del Cerro in

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

, the Cuban capital. The first pitch was thrown by

Ford Frick Ford Christopher Frick (December 19, 1894 – April 8, 1978) was an American sportswriter and baseball executive. After working as a teacher and as a sportswriter for the ''New York American'', he served as public relations director of the Natio ...

, by then the

Commissioner of Major League Baseball The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive officer of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the associated Minor League Baseball (MiLB) – a constellation of leagues and clubs known as "organized baseball". Under the direction of the Commiss ...

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 Solomon Louis Drake (October 23, 1930 – August 18, 2021) was an American professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies during the 1956 and 1959 ba ...

, who won the batting title with a .500 batting average and also led in runs (9),

hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album se ...

(11) and

stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base to which they are not entitled and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or ...

s (4). Supporting him were fellow OF

Minnie Miñoso Orestes "Minnie" Miñoso (, ; born Saturnino Orestes Armas Miñoso Arrieta; November 29, 1923 – March 1, 2015), nicknamed "The Cuban Comet" and "Mr. White Sox", was a Cuban professional baseball player. He began his baseball career in the Neg ...

(.391, seven RBI, five runs) and catcher Hal Smith (.273, seven RBI). Pitcher

Jim Bunning James Paul David Bunning (October 23, 1931 – May 26, 2017) was an American professional baseball pitcher and politician who represented Kentucky in both chambers of the United States Congress. He was the sole Major League Baseball athlete to ha ...

got two wins with a 0.61

ERA An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth. Comp ...

, including a seven-hit, one-run game and scoreless innings of relief. Behind him were Mike Fornieles (1–0, 3.00),

Bill Werle William George Werle (December 21, 1920 – November 27, 2010) was a left-handed major league baseball pitcher from Oakland, California. He pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox from 1949 to 1954. His nicknam ...

(1–1, 3.94) and

Conrado Marrero Conrado Eugenio Marrero Ramos (April 25, 1911 – April 23, 2014), nicknamed "Connie", was a Cuban professional baseball pitcher. The right-handed Marrero pitched in Major League Baseball from to for the Washington Senators. Marrero made his m ...

(0–0, 2.70). Also in the roster were reliever

Enrique Maroto Enrique Maroto (born September 7, 1935) is a former professional pitcher who played in Minor League Baseball and the Negro leagues. Listed at 5' 6" , 165 lb. , Maroto batted and threw left handed. He was born in Havana, Cuba.

and infielders

Julio Bécquer Julio Bécquer Villegas (December 20, 1931 – November 1, 2020) was an Cuban-born American professional baseball player, a first baseman who played in 488 games over seven seasons (1955; 1957–61; 1963) for the Washington Senators / Minnesot ...

, Harold Bevan and

José Valdivielso José Martinez de Valdivielso (born ''José Martinez de Valdivielso López'', May 22, 1934) is a Cuban-born former professional baseball player. A shortstop, he appeared in 401 games over all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball, bet ...

. Panama, managed by catcher

León Kellman Edric León Kellman (September 4, 1924 – September 13, 1981) was a Panamanian professional baseball player and manager. Listed at 5' 11", 160 lb., Kellman batted and threw right handed. He was born in Gatún, Panama Canal Zone. Although ...

, 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 George Stuart Brunet (June 8, 1935 – October 25, 1991) was an American professional baseball pitcher who also went on to a Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame career in Mexico. Brunet pitched for nine different Major League clubs during ...

(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 Héctor Headley López Swainson (July 8, 1929 – September 29, 2022) was a Panamanian professional baseball left fielder and third baseman who played in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees from 1955 to 196 ...

and P

Dutch Romberger Allen Isaiah "Dutch" Romberger (May 26, 1927 – May 26, 1983) was an American professional baseball baseball player, player. The right-handed pitcher had a 13-season career (1948–59; 1961) in minor league baseball, but made only ten games pit ...

