1952 Caribbean Series

Summary

The fourth edition of the Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) was played in 1952. It was held from February 20 through February 26, featuring the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Leones del Habana; Panama, Carta Vieja Yankees; Puerto Rico, Senadores de San Juan and Venezuela, Cervecería Caracas. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at Panama City. The first pitch was thrown by Alcibíades Arosemena, by then the President of Panama.

1952 Caribbean Series
Tournament details
CountryPanama
CityPanama City
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Dates20–26 February
Teams4
Final positions
ChampionsCuba Leones del Habana (1st title)
Runner-upPanama Carta Vieja Yankees
Tournament statistics
MVPUnited States Tommy Fine
← 1951
1953 →

Summary edit

Cuba became the first country to win two Caribbean Series championships with an undefeated record of 5–0. The Cuban team, with manager/catcher Mike González at the helm, won the Series behind a strong pitching effort by Tommy Fine, who posted a 2–0 record with a 1.50 ERA in two complete-games and won Most Valuable Player honors. After a 3–3 tie against Puerto Rico in the Series opener, he was called by the Cuban team as a late replacement for future Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm. Fine posted the first no-hitter pitched in any Caribbean series game, to give his team a 1–0 win against Venezuela. Five days later, Fine faced Panama's club and was close to glory. He was three outs from consecutive no-hitters in the series, having allowed a single in the ninth inning to break it up. His 17 hitless streak also is the longest in series history. Outfielder Sandy Amorós led series hitters with a .450 batting average (9-for-20), including personal numbers with a .650 SLG, six runs, six RBI. Other contributions came from OF Fernando Pedroso (.400), catcher Andrés Fleitas (.304), and infielders Lou Klein (.333) and Spider Jorgensen, who hit two of the team's three home runs.

The clubs from Panama and Venezuela tied for second place with a 3–3 record. Panama was managed by Al Leap and included in the roster infielders Spook Jacobs, Joe Tuminelli and Jim Cronin, catcher León Kellman, and pitchers Connie Johnson and Marion Fricano.

The Venezuelan club, led by José Antonio Casanova, featured players as right fielder Wilmer Fields (.360, two HR, .720 SLG, 8 RBI), shortstop Chico Carrasquel and third baseman Luis García, as well as catcher/outfielder Guillermo Vento and pitchers José Bracho, Emilio Cueche, Bob Griffith, Johnny Hetki, Al Papai and Luis Zuloaga. In addition, center fielder Héctor Benítez and third baseman Buddy Hicks joined Fields in the All-Star team.

After a tied game with Cuba, Puerto Rico's team failed to win in their next five games. Managed by Fred Thon, their roster included outfielders Nino Escalera and Luis Rodríguez Olmo; pitchers Red Adams, Luis Arroyo, Art Ditmar and Pantalones Santiago, and OF/P Cot Deal.

Participating teams edit

Team Manager
  Carta Vieja Yankees   Al Leap
  Cervecería Caracas   José Antonio Casanova
  Leones del Habana   Mike González
  Senadores de San Juan   Freddie Thon

Final standings edit

Pos Team Pld W D L RF RA RD PCT GB
1   Leones del Habana 6 5 1 0 29 11 +18 .917
2   Carta Vieja Yankees (H) 6 3 0 3 20 21 −1 .500 2.5
3   Cervecería Caracas 6 3 0 3 13 18 −5 .500 2.5
4   Senadores de San Juan 6 0 1 5 13 25 −12 .083 5
Source: CBPC
(H) Hosts

Scoreboards edit

Game 1, February 20 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 6 0 3 5 1
Puerto Rico 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 3 7 2
WP: None   LP: TBD
Home runs:
CUB: Spider Jorgensen (1)
PUR: Cot Deal (1)

Game 2, February 20 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E
Venezuela 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 10 1
Panama 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1   6 2
WP: Johnny Hetki (1-0)   LP: Dave Thomas (0-1)
Home runs:
VEN: None
PAN: Jim Cronin (1)

Game 3, February 21 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Venezuela 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Cuba 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 x 1 4 2
WP: Tommy Fine (1-0)   LP: Al Papai (0-1)
Notes: Fine posted the first no-hitter pitched in Series history, striking out four while walking three.

