1941 Amateur World Series

1941 Amateur World Series

Tournament details
Host country	Cuba
Dates	27 September – 22 October
Teams	9 (from 2 continents)
Venue	1 (in 1 host city)
Defending champions	Cuba (1940)
Final positions
Champions	Venezuela (1st title)
Runner-up	Cuba
Third place	Mexico
Fourth place	Panama
Tournament statistics
Games played	36
Most Valuable Player	José Casanova
← 1940 1942 →

The 1941 Amateur World Series was the fourth Amateur World Series, later known as the Baseball World Cup. It was contested by nine different teams playing eight games each from September 27 through October 22 in Havana, Cuba. Venezuela won the tournament for the first time.^[1][2]

Format

All teams participated in a single-match round-robin, resulting in eight games for each team. In case of a tie for best record at the end of the round-robin, a single playoff game would be held to determine the overall winner.

Results

1941 Amateur World Series
Champion	Runners-Up	Third Place
Venezuela	Cuba 1st award	Mexico

Playoffs

	Playoff Game
	1	Venezuela	3
	2	Cuba	1

Final standings

Final Standings
	Pos.	Team	W	L	RS	RA
	1	Venezuela	8	1
	2	Cuba	7	2
	3	Mexico	6	2
	4 (tied)	Dominican Republic	5	3
	4 (tied)	Panama	5	3
	6 (tied)	Nicaragua	2	6
	6 (tied)	United States	2	6
	8 (tied)	El Salvador	1	7
	8 (tied)	Puerto Rico	1	7

Players

•  Venezuela
  • Héctor Benítez collected at least one hit in each of his nine games and led the series with three triples.
  • Daniel Canónico (4–0, 1.69 ERA) was the most dominant pitcher in the series, winning five of the team's games including the series-tying and deciding games against Cuba. He would go on to a career as a player and manager in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.
  • José Antonio Casanova earned the Most Valuable Player award for the tournament.
  • José Pérez Colmenares drove in five runs and scored 11 times in the nine contests.
  • Chucho Ramos was on the team as an outfielder and would have a brief stint with the Cincinnati Reds in 1944.^[3]
  • Dalmiro Finol, who years later would hit the first home run in Venezuelan professional baseball (1946) as well as the first homer in Caribbean Series history (1949).

•  Cuba
  • Bernardo Cuervo hit a .400 average and led the tournament with 10 runs batted in.
  • Andrés Fleitas (.378) was the brother of Washington Senators shortstop Ángel Fleitas.^[4]
  • Clemente González (.395) had the most hits in the tournament with 17.
  • Connie Marrero (3-0, 0.46 ERA) was very effective during round-robin play, but suffered the loss in the playoff game.
  • Rogelio Martínez (2-0, 0.00 ERA) would have a cup of coffee with the Washington Senators in 1950.^[5]
  • Julio Moreno (1-1, 1.29 ERA) was another effective pitcher for the team. He went on to play four seasons with the Washington Senators in the early 1950s.^[6]
  • Tony Ordeñana (.256) led the tournament with 14 runs scored, and go on to play a single major league game with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1943.^[7]
  • Nap Reyes (.343) contributed for a second Amateur World Series.

•  Mexico
  • Victor Canales hit five doubles to lead the tournament and would go on to play for several years in the minor leagues.

•  Panama
  • León Kellman hit the only home run of the series and would go on to a career in the Negro League and Mexican League.^[8]
  • Pat Scantlebury pitched for the team and would go on to have a long Negro League career as well as a short stint with the Cincinnati Reds.^[9]

•  Nicaragua
  • Carlos Navas would take the base stealing title for the tournament by swiping six bags.

References

1. "1941 Amateur World Series". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
2. Bjarkman, Peter (2007). A History of Cuban Baseball, 1864-2006. McFarland. ISBN 0786428295.
3. "Chucho Ramos". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
4. "Andrés Fleitas". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
5. "Rogelio Martínez". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
6. "Julio Moreno". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
7. "Tony Ordenana". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
8. "León Kellman". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
9. "Pat Scantlebury". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 21 March 2013.

External links

• Historia de la Copa Mundial (1938-1948) (Spanish)
• IV Serie Mundial de Béisbol Amateur – 1941 (Spanish)