1957 Caribbean Series

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 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.

Final standings[]


Country	Club	W	L	W/L %	Managers
Cuba	Tigres de Marianao	5	1	.833	Napoleón Reyes
Panama	Cerveza Balboa	3	3	.500	León Kellman
Puerto Rico	Indios de Mayagüez	2	4	.333	Mickey Owen
Venezuela	Leones del Caracas	2	4	.333	Clay Bryant

Individual leaders
Player/Club	Statistic
Solly Drake/CUB	Batting average	.500
Luis Márquez/PRI	Home runs	2
Minnie Miñoso/CUB Hal Smith/CUB	RBI	7
Solly Drake/CUB	Runs	9
Solly Drake/CUB	Hits	11
John Roseboro/VEN	Doubles	2
Five tied	Triples	1
Solly Drake/CUB	Stolen bases	4
Winston Brown/PAN Jim Bunning/CUB	Wins	2
George Brunet/PAN	Strikeouts	17
Emilio Cueche/VEN	ERA	0.00
Winston Brown/PAN	Innings pitched	18
Awards
Solly Drake/CUB	Most Valuable Player
Napoleón Reyes/CUB	Manager

All-Star Team
Name/Club	Position
Hal Smith/CUB	catcher
Bob Speake/PRI	first baseman
Pompeyo Davalillo/VEN	second baseman
Clyde Parris/PAN	third baseman
José Valdivielso/CUB	shortstop
Minnie Miñoso/CUB	left fielder
Solly Drake/CUB	center fielder
Luis Márquez/PRI	right fielder
Winston Brown/PAN Jim Bunning/CUB	pitchers
Napoleón Reyes/CUB	manager

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: (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: (0-1) Home runs: PAN: (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: (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: (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: (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: (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

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.

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Circuits	Colombian Professional Baseball League Cuban National Series Dominican Professional Baseball League Mexican Pacific League Panamanian Professional Baseball League Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
Related articles	Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame Caribbean Series Most Valuable Player Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame List of players who have played in the Series Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame
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.