Game 4, February 21 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Panama 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 6 9 2
Puerto Rico 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 2
WP: Hisel Patrick (1-0)   LP: Red Adams (0-1)
Home runs:
PAN: Dale Lynch (1)
PUR: None

Game 5, February 22 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E
Venezuela 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 3 8 2
Puerto Rico 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 8 1
WP: José Bracho (1-0)   LP: Cot Deal (0-1)   Sv: Emilio Cueche (1)
Notes: Bracho hurled 10 innings and went 2-for-2 with two walks.

Game 6, February 22 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Panama 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 8 3
Cuba 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 x 4 5 1
WP: Rogelio Martínez (1-0)   LP: Marion Fricano (0-1)
Home runs:
PAN: None
CUB: Spider Jorgensen (2)

Game 7, February 23 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 4 2
Cuba 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 7 0
WP: Jackie Collum (1-0)   LP: Roberto Vargas (0-1)
Home runs:
PUR: Luis Rodríguez Olmo (1)
CUB: Lou Klein (1)

Game 8, February 23 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Panama 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 4 8 0
Venezuela 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 8 1
WP: Alberto Osorio (1-0)   LP: Bill Samson (0-1)
Home runs:
PAN: Ed Knoublach (1)
VEN: None

Game 9, February 24 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 7 8 1
Venezuela 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 5 4
WP: Bill Ayers (1-0)   LP: Johnny Hetki (1-1)
Home runs:
CUB: None
VEN: Wilmer Fields (1)

Game 10, February 25 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 9 1
Panama 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 x 4 9 0
WP: Andrés Alonso (1-0)   LP: José Santiago (0-1)

Game 11, February 26 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3   7 1
Venerzuela 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 x 6 11 2
WP: Al Papai (1-1)   LP: Red Adams (0-2)
Home runs:
PUR: None
VEN: Wilmer Fields (2), Mo Mozzali (1)

Game 12, February 26 edit

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 3 11 16 0
Panama 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3   3   3 2
WP: Tommy Fine (2-0)   LP: Hisel Patrick (0-1)
Notes: Fine had a no-hitter through eight innings, setting a Series record with 17 consecutive hitless innings pitched.

Statistics leaders edit

Statistic Player Team Total
Batting average   Sandy Amorós   Leones del Habana .450
Home runs   Wilmer Fields   Cervecería Caracas 2
  Spider Jorgensen   Leones del Habana
Runs batted in   Wilmer Fields   Cervecería Caracas 7
Runs   Stan Breard   Senadores de San Juan 8
Hits   Sandy Amorós   Leones del Habana 9
  Wilmer Fields   Cervecería Caracas
  Spook Jacobs   Carta Vieja Yankees
Doubles   Sandy Amorós   Leones del Habana 4
Triples   John Kropf   Carta Vieja Yankees 1
  Alberto Osorio   Carta Vieja Yankees
Stolen bases   Jerry Lynch   Carta Vieja Yankees 2
Wins   Tommy Fine   Leones del Habana 2
Earned run average   Tommy Fine   Leones del Habana 0.00
Complete games   Tommy Fine   Leones del Habana 2
  Johnny Hetki   Cervecería Caracas
Strikeouts   Johnny Hetki   Cervecería Caracas 9
Walks   Cot Deal   Senadores de San Juan 9

Awards edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Posiciones de los Equipos". seriedelcaribe.net (in Spanish). Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Anuario oficial Serie Del Caribe 2022" (in Spanish). Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe. p. 26. Retrieved 28 December 2022. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)

Sources edit

  • 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 edit

  • Official site
  • Latino Baseball
  • Series del Caribe, Las (Spanish)