. Puerto Rico tied with Venezuela for third place with a 2–4 mark. The Mayagüez team was piloted by

Mickey Owen Arnold Malcolm "Mickey" Owen (April 4, 1916 – July 13, 2005) was an American professional baseball player, coach and scout. He played as a catcher for 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between and for the St. Louis Cardinals, Brookly ...

, while RF Canena Márquez provided the support attack (375, three HR, five runs, .792 SLG). The other major contributors were 1B

Bob Speake Robert Charles Speake (born August 22, 1930), nicknamed "Spook", is an American former professional baseball player. He was an outfielder for the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a ...

(.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 Robert Thomas Aspromonte (born June 19, 1938) is an American former professional baseball player and business entrepreneur. He played as a third baseman in Major League Baseball in and then from to , most prominently as a member of the newly for ...

, OF Bob Smith, and pitchers

Herb Plews Herbert Eugene Plews (June 14, 1928 – December 12, 2014) was an American Major League Baseball second baseman. He played four years in the majors, from 1956 to 1959 with the Washington Senators and in 1959 for the Boston Red Sox. In the min ...

and Pete Wojey, among others. Venezuela, guided by Clay Bryant, included C

John Roseboro John Junior Roseboro (May 13, 1933 – August 16, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1957 until 1970, most prominently as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. A four ...

(.376 BA, .556 SLG); IFs

Rudy Regalado Rudolph Valentino Regalado (May 21, 1930 – February 12, 2018) was a Major League Baseball player. He was an infielder for the Cleveland Indians from 1954 to 1956, and played in the 1954 World Series. He was born in Los Angeles, Californi ...

(.292 BA),

Pompeyo Davalillo Pompeyo Antonio Davalillo Romero a-va-LEE-yo(June 30, 1928 – February 28, 2013) was a Venezuelan professional baseball player and minor league manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Washington Senators. Nicknamed ...

(.381, three SB, four runs),

Chico Carrasquel Alfonso Carrasquel Colón, better known as Chico Carrasquel (January 23, 1926 – May 26, 2005), was a Venezuelan professional baseball player, coach, scout and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop from 1950 to 1 ...

(.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 Werner Joseph Birrer (July 4, 1928 – November 19, 2013) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. Listed at 6' 0", 195 lb., Birrer batted and threw right handed. He was born in Buffalo, New York. Graduated from Kensington High S ...

(1–1, 2.60) and

Julián Ladera Julián Ladera (July 15, 1928 – September 14, 1973) was a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher. Listed at 5' 10" (1.82 m), 165 lb (65 kg), he batted and threw right-handed.Gutiérrez, Daniel; Alvarez, Efraim; Gutiérrez (h), Dani ...

(1–0, 2.25) collected the only wins for the team in complete-game efforts.

Emilio Cueche Emilio Cueche h-mee'-leo / coo-eh'-chay/small> (October 20, 1927 – July 31, 2006) was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He was nicknamed ″Indio″. (Spanish) Born in Barcelona, Anzoátegui, the righthander Cueche was one of the mos ...

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.

Final standings

Scoreboards

Game 1, February 9

Game 2, February 9

Game 3, February 10

Game 4, February 10

Game 5, February 11

Game 6, February 11

Game 7, February 12

Game 8, February 12

Game 9, February 13

Game 10, February 13

Game 11, February 14

Game 12, February 14

----

Sources

* Antero Núñez, José. ''Series del Caribe''. Jefferson,

Caracas, Venezuela Caracas (, ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas, abbreviated as CCS, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the ...

: Impresos Urbina, C.A., 1987. * Gutiérrez, Daniel. ''Enciclopedia del Béisbol en Venezuela – 1895-2006 ''. Caracas, Venezuela: Impresión Arte, C.A., 2007.

External links

Official siteLatino Baseball
{{Caribbean Series , state=collapsed

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

Caribbean Series International baseball competitions hosted by Cuba Sports competitions in Havana 1957 in Caribbean sport 1957 in Cuban sport 20th century in Havana