The twelfth 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 a
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
tournament held from February 10 through February 15,
1960
It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism.
Events
January
* Ja ...
featuring the champion teams from
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 ...
(
Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos (), capital of Cienfuegos Province, is a city on the southern coast of Cuba. It is located about from Havana and has a population of 150,000. Since the late 1960s, Cienfuegos has become one of Cuba's main industrial centers, especial ...
),
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 ...
(
Marlboro
Marlboro (, ) is an American brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured by Philip Morris USA (a branch of Altria) within the United States and by Philip Morris International (now separate from Altria) outside the US. The largest Marl ...
),
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 ...
(
Caguas
Caguas (, ) is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, and east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey. Caguas was founded ...
) 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 ...
(
Rapiños). The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at Estadio Nacional of
Panama City
Panama City ( es, Ciudad de Panamá, links=no; ), also known as Panama (or Panamá in Spanish), is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has an urban population of 880,691, with over 1.5 million in its metropolitan area. The city is locat ...
.
Summary
It was the final edition of the first stage of the CBWS, after
MLB Commissioner
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 Commissi ...
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 ...
banned
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
players from playing in
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 ...
for the 1960-61 winter season. As response, in March 1961 the
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (; ; 13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban revolutionary and politician who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and president from 1976 to 200 ...
government would decree the abolition of professional sport in Cuba. The Series would be suspended until 1970, reconstituting without
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 ...
and
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 ...
, while adding the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
. Cuba would return to the Series in 2014.
For the seventh time, and fifth consecutive year, Cuba won the CBWS championship with an undefeated record of 6-0.
The Cuban team,
managed by
Tony Castaño, was led by a
pitching staff anchored by
big leaguers Camilo Pascual
Camilo Alberto Pascual Lus (born January 20, 1934) is a Cuban former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During an 18-year baseball career (1954–71), he played for the original modern Washington Senators franchise (which became the Mi ...
, who went 2-0 with 15
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s including a one-hit
shutout
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
, and
Pedro Ramos
Pedro Ramos Guerra (born April 28, 1935), is a Cuban former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, and the expansion Washing ...
(one
win, one
save) and
Orlando Peña
Orlando Gregorio Peña Guevara (born November 17, 1933) is a Cuban former professional baseball pitcher. The right-hander played in Major League Baseball for all or parts of 14 seasons between and for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Athletic ...
(one win, one save). The offense was paced by
outfielder
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...
George Altman
George Lee Altman (born March 20, 1933) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who had a lengthy career in both Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball. A three-time National League All-Star, he appeared in 991 g ...
, who co-led the series hitters with a .438
average
In ordinary language, an average is a single number taken as representative of a list of numbers, usually the sum of the numbers divided by how many numbers are in the list (the arithmetic mean). For example, the average of the numbers 2, 3, 4, 7, ...
, and
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
Rogelio Alvarez (.333, two HR, .750
SLG, six
runs, 10
RBI),
second baseman Cookie Rojas
Octavio Víctor "Cookie" Rojas Rivas (born March 6, 1939), is a Cuban former professional baseball second baseman / outfielder, coach, and manager, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Lo ...
(.429, one HR), OF
Dan Dobbek (2 HR, .800 SLG) and OF
Tony González (.429).
Catcher
Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...
Ray Noble
Raymond Stanley Noble (17 December 1903 – 2 April 1978) was an English jazz and big band musician, who was a bandleader, composer and arranger, as well as a radio host, television and film comedian and actor; he also performed in the United ...
and
shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...
Leo Cárdenas
Leonardo Lazaro Cárdenas Alfonso (born December 17, 1938) is a Cuban former professional baseball shortstop, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from to for the Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins, California Angels, Cleveland Indians, an ...
also contributed in the defense.
Panama ended in second place with a 3-3 mark and was led by catcher/manager
Wilmer Shantz. The team led the Series with 45 runs, powered by OF
Eddie Napoleón, who shared the batting title with George Altman, as well 1B/OF
Stan Palys (two HR, 12 RBI, 6 runs, .704 SLG),
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 ...
