1954 Caribbean Series

The VI edition of the Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) was played in 1954. It was held from February 18 through February 23 with the champions teams from Cuba (Almendares) Panama (Carta Vieja) Puerto Rico (Caguas) and Venezuela (Pastora). The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Sixto Escobar stadium in San Juan, P.R..

Contents 1 Summary 2 Scoreboards 2.1 Game 1, February 18 2.2 Game 2, February 18 2.3 Game 3, February 19 2.4 Game 4, February 19 2.5 Game 5, February 20 2.6 Game 6, February 20 2.7 Game 7, February 21 2.8 Game 8, February 21 2.9 Game 9, February 22 2.10 Game 10, February 22 2.11 Game 11, February 23 2.12 Game 12, February 23 3 See also 4 Sources 5 External links

Summary

Puerto Rico won the Series with a 4-2 record in route for a second straight championship (third overall). The Caguas club was managed by Mickey Owen and led by center fielder and Series MVP Jim Rivera, who posted a .400 batting average to lead the hitters. Caguas also received offensive support from 1B Víctor Pellot Power (.348) and 2B Jack Cassini (.333). Meanwhile, the pitching staff surrendered only 10 earned runs (2.00 ERA), being led by starters Corky Valentine (1-0, 1.00 ERA, five hits), Brooks Lawrence (1-0, 1.00, six hits) and Rubén Gómez (1-0, 2.00, five hits), while reliever Luis Arroyo added depth coming out of the bullpen (three appearances, 1-0, 0.00, 7⅓ innings). Puerto Rico also had Jack Sanford (P) in addition to Félix Mantilla (SS), Charlie Neal (IF) and Luis (Canena) Márquez.

Cuba, piloted by Bobby Bragan, had a 3-3 record to tie the second place with Panama. The Cuban squad got fine work of P Conrado Marrero (1-0, five-hit shutout), CF Sam Chapman (.391, homeruun, .609 SLG) and RF Angel Scull (.391, .522 SLG). Other roster members included Julio Bécquer (1B), Joe Hatten (P), Cholly Naranjo (P) and Héctor Rodríguez (3B).

Panama was managed by Al Kubski and received a heroic pitching effort by starter Victor Stryska (2-0), who allowed just one earned run in 18 innings of work. The attack was guided by 3B Joe Tuminelli (.391) and LF Bobby Prescott (.381), in an anemic lineup who batted a collective .255 average and scored 17 runs (fewest in the Series).

Venezuela was guided by Napoleón Reyes and finished in last place with a 2-4 record. Ramón Monzant (1-0, 3.00) and Ralph Beard (1-0, 7.20) got the victories, while Howie Fox collected a 2.58 ERA in two appearances but lose a decision. Bad luck starter Thornton Kipper dropped two decisions, losing his duels against Gómez (PR) and Stryska (PAN), while allowing four earned runs (2.12) in 17 innings. 3B Luis García provided the lone offensive threat with a .348 BA and a .563 SLG, including nine RBI to lead the Series hitters. Venezuela included Ed Bailey (C), Vernon Benson (SS), Tommy Byrne (P/1B), Wally Moon (CF), Johnny Temple and rookie Luis Aparicio (SS), among others.

Final standings
	Club	W	L	W/L %	GB
	Puerto Rico	4	2	.667	–
	Cuba	3	3	.500	1.0
	Panama	3	3	.500	1.0
	Venezuela	2	4	.333	2.0

Individual leaders
Player/Club	Statistic
Jim Rivera / PRI	Batting average	.450
Ray Orteig / CUB	Home runs	2
Luis García / VEN	RBI	9
Angel Scull / CUB	Runs	5
Jim Rivera / PRI	Hits	9
Víctor Pellot Power / PRI Bobby Prescott / PAN	Doubles	3
Five tied	Triples	1
Jack Cassini / PRI	Stolen bases	2
Victor Stryska / PAN	Wins	2
Joe Hatten / CUB	Strikeouts	12
Victor Stryska / PAN	ERA	0.50
Howie Fox / VEN	Saves	1
Victor Stryska / PAN	Innings pitched	18
Awards
Jim Rivera / PRI	Most Valuable Player
Mickey Owen / PRI	Manager

