1965 Amateur World Series

Last updated
1965 Amateur World Series
Tournament details
CountryFlag of Colombia.svg  Colombia
Venue(s)2 (in 2 host cities)
Teams9
Final positions
ChampionsFlag of Colombia.svg  Colombia
Runner-upFlag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg  Mexico
Third placeFlag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg  Puerto Rico
Fourth placeFlag of Panama.svg  Panama
  1961
1969  

The 1965 Amateur World Series was the 16th edition of the Amateur World Series of international baseball. The tournament was held from February 12 through February 27, 1965 in the Colombian cities of Cartagena and Barranquilla. [1]

Contents

The tournament was marked by the absence of defending champions Cuba. The Colombian government, which had broken off diplomatic relations with Cuba following the Cuban Revolution, refused to grant visas to the team of Cuban players.

Colombia and Mexico both finished the regular tournament with a 7-1 record. In the tie-breaking playoff series, Colombia defeated Mexico two games to one, to win its second international championship; it had previously won the 1947 Amateur World Series, also held in Colombia.

Participants

Though post-revolutionary Cuba had participated in the 1961 Amateur World Series, it was not without controversy as several Cuban players, including Bert Campaneris defected. [2] In 1965, the situation was complicated by the fact that Colombia, the host of the series, had severed diplomatic ties with the Castro regime in 1961; the right-wing government of Guillermo León Valencia refused to issue visas to the Cuba national team. [3] Cuba protested the move, and International Olympic Committee president Avery Brundage attempted to intervene on Cuba's behalf, but he was rebuffed by Carlos Manuel Zecca, president of the International Baseball Federation (FIBA). [4] [3] Though Houston Astros scout Tony Pacheco expressed interest in forming a "Free Cuba" team composed of Cuban exiles to compete, ultimately no squad representing Cuba appeared in the 1965 tournament. [3] Pacheco would ultimately pilot the Colombian team.

Invited teams

Tournament summary

The tournament was dominated by Colombia, the hosts, and Mexico. It saw two notable pitching feats: a perfect game, thrown by Mexico's David Garcia against Guatemala on February 14; and a 19-strikeout game (a tournament record for a single game) thrown by Puerto Rico's Efrain Contreras against the Dutch Antilles on February 22. [1]

Group stage

The group stage featured a round robin format to determine the medal winners. Since Mexico and Colombia tied for first with a 7–1 record, a best-of-three tie-breaker round was played. [5]

PosTeamPldWLPCTGBFlag of Colombia.svg  COL Flag of Mexico.svg  MEX Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg  PUR Flag of Panama.svg  PAN Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  DOM Flag of Nicaragua.svg  NCA Flag of Guatemala.svg  GUA Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1986-2010).svg  AHO Flag of El Salvador.svg  SLV
1Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia (H)871.8755–42–32–13–24–09–03–015–1
2Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 871.8754–57–32–13–11–01–06–06–2
3Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg  Puerto Rico 853.62523–23–71–33–21–27–115–15–3
4Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 844.50031–21–23–16–31–01–52–67–1
5Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic 844.50032–31–32–33–63–23–13–15–1
6Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua 844.50030–40–12–10–12–35–33–25–0
7Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala 835.37540–90–11–75–11–33–54–24–1
8Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1986-2010).svg  Netherlands Antilles 826.25050–30–61–156–21–32–32–411–0
9Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador 808.00071–152–63–51–71–50–51–40–11
Source: Baseball.ch (archived)
(H) Hosts

Tie-breaker

PosTeamPldWLRFRARDPCTGB
1Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia (H)321179+8.667
2Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 3129178.3331
Source: Baseball.ch (archived)
(H) Hosts

Results

25 February 1965 Colombia  Flag of Colombia.svg2 – 4 Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico Estadio Once de Noviembre, Cartagena de Indias

26 February 1965 Mexico  Flag of Mexico.svg5 – 11 Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia Estadio Once de Noviembre, Cartagena de Indias

27 February 1965 Colombia  Flag of Colombia.svg4 – 0 Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico Estadio Once de Noviembre, Cartagena de Indias

Final standings

PosTeamWL
Gold medal icon.svgFlag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 92
Silver medal icon.svgFlag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg  Mexico 71
Bronze medal icon.svgFlag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg  Puerto Rico 53
4Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 44
5Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic 44
6Flag of Nicaragua (1908-1971).svg  Nicaragua 44
7Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala 35
8Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1986-2010).svg  Netherlands Antilles 26
9Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador 08

Statistical leaders

  1. Cuba was invited by FIBA, but the team's visas were denied by the Colombian government.
  2. J. Calvo (MEX), Ovidio Lara (SLV), Reinaldo Suárez (PAN), S. Jacobs (AHO)
  3. Arthur Hudson (NIC), Luis Garcia (MEX))

References

  1. 1 2 Bjarkman, Peter (2007). A History of Cuban Baseball, 1864-2006. McFarland. p. 200. ISBN   0786428295.
  2. Turner, Justin W.R. (2012). Baseball Diplomacy, Baseball Deployment: The National Pastime in U.S.-Cuba Relations (Thesis). University of Alabama. p. 113.
  3. 1 2 3 Turner, pp. 117-18
  4. "Se agudiza la situación ante impedimento para que Cuba asista a Mundial de Beisbol" (in Spanish). La Republica. 9 February 1965. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 "Historia de la Copa Mundial/World Cup History XI-XX (1950-1972)". Baseball de Cuba (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 22 November 2011.

Bibliography