Caribbean Series

Summary

The Caribbean Series (Spanish: Serie del Caribe) is an annual club tournament contested by professional baseball teams in Latin America. It is organized by the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation. The series is normally played in February, after the various winter leagues have ended their national tournaments.

Caribbean Series
SportBaseball
First season1949; 75 years ago (1949)
DirectorJuan Francisco Puello Herrera
Organising bodyCaribbean Professional Baseball Confederation
CountriesColombia
Dominican Republic
Mexico
Panama
Puerto Rico
Venezuela
RegionCaribbean and Latin America
Most recent
champion(s)
Venezuela Tiburones de La Guaira
(1st title)
(2024)
Most titlesDominican Republic Tigres del Licey
(11 titles)
TV partner(s)United States:
ESPN Deportes
Bally Sports
Related
competitions
LPB
LIDOM
LMP
PROBEIS
LBPRC
LVBP
Official websiteseriedelcaribe.net
Current sports event 2024 Caribbean Series

The Dominican Republic has won the most Caribbean Series championships (22), with Tigres del Licey being the most successful team in the tournament's history. The series has been won by 29 teams from seven different countries. Only two teams have won the tournament two years in a row, the most recent being Criollos de Caguas from Puerto Rico in 2017 and 2018.

History edit

The competition was the brainchild of Venezuelan baseball entrepreneur Pablo Morales and Oscar Prieto Ortiz, who devised the idea after seeing the success of the Serie Interamericana in 1946, which featured the clubs Brooklyn Bushwicks from the United States, Cervecería Caracas from Venezuela, Sultanes de Monterrey from Mexico, and an All-Star team composed of Cuban players.[1]

 
Pablo Morales and Oscar Prieto founded the Caribbean Series

Inspired by the Interamerican Series and his experience as a former president of the International Baseball Federation, Morales joined Prieto and presented the idea to baseball representatives of Cuba, Panama, and Puerto Rico during a meeting held in Havana on August 21, 1948.[2] The representatives then agreed to stage a four-country, round-robin tournament 12-game to be known as the Serie del Caribe, to be launched in Cuba from February 20–25 of 1949.

The Series ran annually from 1949 through 1960, with Cuba winning seven times. However, the event was suspended in 1961, as a result of the Cuban Revolution. Fidel Castro dissolved all professional baseball in Cuba, and MLB Commissioner Ford Frick ruled that American major leaguers were barred from playing in Havana, where the 1961 series had been scheduled.[3][4]

It was not until 1970 that the Caribbean Series was revived. Moreover, the 1981 Caribbean Series was not held due to a Venezuelan League player's strike.

The tournament featured the champions of the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela for over 40 years. Cuba returned in 2014. Panama returned to host the 2019 edition. Colombia was added for the 2020 edition, replacing Cuba who could not participate due to visa issues. Curaçao was invited as a guest in 2023.[5]

Participants edit

Key
  •   Member of the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation
Country League First edition
  Curaçao Curaçao Professional Baseball League 2023
  Dominican Republic Dominican Professional Baseball League 1970
  Mexico Mexican Pacific League 1971
  Nicaragua Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League 2024
  Panama Panamanian Professional Baseball League[a] 1949
  Puerto Rico Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente 1949
  Venezuela Venezuelan Professional Baseball League[b] 1949

Previous participants edit

Country League First edition Latest edition
  Cuba Cuban League 1949 1960
Cuban National Series 2014 2019
Cuban Elite League 2023
  Curaçao Curaçao National Championship AA League 2023
  Colombia Colombian Professional Baseball League 2020 2023

Notes edit

  • a After the 1960 tournament, Panama would not appear in another Caribbean Series until 2019.
  • b Venezuela's LVBP was replaced by the Liga Occidental de Béisbol Profesional for the 1960 tournament

