1971 Amateur World Series

Last updated
1971 Amateur World Series
Tournament details
CountryFlag of Cuba.svg  Cuba
Teams10
Final positions
ChampionsFlag of Cuba.svg  Cuba (11th title)
Runner-upFlag of Colombia.svg  Colombia
Third placeFlag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua
Fourth placeFlag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg  Puerto Rico
  1970
1972  

The 1971 Amateur World Series was the 19th Amateur World Series (AWS), an international men's amateur baseball tournament. The tournament was sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (which titled it the Baseball World Cup as of the 1988 tournament). The tournament took place, for the seventh time, in Cuba, and was won by the host Cuba national baseball team, their 11th title. They finished with an undefeated record of 9–0, recording six shutouts and scoring 60 runs while allowing only four. [1] [2]

Contents

Participants

There were 10 participating countries. [1] The United States, which had returned to the international baseball scene just two years prior after a 27-year-absence, declined to take part in the tournament. The U.S. delegation to the 1970 FIBA Congress reportedly pledged that they would boycott the competition due to political differences with the regime of Fidel Castro. This decision was confirmed by United States Baseball Federation in June 1971, though USBF president Dutch Fehring claimed it was due to financial reasons. [3] [1]

Colombia notably protested that the Mexican team illegally used three professional players. [4] Mexico were later stripped of several victories, dropping them to ninth place in the standings. [1]

Final standings

PosTeamWL
Gold medal icon.svgFlag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 90
Silver medal icon.svgFlag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 72
Bronze medal icon.svgFlag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua 63
4Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg  Puerto Rico 63
5Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 54
6Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 45
7Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic 44
8Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 27
9Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 27
10Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1986-2010).svg  Netherlands Antilles 09


Honors and awards

Statistical leaders

All-Star team

PositionPlayer
C Flag of Cuba.svg Lázaro Pérez
1B Flag of Cuba.svg Elpidio Mancebo
2B Flag of Nicaragua.svg Rafael Obando
3B Flag of Colombia.svg Abel Leal
SS Flag of Cuba.svg Rodolfo Puente
OF Flag of Colombia.svg Luis Escobar
Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg Luis Mercado
Flag of Cuba.svg Wilfredo Sanchez
P Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg Carlos Lowell (LHP)
Flag of Cuba.svg Santiago Mederos (RHP)

[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Cuba Wins Amateur World Series". Miami Herald . December 6, 1971. p. 38. Retrieved November 4, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  2. Flores, Ike (December 8, 1971). "Cuba Leaving Mark in 'Amateur' Sports". Miami Herald . p. 89. Retrieved November 4, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  3. Turner, Justin W.R. (2012). Baseball Diplomacy, Baseball Deployment: The National Pastime in U.S.-Cuba Relations (Thesis). University of Alabama.
  4. "Protest Key to Colombia Hopes". Miami Herald . December 4, 1971. p. 52. Retrieved November 4, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  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.