(.370, 2 HR, 10 RBI, two
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) and
Lee Tate (eight runs, three
doubles). Also in the roster were pitchers
Bob Milo,
Ken Rowe,
Humberto Robinson
Humberto Valentino Robinson (June 25, 1930 – September 29, 2009) was a middle relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1955 through 1960 for the Milwaukee Braves (1955, 1958), Cleveland Indians (1959) and Philadelphia Phillies (1 ...
and
Robert Waltz, outfielder
Joe Caffie
Joseph Clifford Caffie (February 14, 1931 – August 1, 2011), nicknamed "Rabbit", was an American professional baseball player whose 12-year career as an outfielder began in the Negro leagues in 1950, was highlighted by 44 games played as a memb ...
and 1B
Jim Gentile
James Edward Gentile (born June 3, 1934), also nicknamed "Diamond Jim", is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City At ...
, who was injured at the start.
Puerto Rico, managed by first baseman
Vic Power
Victor Felipe Pellot (November 1, 1927November 29, 2005), also known professionally as Vic Power, was a Puerto Ricans, Puerto Rican professional baseball first baseman. He played twelve seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athl ...
, finished third with a 2-4 record. The team led the tournament with 10 home runs but only scored 27 runs. OF
Tommy Davis was named the Series
Most Valuable Player
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
after hitting .409 with three homers, six RBI, seven runs, two stolen bases, and a .818 SLG%. Other contributions came from
third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
Woody Huyke Elwood B. Huyke (born September 28, 1937 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a minor league baseball player, coach, and manager.
Huyke played for the Hastings Giants, a San Francisco Giants minor league affiliate, in 1959. He played for the Monterrey Sul ...
(.350, one HR, .500 SLG), SS
Félix Torres (3 HR), and OF/1B
Orlando Cepeda
Orlando Manuel Cepeda Pennes (; born September 17, 1937), nicknamed "the Baby Bull" and "Peruchin", is a Puerto Rican former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for six teams from 1958 to 1974, primarily the San Francisco Giants. A ...
(.333, .524 SLG, two SB). The team's two victories came from pitchers
Earl Wilson (1-1, 15 strikeouts in 15
innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
) and
Juan Pizarro (1-1, 16 SO in 14 IP).
Venezuela was represented by the
Occidental League champion as a late replacement after a players
strike
Strike may refer to:
People
*Strike (surname)
Physical confrontation or removal
*Strike (attack), attack with an inanimate object or a part of the human body intended to cause harm
*Airstrike, military strike by air forces on either a suspected ...
in the
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League or Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (LVBP) is the professional baseball league in Venezuela. The league's champion takes part in the Caribbean Series each year.
History Early years
Baseball exp ...
. The Rapiños team ended in last place with a 1-5 record and was managed by
Les Moss
John Lester Moss (May 14, 1925 – August 29, 2012) was an Americans, American professional baseball player, Coach (baseball), coach, Scout (sports), scout and Manager (baseball), manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the S ...
. Venezuela's only victory came at expense of Puerto Rico behind a strong pitching effort by
Ed Hobaugh
Edward Russell Hobaugh (born June 27, 1934) is a retired American Major League Baseball player. The right-handed pitcher appeared in 61 big league games pitched between 1961 and 1963 for the Washington Senators. Born in Kittanning, Pennsylvani ...
. The starting rotation was depleted after
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 ...
was injured, while
Billy Muffett
Billy Arnold Muffett (September 21, 1930 – June 15, 2008) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He pitched in the Major Leagues for all or parts of six seasons (1957–1962) for the St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants ...
(0-2, 6.00 ERA) was a notable weak spot, even though he pitched a 12-inning
complete game
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
. The offense was guided by
CF Willie Davis (.333, .593 SLG, two SB) and
3B Luis García (.333, one HR, .542 SLG). 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 ...
and SS
Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel (born April 29, 1934), nicknamed "Little Louie", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop from 1956 to 1973 for three American League (AL) teams, m ...
provided a solid middle infield defense.
Scoreboards
Game 1, February 10
Game 2, February 10
Game 3, February 11
Game 4, February 11
Game 5, February 12
Game 6, February 12
Game 7, February 13
Game 8, February 13
Game 9, February 14
Game 10, February 14
Game 11, February 15
Game 12, February 15
See also
*
Ballplayers who have played in the Series
Notes
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 Panama
Sports competitions in Panama City
1960 in Panamanian sport
1960 in Caribbean sport
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 ...
20th century in Panama City