1957 Caribbean Series

1957 Caribbean Series
Tournament details
Country	Cuba
City	Havana
Venue(s)	1 (in 1 host city)
Dates	9–14 February
Teams	4
Final positions
Champions	Tigres de Marianao (1st title)
Runner-up	Cerveza Balboa
Tournament statistics
MVP	Solly Drake
	← 1956 1958 →

The ninth edition of the Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) was played in 1957. It was held from February 9 through February 14, featuring the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Tigres de Marianao; Panama, Cerveza Balboa; Puerto Rico, Indios de Mayagüez, and Venezuela, Leones del Caracas. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio del Cerro in Havana, the Cuban capital. The first pitch was thrown by Ford Frick, by then the Commissioner of Major League Baseball.

Summary

The Cuban team was managed by Napoleón Reyes and finished with a 5–1 mark, with their only loss coming to Puerto Rico. Marianao offensive was clearly guided by Series MVP outfielder Solly Drake, who won the batting title with a .500 batting average and also led in runs (9), hits (11) and stolen bases (4). Supporting him were fellow OF Minnie Miñoso (.391, seven RBI, five runs) and catcher Hal Smith (.273, seven RBI). Pitcher Jim Bunning got two wins with a 0.61 ERA, including a seven-hit, one-run game and 5+2⁄3 scoreless innings of relief. Behind him were Mike Fornieles (1–0, 3.00), Bill Werle (1–1, 3.94) and Conrado Marrero (0–0, 2.70). Also in the roster were reliever Enrique Maroto and infielders Julio Bécquer, Harold Bevan and José Valdivielso.

Panama, managed by catcher León Kellman, posted a 3–3 record for a surprising second-place finish. Balboa most prominent player was Winston Brown, who pitched a six-hit, one run complete game and a four-hit shutout, in both cases against Venezuela. Another gem game from George Brunet (1–1, 17 SO, 1.76 ERA), who pitched the first shutout for a Panamanian team in Series history, and also hit one of the club's two homers. 1B Harold Gordon led the attack with a .412 BA. Other roster members included 2B Héctor López and P Dutch Romberger.

Puerto Rico tied with Venezuela for third place with a 2–4 mark. The Mayagüez team was piloted by Mickey Owen, while RF Canena Márquez provided the support attack (375, three HR, five runs, .792 SLG). The other major contributors were 1B Bob Speake (.391, one HR, five RBI, .652 SLG) and P José Santiago, who handed Marianao their only lost, throwing a three-hit shutout. Puerto Rico also featured 2B Bob Aspromonte, OF Bob Smith, and pitchers Herb Plews and Pete Wojey, among others.

Venezuela, guided by Clay Bryant, included C John Roseboro (.376 BA, .556 SLG); IFs Rudy Regalado (.292 BA), Pompeyo Davalillo (.381, three SB, four runs), Chico Carrasquel (.292, HR, .458 SLG) and Luis García (2-for-13, 2B, RBI), as well as OFs Tom Burgess (4-for-24) and Bob Wilson (4-for-22). Caracas pitchers Babe Birrer (1–1, 2.60) and Julián Ladera (1–0, 2.25) collected the only wins for the team in complete-game efforts. Emilio Cueche took a complete-game loss after giving up two unearned runs in Game 5, and later hurled two scoreless innings of relief for a perfect 0.00 ERA, the best for the Series.

Participating teams

Team	Manager
Cerveza Balboa	León Kellman
Indios de Mayagüez	Mickey Owen
Leones del Caracas	Clay Bryant
Tigres de Marianao	Napoleón Reyes

Final standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	RF	RA	RD	PCT	GB
1	Tigres de Marianao (H)	6	5	1	27	16	+11	.833	—
2	Cerveza Balboa	6	3	3	14	15	−1	.500	2
3	Indios de Mayagüez	6	2	4	22	31	−9	.333	3
4	Leones del Caracas	6	2	4	23	24	−1	.333	3

Source: CBPC
(H) Hosts

Scoreboards

Game 1, February 9


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	2		0	0	0	0	0	1	3	7	2
Venezuela	2	3	1	1	0	0	0	3	X	10	14	3
WP: Babe Birrer (1-0) LP: Bob Smith (0-1) Home runs: PRI: Luis Márquez (1) VEN: John Roseboro (1)