Series edit

Year Venue Champion Manager Record
1949   Havana   Alacranes del Almendares   Fermin Guerra 6–0
1950   San Juan   Carta Vieja Yankees   Wayne Blackburn   5–1
1951   Caracas   Cangrejeros de Santurce   George Scales 5–1
1952   Panama City   Leones del Habana   Mike González 5–0
1953   Havana   Cangrejeros de Santurce (2)   Buster Clarkson 5–0
1954   San Juan   Criollos de Caguas   Mickey Owen 4–2
1955   Caracas   Cangrejeros de Santurce (3)   Herman Franks 5–1
1956   Panama City   Elefantes de Cienfuegos   Oscar Rodríguez 5–1
1957   Havana   Tigres de Marianao   Napoleón Reyes 5–1
1958   San Juan   Tigres de Marianao (2)   Napoleón Reyes (2) 4–2
1959   Caracas   Alacranes del Almendares (2)   Clemente Carreras 5–1
1960   Panama City   Elefantes de Cienfuegos (2)   Tony Castaño 6–0
1961–1969 None held
1970   Caracas   Navegantes del Magallanes   Carlos Pascual 7–1
1971   San Juan   Tigres del Licey   Manny Mota 6–0
1972   Santo Domingo   Leones de Ponce   Frank Verdi 5–1
1973   Caracas   Tigres del Licey (2)   Tommy Lasorda 5–1
1974   Hermosillo   Criollos de Caguas (2)   Bobby Wine 4–2
1975   San Juan   Vaqueros de Bayamón   José Pagán 5–1
1976   Santo Domingo & Santiago     Naranjeros de Hermosillo   Cananea Reyes 5–1
1977   Caracas   Tigres del Licey (3)   Buck Rodgers 6–0
1978   Mazatlán   Indios de Mayagüez   Rene Lachemann 5–1
1979   San Juan   Navegantes del Magallanes (2)   Willie Horton 5–1
1980   Santo Domingo   Tigres del Licey (4)   Del Crandall 4–2
1981 None held
1982   Hermosillo   Leones del Caracas   Chico Carrasquel 5–1
1983   Caracas   Lobos de Arecibo   Ron Clark 5–1
1984   San Juan   Águilas del Zulia   Rubén Amaro 5–1
1985   Mazatlán   Tigres del Licey (5)   Terry Collins 5–1
1986   Maracaibo   Águilas de Mexicali   Cananea Reyes (2) 4–2
1987   Hermosillo   Criollos de Caguas (3)   Ramón Avilés 5–2
1988   Santo Domingo   Leones del Escogido   Phil Regan 4–2
1989   Mazatlán   Águilas del Zulia (2)   Pete Mackanin 5–1
1990   Miami   Leones del Escogido (2)   Felipe Alou 5–1
1991   Miami   Tigres del Licey (6)   John Roseboro 5–0
1992   Hermosillo   Indios de Mayagüez (2)   Pat Kelly 5–1
1993   Mazatlán   Cangrejeros de Santurce (4)   Mako Oliveras 5–2
1994   Puerto la Cruz   Tigres del Licey (7)   Casey Parsons 5–1
1995   San Juan   Senadores de San Juan   Luis Meléndez 6–0
1996   Santo Domingo   Tomateros de Culiacán   Francisco Estrada 5–1
1997   Hermosillo   Águilas Cibaeñas   Mike Quade 4–2
1998   Puerto la Cruz   Águilas Cibaeñas (2)   Tony Peña 6–0
1999   San Juan   Tigres del Licey (8)   Dave Jauss 5–2
2000   Santo Domingo   Cangrejeros de Santurce (5)   Mako Oliveras (2) 6–0
2001   Culiacán   Águilas Cibaeñas (3)   Félix Fermín 4–2
2002   Caracas   Tomateros de Culiacán (2)   Francisco Estrada (2)   5–1
2003   Carolina   Águilas Cibaeñas (4)   Félix Fermín (2) 6–1
2004   Santo Domingo   Tigres del Licey (9)   Manny Acta 5–1
2005   Mazatlán   Venados de Mazatlán   Juan José Pacho 5–1
2006   Valencia and Maracay   Leones del Caracas (2)   Carlos Subero 6–0
2007   Carolina   Águilas Cibaeñas (5)   Félix Fermín (3) 5–1
2008   Santiago   Tigres del Licey (10)   Héctor de la Cruz 5–1
2009   Mexicali   Tigres de Aragua   Buddy Bailey 5–1
2010   Margarita Island   Leones del Escogido (3)   Ken Oberkfell 5–1
2011   Mayagüez   Yaquis de Obregón   Eddie Díaz 4–2
2012   Santo Domingo   Leones del Escogido (4)   Ken Oberkfell (2) 4–2
2013   Hermosillo   Yaquis de Obregón (2)   Eddy Díaz (2) 4–3
2014   Margarita Island   Naranjeros de Hermosillo (2)   Matías Carrillo 4–2
2015   San Juan   Vegueros de Pinar del Río   Alfonso Urquiola 3–3
2016   Santo Domingo   Venados de Mazatlan (2)  Juan José Pacho 6–0
2017   Culiacán   Criollos de Caguas (4)  Luis Matos 3−3
2018   Guadalajara   Criollos de Caguas (5)  Luis Matos (2) 4−2
2019   Panama City   Toros de Herrera  Manuel Rodríguez 4−1
2020   San Juan   Toros del Este  Lino Rivera 6−1
2021   Mazatlán   Águilas Cibaeñas (6)  Félix Fermín (4) 7−0
2022   Santo Domingo   Caimanes de Barranquilla  José Mosquera 5−2
2023   Caracas and La Guaira   Tigres del Licey (11)  Jose Offerman 6−3
2024   Miami   Tiburones de La Guaira  Ozzie Guillén 7−1

Championship games edit

Starting with the 2013 Caribbean Series, a championship game was introduced where the two teams with the best win–loss record from the round-robin first stage would meet to determine the champion. In 2013 the first round consisted of 12 games and each team faced the other teams twice, one as home club and the other as an away team; from 2014 on, with the return of Cuban teams to the tournament, the first stage was changed to a round robin of 10 games where each team faced the other teams once.

