1957 Caribbean Series

The IX 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 5⅔ 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 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.

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: 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

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

Caribbean Series

Years	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 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Circuits	Dominican Professional Baseball League Mexican Pacific 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.

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