Summary
Dominican Republic captured the competition with an undefeated record of 6-0, behind a strong effort by manager Manny Mota, who also led the Series hitters with a .579 batting average (11-for-19) and won Most Valuable Player honors. The pitching support came from Chris Zachary (2-0), Reggie Cleveland (1-0), and reliever Pedro Borbón (1-0, two saves). Other key players for Licey included Jim Beauchamp, Carmen Fanzone, César Gerónimo, Elvio Jiménez and Rafael Robles.
Puerto Rico, Mexico and Venezuela shared second place with a 2-4 record.
Puerto Rico's team, managed by Frank Robinson, was a huge favorite to win the Series, thanks to a roster loaded with prominent players like Sandy Alomar Sr., Don Baylor, Elrod Hendricks, Reggie Jackson, Mike Kekich, Buck Martinez, Jerry Morales, Tony Pérez, Juan Pizarro, but the team faded just after the first half.
For the first time, a representing team of Mexico took part in this tournament. Hermosillo was guided by Maury Wills and the offensive support came from Celerino Sánchez, who led the Series hitters in home runs (3) and RBI (9). Other noted players were Ed Acosta, Bobby Darwin, Héctor Espino, Francisco Estrada, Jim Ray, Sergio Robles, Vicente Romo and Zoilo Versalles.
Graciano Ravelo managed the Venezuela club, which was clearly led by Pat Kelly (.381 BA, 2 HR, .714 slugging) and Ángel Bravo (7-for-21, .333 BA), while Leo Cárdenas hit .409 (9-for-22) for an otherwise weak offense, bottomed out by Ed Spiezio (3-for-19, .158 BA), José Cardenal (4-for-22, .182 BA) and Enzo Hernández (6-for-23, .264). George Lauzerique (1-0, 1.64 ERA, 7 SO) was a high point in a pitching rotation headed by Larry Gura (0-1, 4.00), Steve Barber (0-2, 5.56) and Aurelio Monteagudo (0-1, 9.58). Orlando Peña (1-0, 3.00 ERA) provided a solid support in three relief appearances.
The forty-eighth edition of the Caribbean Series baseball tournament was played in 2006 in the neighboring cities of Maracay and Valencia in Venezuela, making it the first one to be played in two cities. It was held from February 2 through February 7 featuring the champion teams from The Dominican Republic (Licey), Mexico (Mazatlán), Puerto Rico (Carolina) and Venezuela (Caracas). The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio José Pérez Colmenares (Maracay) and Estadio José Bernardo Pérez (Valencia).
The forty-ninth edition of the Caribbean Series was played held from February 2 through February 7 of 2008, featuring the champion teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at Roberto Clemente Stadium in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
After nine years of absence, the thirteenth edition of the Caribbean Series was revived in 1970 without the representing baseball clubs of Cuba and Panama. It was held in Caracas, Venezuela from February 5 to February 10 at Estadio Universitario, featuring the original members of the first stage. Puerto Rico was represented by the Leones de Ponce, while the host Navegantes del Magallanes represented Venezuela. The Dominican Republic debuted in the Series and was represented by the Tigres del Licey to complete a three-team tournament. The format consisted of 12 games, with each team facing the other competitors three times. Because the series was so small, each team had to face each other in one night.
The fiftieth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 2008. It was held from February 2 through February 7, featuring the champions teams from Mexico, Yaquis de Obregón; Venezuela, Tigres de Aragua, and two teams from Dominican Republic: Águilas Cibaeñas [1] and Tigres del Licey [2]. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and was played at Estadio Cibao, home of the Águilas. Licey finished second in the Dominican League, but made the Series due to the cancellation of the Puerto Rican League season due to financial problems. It was the first Series fully held in the city of Santiago de los Caballeros and the first round-robin of its kind to feature two teams from the Dominican Republic.
After a year of absence, the twenty-fourth edition of Baseball's Caribbean Series finally took place in 1982. It was held from February 4 through February 9 with the champions teams from Dominican Republic, Leones del Escogido; Mexico, Naranjeros de Hermosillo; Puerto Rico, Leones de Ponce and Venezuela, Leones del Caracas. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Héctor Espino Stadium in Hermosillo, Mexico, which boosted capacity to 16.000 seats.