All-Star Team
Name/Club	Position
Ray Orteig / CUB	catcher
Víctor Pellot Power / PRI	first baseman
Jack Cassini / PRI	second baseman
Luis García / VEN	third baseman
Vern Benson / VEN	shortstop
Bobby Prescott / PAN	left fielder
Jim Rivera / PRI	center fielder
Sam Chapman / CUB	right fielder
Victor Stryska / PAN	pitcher
Mickey Owen / PRI	manager

Scoreboards

Game 1, February 18

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	7	10	3
Cuba	2	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	5	10	1
WP: Ralph Beard (1-0)   LP: Junior Walsh (0-1)   Sv: Howie Fox (1) Home runs: : None CUB: Joe Hatten (1) * Game was called after eight innings due to time limit.

Game 2, February 18

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	0	0	4	7	1
Puerto Rico	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	8	1
WP: Victor Stryska (1-0)   LP: Jack Sanford (0-1)

Game 3, February 19

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	0	2	2	2	0	0	4	0	3	13	16	1
Panama	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	2
WP: Conrado Marrero (1-0)   LP: Humberto Robinson (0-1) Home runs: CUB: Ray Orteig 2 (2) PAN: None

Game 4, February 19

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	3	7	0
Venezuela	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	3
WP: Rubén Gómez (1-0)   LP: Thornton Kipper (0-1) Home runs: PRI: None VEN: Luis García (1) * Future Hall of Famer SS Luis Aparicio debuted in the Series.

Game 5, February 20

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	3	6	5
'Venezuela	5	3	0	0	1	0	0	0	X	9	7	1
WP: Ramón Monzant (1-0)   LP: Cookie Stemple (0-1) Home runs: PAN: None VEN: Billy Quenn (1)

Game 6, February 20

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	6	0
Cuba	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	0
WP: Brooks Lawrence (1-0)   LP: Cliff Fannin (0-1) Home runs: PRI: Bill Howerton (1), Ranee Pless (1) CUB: Sam Chapman (1)

Game 7, February 21

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	R	H	E
Cuba	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	7	1
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	9	3
WP: Clarence Lott (1-0)   LP: Howie Fox (0-1) Home runs: CUB: None VEN: * Game was called after eight innings due to time limit.

Game 8, February 21

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	6	12	0
Panama	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	3	8	3
WP: Luis Arroyo (1-0)   LP: Humberto Robinson (0-2) Home runs: PRI: None PAN: Ray Dabek (1)

Game 9, February 22

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
'Panama	0	0	0	2	0	3	0	0	0	5	7	0
Cuba	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	2
WP: Bill Hockenbury (1-0)   LP: Bob Muncrief (0-1)

Game 10, February 22

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	5	2
Puerto Rico	2	3	0	0	2	0	0	0	X	7	8	0
WP: Corky Valentine (1-0)   LP: Ralph Beard (1-1)

Game 11, February 23

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	1
Panama	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	10	2
WP: Victor Stryska (2-0)   LP: Thornton Kipper (0-2)

Game 12, February 23

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	1
Puerto Rico	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	6	4
WP: Junior Walsh (1-1)   LP: Chi-Chi Olivo (0-1)

 

See also

• Ballplayers who have played in the Series

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

• Official site
• Latino Baseball
• Series del Caribe, Las (Spanish)

   

Caribbean Series 1949 • 1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 • 1954 • 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 1959 • 1960 • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 1961 to 1969 - The Series was not held during these years following the dissolution of Cuba's professional league. 1981 - The Series was not held due to a Venezuelan player's strike.