1949 Caribbean Series

The I edition of the Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) was played in 1949. It was held from February 20 through February 25 with the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Alacranes del Almendares; Panama, Spur Cola Colonites; Puerto Rico, Indios de Mayagüez and Venezuela, Cervecería Caracas. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at the Del Cerro Stadium in Havana, Cuba, which boosted capacity to 35.000 seats. The first pitch was thrown by George Trautman, by then the president of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues.

Summary

Cuba captured the competition with an undefeated record of 6-0, behind a strong pitching effort by Agapito Mayor, who posted a 3-0 record (2 as a starter, 1 in relief) and won Most Valuable Player honors. His three wins in the CBWS still a series record. The offensive support came from Monte Irvin, who hit .389 and led the hitters with two home runs and 11 RBI; Al Gionfriddo, the champion bat with a .533 average (8-for-15); Chuck Connors, who hit .409 with five runs and five RBI, and Sam Jethroe, a .320 hitter with three triples, six runs, and five RBI. Cuba, managed by Fermin Guerra, also collected a 4–0 shutout by Ed Wright (the first in Series history) and complete game wins from René Solís and Conrado Marrero. Other roster members were Santos Amaro, Andrés Fleitas and René González.

Venezuela, managed by José Antonio Casanova, ended second with a 3-3 mark. José Bracho led the pitching staff with a 2-0 record and a 3.21 ERA in 14 innings. He also contributed to his own cause by going 5-for-6 (.833) with a double and two RBI. Luis Zuloaga won a complete-game pitching duel against Puerto Rico's Alonzo Perry for the other Venezuelan victory. The offense was paced by catcher Guillermo Vento (.375) and first baseman Dalmiro Finol (.333), who also hit the first home run in Series history. Veteran slugger Vidal López reinforced the team, going 1-for-2 in a pitch-hitting role.

Panama finished third with a 2-4 record. The team, managed by catcher León Kellman, had a solid pitching staff that included Sam Jones and Pat Scantlebury, but was victim of a low-run support. Lester Lockett went 9-for-22 with two doubles, while leading the team in both average (.409) and runs scored (six). Kellman batted only .238, but stole four bases to tie teammate Sam Bankhead and Cuba's Chuck Connors for the Series lead.

Puerto Rico ended in fourth place with a 1-5 record. The team was led by shortstop-manager Artie Wilson (.346, three stolen bases), Quincy Trouppe (.444), Luke Easter (.400, 7 RBI), and specially Wilmer Fields, who hit the first grand slam in Series history and drove in seven runs.

Final standings

Country Club W L W/L % GB Managers
  Cuba Alacranes del Almendares 6 0 1.000      Fermin Guerra
  Venezuela Cervecería Caracas 3 3   .500 3.0   José Antonio Casanova
  Panama Carta Vieja Yankees 2 4   .333 4.0   León Kellman
  Puerto Rico Indios de Mayagüez 1 5   .167 5.0   Artie Wilson


Individual leaders
Player/Club Statistic
Al Gionfriddo/CUB Batting average .533
Monte Irvin/CUB Home runs     2
Monte Irvin/CUB Runs batted in   11
Agapito Mayor/CUB Victories     3
Awards
Agapito Mayor/CUB Most Valuable Player
Fermín Guerra/CUB Manager

Scoreboards

Game 1, February 20

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Panama 1 1 0 1 0 10 0 0 0 13 15 4
Puerto Rico 4 0 0 1 0   0 1 3 0   9 16 2
WP: Pat Scantlebury (1-0)   LP: Wilmer Fields (0-1)

Game 2, February 20

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 0 1 0 1 2 7 1 4 0 16 21 0
Venezuela 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0   1   4 4
WP: Conrado Marrero (1-0)   LP: Julio Bracho (0-1)
Home runs:
CUB: None
VEN: Dalmiro Finol (1) [First HR of the Series]

Game 3, February 21

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Panama 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 6 1
Venezuela 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 4 8 1
WP: José Bracho (1-0)   LP: Sam Jones (0-1)
Notes: Bracho tossed a complete game and batted a two-RBI double to break a tie in the 7th inning.

Game 4, February 21

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 1 0 5 9 4
Cuba 0 0 4 0 0 2 0 2 x 8 9 0
WP: Agapito Mayor (1-0)   LP: Bill Powell (0-1)

Game 5, February 22

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 11 1
Venezuela 0 1 1 0 1 0 2 0 x 5 11 0
WP: Luis Zuloaga (1-0)   LP: Alonso Perry (0-1)

Game 6, February 21

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 4 6 0
Panama 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 2
WP: Ed Wright (1-0) [First shutout of the Series]   LP: León Goicoechea (0-1)

Game 7, February 23

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 11 13 2
Panama 0 2 0 0 0 2 5 0 0   9 13 2
WP: Bill Powell (1-1)   LP: León Goicoechea (0-2)
Home runs:
PUR: Wilmer Fields (1) [First grand slam of the Series]
PAN: None

Game 8, February 23

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Venezuela 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 3   8 5
Cuba 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 x 6 11 1
WP: René Solís (1-0)   LP: Daniel Canónico (0-1)

Game 9, February 24

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Venezuela 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 1
Panama 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 x 3 6 0
WP: Sam Jones (1-1)   LP: Domingo Barboza (0-1)

Game 10, February 24

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 9 1 11 11 1
Puerto Rico 2 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0   4 11 4
WP: Agapito Mayor (2-0)   LP: Bill Powell (1-2)
Home runs:
CUB: Monte Irvin (1)
PUR: None

Game 11, February 25

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Venezuela 6 4 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 14 17 0
Puerto Rico 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 0   4   8 3
WP: José Bracho (2-0)   LP: Cefo Conde (0-1)   Sv: Julio Bracho (1)
Home runs:
VEN: Chico Carrasquel (1)
PUR: None
Notes: Jo. Bracho allowed three runs over five-plus innings and went 3-for-3. Ju. Bracho earned the save in a four-inning stint.

Game 12, February 25

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Panama 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 7 3
Cuba 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 0 x 5 6 0
WP: Agapito Mayor (3-0)   LP: León Goicoechea (0-3)
Home runs:
PAN: None
CUB: Monte Irvin (2), Héctor Rodríguez (1)
Notes: Mayor's three victories record still as the longest in Series history.

See also

Sources

External links

   

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