The fifty-first edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 2009. It was held from February 2 through February 7 with the champions teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Casas GEO in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.
The twenty-third edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1980. It was held from February 2 through February 7 with the champions teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo, D.R., which boosted capacity to 14.000 seats, and the first pitch was thrown by Antonio Guzmán, by then the President of Dominican Republic.
The twenty-fifth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1983. It was held from February 4 through February 9 with the champion teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Universitario in Caracas, Venezuela. Bowie Kuhn, the Commissioner of Major League Baseball, attended the Series, and the first pitch was thrown by Oscar Prieto, Leones del Caracas majority owner and one of the series brainchild.
The twenty-sixth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1984. It was held from February 4 through February 9 with the champion teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The twenty-seventh edition of the Caribbean Series of baseball was played in 1985. It was held from February 2 through February 7 with the champion teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Teodoro Mariscal in Mazatlán, Mexico.
The sixteenth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1973. It was held from February 1 through February 6 with the champions teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at UCV Stadium in Caracas, Venezuela. The Series was played to honor the memory of Roberto Clemente, who died on December 31, 1972, during a humanitarian mission to assist victims of the 1972 Nicaragua earthquake.
The fifteenth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1972. It was held from February 1 through February 6 with the champions teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo, D.R., which boosted capacity to 14.000 seats, and the first pitch was thrown by Joaquín Balaguer, by then the President of Dominican Republic.
The twenty-second edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1979. It was held from February 4 through February 9 with the champions teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which boosted capacity to 18.000 seats.
The seventeenth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1974. It was held from February 1 through February 6 with the champions teams from Dominican Republic, Mexico and Puerto Rico, represented by the Tigres del Licey, Venados de Mazatlán and Criollos de Caguas, respectively. This time Venezuela did not participate in the tournament due to a players strike, being replaced by the second place team from the Mexican Pacific League, the Yaquis de Obregón. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played in Hermosillo, Sonora, to become the first Caribbean Series held in Mexican baseball history.
The eighteenth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1975. It was held from February 1 through February 6 with the champions teams from the Dominican Republic, Águilas Cibaeñas; Mexico, Naranjeros de Hermosillo; Puerto Rico, Vaqueros de Bayamón and Venezuela, Tigres de Aragua. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and was played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. For the first time in Series history, the designated hitter was adopted following the implementation of this rule by the American League during the 1973 MLB season.
The nineteenth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1976. It was held from February 4 through February 9 with the champions teams from the Dominican Republic, Águilas Cibaeñas; Mexico, Naranjeros de Hermosillo; Puerto Rico, Vaqueros de Bayamón and Venezuela, Tigres de Aragua. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and was played in Dominican Republic. For the first time in Series history, the games were played at two different venues, the Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo and the Estadio Cibao in Santiago de los Caballeros.
The twentieth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1977. It was held from February 4 through February 9 with the champions teams from the Dominican Republic, Tigres del Licey; Mexico, Venados de Mazatlán; Puerto Rico, Criollos de Caguas and Venezuela, Navegantes del Magallanes. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at UCV Stadium in Caracas, Venezuela.
The thirty-second edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1990. It was held from February 5 through February 11 with the champions teams from the Dominican Republic, Leones del Escogido; Mexico, Naranjeros de Hermosillo; Puerto Rico, Senadores de San Juan, and Venezuela, Leones del Caracas. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and was played at Miami Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida.
The thirty-third edition of the Caribbean Series was a baseball competition played in 1991. It was held from February 2 through February 9 with the champion teams from the Dominican Republic, Tigres del Licey; Mexico, Potros de Tijuana; Puerto Rico, Cangrejeros de Santurce, and Venezuela, Cardenales de Lara. All games were held at Bobby Maduro Stadium in Miami, Florida.
The thirty-sixth edition of the Caribbean Series was held from February 4 through February 9 of 1994 with the champion baseball teams of the Dominican Republic, Tigres del Licey; Mexico, Naranjeros de Hermosillo; Puerto Rico, Senadores de San Juan, and Venezuela, Navegantes del Magallanes. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at Estadio Alfonso Chico Carrasquel in Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela.
