1951 Caribbean Series

The III 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 champions teams from Cuba (Habana), Panama (Spur Cola), Puerto Rico (Santurce) and Venezuela (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.

Contents

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 José "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 "Chiquitín" Cabrera led the Series hitters with an astronomical .619 batting average (13-for-23), and the pitching staff was led by Adrián Zabala (2-0), Hoyt Wilhelm (1-1) and Bill Ayers (1 win, 1 save). Were also included in the roster 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. Other significant players in the roster included LF Johnny Davis (10 walks, six runs, SS Jim Pendleton, 1B Chucho Ramos, CF Ed Knoblauch, and pitchers José Bracho (1-1), Clem Labine (1-1) and Alex Carrasquel (0-1).

Panama ended with a 1-5 mark and was managed by Leon Kellman. The team's only victory came behind a strong pitching effort from starter Connie Johnson over the Cuban team while 1B Archie Ware (.348) guided the offense.

Final standings
Club W L W/L % GB
Puerto Rico 5 1 .833   --
Cuba 4 2 .667 1.0
Venezuela 2 4 .333 3.0
Panama 1 5 .167 5.0
Individual leaders
Player/Club Statistic
Lorenzo Cabrera/CUB Batting average .615
Luis Rodríguez Olmo/PRI Home runs     3
René González/VEN Runs batted in   11
Stan Breard/PRI Runs     8
Lorenzo Cabrera/CUB Hits   13
Stan Breard/PRI Doubles     4
Sandy Amorós/CUB
Jim Gilliam/PRI
Bob Thurman/PRI
Triples     1
Charles Douglas/PAN Stolen bases     3
Rubén Gómez/PRI
José Santiago/PRI
Adrián Zabala/CUB
Wins     2
Awards
Luis Rodríguez Olmo/PRI Most Valuable Player
George Scales/PRI Manager

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)
CUB: 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:
PRI: 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: Ed Knoublach (1)
PAN: None

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:
PRI: 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)

 

See also

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.

External links