Game 2, February 9


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	7	1
Cuba	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	1	X	4	6	0
WP: Jim Bunning (1-0) LP: Ronald Scheetz (0-1) Home runs: PAN: John Gleen (1) CUB: None

Game 3, February 10


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	1	0	0	0	4	2	0	7	11	1
Panama	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	2	6
WP: Pete Wojey (1-0) LP: George Brunet (0-1) Home runs: PRI: Pete Wojey (1) PAN: None

Game 4, February 10


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	2	0	2	0	0	0	3	0	0	7	12	0
Venezuela	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	1
WP: Mike Fornieles (1-0) LP: Bob Blaylock (0-1) Home runs: CUB: None VEN: Chico Carrasquel (1)

Game 5, February 11


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	6	3
Panama	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	X	2	4	0
WP: Winston Brown (1-0) LP: Emilio Cueche (0-1)

Game 6, February 11


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	2	1	6	16	1
Cuba	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	2
WP: José Santiago (1-0) LP: Bill Werle (0-1) Home runs: PRI: Luis Márquez (2) CUB: None

Game 7, February 12


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	2	0	1	3	0	0	1	0	7	9	1
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	3	6	2
WP: Julián Ladera (1-0) LP: Duke Maas (0-1) Home runs: VEN: None PRI: Bob Speake (1)

Game 8, February 12


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	3	0
Panama	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	1
WP: Jim Bunning (2-0) LP: Ronald Scheetz (0-2)

Game 9, February 13


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	3	0	5	10	1
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	2
WP: George Brunet (1-1) LP: Bob Smith (0-2)

Game 10, February 13


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	1	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	4	10	4
Cuba	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	3	5	10	0
WP: Vicente López (1-0) LP: Babe Birrer (1-1) Home runs: VEN: Bob Wilson (1) CUB: None

Game 11, February 14


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	12	1
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	3
WP: Winston Brown (2-0) LP: John Jancse (0-1)

Game 12, February 14


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	1	0	3	1	1	1	0	0	1	8	11	1
Puerto Rico	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	3	11	3
WP: Bill Werle (1-1) LP: Pete Wojey (1-1) Home runs: CUB: Julio Bécquer (1) PRI: None

Statistics leaders

Statistic	Player	Team	Total
Batting average	Solly Drake	Tigres de Marianao	.500
Home runs	Luis Márquez	Indios de Mayagüez	2
Runs batted in	Minnie Miñoso	Tigres de Marianao	7
Runs batted in	Hal R. Smith	Tigres de Marianao	7
Runs	Solly Drake	Tigres de Marianao	9
Hits	Solly Drake	Tigres de Marianao	11
Doubles	John Roseboro	Leones del Caracas	2
Triples	Five tied		1
Stolen bases	Solly Drake	Tigres de Marianao	4
Wins	Winston Brown	Cerveza Balboa	2
Wins	Jim Bunning	Tigres de Marianao	2
Earned run average	Emilio Cueche	Leones del Caracas	0.00
Strikeouts	George Brunet	Cerveza Balboa	17
Innings pitched	Winston Brown	Cerveza Balboa	18.0

Awards

Tournament Awards^[1]
Award	Player	Team
MVP	Solly Drake	Tigres de Marianao
Best manager	Napoléon Reyes	Tigres de Marianao

All Star Team^[2]
Position	Player	Team
First base	Bob Speake	Indios de Mayagüez
Second base	Pompeyo Davalillo	Leones del Caracas
Third base	Clyde Parris	Cerveza Balboa
Shortstop	José Valdivielso	Tigres de Marianao
Left field	Minnie Miñoso	Tigres de Marianao
Center field	Solly Drake	Tigres de Marianao
Right field	Luis Márquez	Indios de Mayagüez
Catcher	Hal R. Smith	Tigres de Marianao
Pitcher	Winston Brown	Cerveza Balboa

References

^ "Posiciones de los Equipos". seriedelcaribe.net (in Spanish). Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
^ "Anuario oficial Serie Del Caribe 2022" (in Spanish). Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe. p. 26. Retrieved 13 June 2023. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)

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

[1] "Posiciones de los Equipos". seriedelcaribe.net (in Spanish). Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe. Retrieved 13 June 2023.

[awards-2] "Anuario oficial Serie Del Caribe 2022" (in Spanish). Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe. p. 26. Retrieved 13 June 2023. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)

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