Summary
The Dominican Republic team won the Series with a 5-1 record and was managed by Terry Collins. Their only defeat came from Mexico. The champions got fine offensive performances from 1B Glenn Davis and OF George Bell, while the pitching staff was led by José Rijo, who posted three saves and did not allow an earned run in six innings of work, to earn Series MVP honors. Other contributions came from pitchers Tom Brennan (2-0, 1.59 ERA), Salomón Torres (a four-hit shutout) and Burt Hooton (1-0, seven SO). Also in the roster were Ralph Bryant, Braulio Castillo, Tony Fernández, David Green, Luis Pujols, Julio Solano and José Uribe.
Managed by catcher Francisco Estrada, Mexico finished in second place with a 3-3 mark. 2B Juan Navarrete hit .533 to win the batting title while 3B Nelson Barrera led the Series hitters with seven RBI. The Mexican team also featured players such as Derek Bryant, Lorenzo Bundy, Houston Jiménez, Chris Jones, Aurelio López, Sid Monge, Junior Moore and Vicente Romo.
Puerto Rico and Venezuela tied for third place with a 2-4 record.
The Puerto Rican team, with Mako Oliveras at the helm, was a huge favorite to win the Series, thanks to a roster loaded with prominent players like Juan Agosto, Luis Aguayo, Iván Calderón, Henry Cotto, Jesús Hernáiz, Carmelo Martínez, Edgar Martínez, José Oquendo, Luis Rosado, Orlando Sánchez, Benito Santiago, Candy Sierra and Rubén Sierra, but the team faded just after the first half. The team's only victories came behind strong pitching efforts from Francisco Oliveras and José Guzmán, who threw complete games against Mexico and Venezuela.
Aurelio Monteagudo managed the Venezuelan club, which was characterized by a fairly average pitching staff and really poor hitting. A modest contribution came from pitcher Bryan Clark (1-0, nine SO in seven innings) and infielders Pat Dodson (.429 SLG) and Luis Salazar (.474 SLG, five RBI). Other members of the team included Bob Fallon, Ozzie Guillén, Gorman Heimueller, Luis Leal, Fred Manrique, Eddie Miller, Alfredo Pedrique, Gustavo Polidor and Argenis Salazar.
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.
The fourth edition of the Caribbean Series 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.
The twelfth edition of the Caribbean Series was a baseball tournament held from February 10 through February 15, 1960 featuring the champion teams from Cuba (Cienfuegos), Panama (Marlboro), Puerto Rico (Caguas) and Venezuela (Rapiños). The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at Estadio Nacional of Panama City.
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.
The seventh edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1955. It was held from February 10 through February 15, featuring the champion baseball teams from Cuba, Alacranes de Almendares; Panama, Carta Vieja Yankees; Puerto Rico, Cangrejeros de Santurce, and Venezuela, Navegantes del Magallanes. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Universitario in Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, which boosted capacity to 22,690 seats, while the ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Marcos Pérez Jiménez, by then the President of Venezuela.
The ninth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1957. It was held from February 9 through February 14, featuring the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Tigres de Marianao; Panama, Cerveza Balboa; Puerto Rico, Indios de Mayagüez, and Venezuela, Leones del Caracas. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio del Cerro in Havana, the Cuban capital. The first pitch was thrown by Ford Frick, by then the Commissioner of Major League Baseball.
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 tenth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1958. It was held from February 8 through February 13 with the champions teams from Cuba, Tigres de Marianao; Panama, Carta Vieja Yankees; Puerto Rico, Criollos de Caguas and Venezuela, Industriales de Valencia. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Sixto Escobar Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The eleventh edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1959. It was held from February 10 through February 15 with the champions teams from Cuba (Almendares), Panama (Coclé), Puerto Rico (Santurce) and Venezuela (Oriente). The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at UCV Stadium in Caracas, Venezuela, which boosted capacity to 35.000 seats, and the first pitch was thrown by Edgar Sanabria, by then the President of Venezuela.
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 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 twenty-eighth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1986. It was held from February 4 through February 9 with the baseball champion teams of the Dominican Republic, Águilas Cibaeñas; Mexico, Águilas de Mexicali; Puerto Rico, Indios de Mayagüez, and Venezuela, Tiburones de la Guaira. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Luis Aparicio El Grande in Maracaibo, Venezuela.
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.