Year Venue Champion Result Runner-up Manager
2013   Hermosillo   Yaquis de Obregón 4–3 (18)   Leones del Escogido   Eddie Díaz
2014   Isla de Margarita   Naranjeros de Hermosillo 7–1   Indios de Mayagüez   Matías Carrillo
2015   San Juan   Vegueros de Pinar del Río 3–2   Tomateros de Culiacán   Alfonso Urquiola
2016   Santo Domingo   Venados de Mazatlán 5–4   Tigres de Aragua   Juan José Pacho
2017   Culiacán   Criollos de Caguas 1–0 (10)   Águilas de Mexicali   Luis Matos
2018   Guadalajara   Criollos de Caguas 9–4   Águilas Cibaeñas   Luis Matos
2019   Panama City   Toros de Herrera 3–1   Leñadores de Las Tunas   Manuel Rodríguez
2020   San Juan   Toros del Este 9–3   Cardenales de Lara   Lino Rivera
2021   Mazatlán   Águilas Cibaeñas 4–1   Criollos de Caguas   Félix Fermín
2022   Santo Domingo   Caimanes de Barranquilla 4–1   Gigantes del Cibao   José Mosquera
2023   Caracas and La Guaira   Tigres del Licey 3–0   Leones del Caracas   José Offerman
2024   Miami   Tiburones de La Guaira 3–0   Tigres del Licey   Ozzie Guillén

Championships by team edit

Rank Team Wins Years
1   Tigres del Licey 13 1971, 1973, 1977, 1980, 1985, 1991, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2023, 2024
2   Águilas Cibaeñas 6 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2021
3   Cangrejeros de Santurce 5 1951, 1953, 1955, 1993, 2000
  Criollos de Caguas 1954, 1974, 1987, 2017, 2018
5   Leones del Escogido 4 1988, 1990, 2010, 2012
6   Tigres de Marianao 2 1957, 1958
  Alacranes del Almendares 1949, 1959
  Elefantes de Cienfuegos 1956, 1960
  Navegantes del Magallanes 1970, 1979
  Águilas del Zulia 1984, 1989
  Indios de Mayagüez 1978, 1992
  Tomateros de Culiacán 1996, 2002
  Yaquis de Obregón 2011, 2013
  Naranjeros de Hermosillo 1976, 2014
  Venados de Mazatlán 2005, 2016
17   Carta Vieja Yankees 1 1950
  Leones del Habana 1952
  Leones de Ponce 1972
  Vaqueros de Bayamón 1975
  Leones del Caracas 1982
  Lobos de Arecibo 1983
  Águilas de Mexicali 1986
  Senadores de San Juan 1995
  Tigres de Aragua 2009
  Vegueros de Pinar del Río 2015
  Toros de Herrera 2019
  Toros del Este 2020
  Gigantes del Cibao 2022

Championships by country edit

Rank Country Wins Years
1   Dominican Republic 25 1971, 1973, 1977, 1980,1985, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
2   Puerto Rico 16 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1983, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2017, 2018
3   Mexico 9 1976, 1986, 1996, 2002, 2005, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016
4   Cuba 8 1949, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 2015
  Venezuela 1970, 1979, 1982, 1984, 1989, 2009
6   Panama 2 1950, 2019
7   Colombia 0

Undefeated teams edit

No. Team Record Years
3   Tigres del Licey 6–0
6–0
5–0
1971
1977
1991
2   Cangrejeros de Santurce 6–0
6–0
1953
2000
2   Águilas Cibaeñas 6–0
7–0
1998
2021
1   Alacranes del Almendares   6–0 1949
1   Leones del Habana 5–0 1952
1   Elefantes de Cienfuegos 6–0 1960
1   Senadores de San Juan 6–0 1995
1   Venados de Mazatlán 6–0 2016

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Salón de la Fama y Museo del Béisbol de Venezuela Exaltados 2008 – Oscar Prieto Ortiz Archived 31 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine (Spanish).
  2. ^ Bjarkman, Peter (1994). Baseball with a Latin Beat: A History of the Latin American Game. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-89950-973-0.
  3. ^ "Caracas Grabs Latin Title Set, Cuban Loop Out". The Sporting News. 11 January 1961. p. 21. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Historia Serie del Caribe". LVBP.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  5. ^ Rojas, Enrique (13 May 2022). "Oficial: Cuba y Curazao jugarán en próxima Serie del Caribe en Caracas 2023". ESPNdeportes.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 June 2023.

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

  • Béisbol en Cuba (Spanish)
  • Cuban Teams in the Caribbean Series
  • Historia de las Series del Caribe (Spanish)
  • Las Series del Caribe (Spanish)
  • Sobre el Diamante (Spanish)