Global World Series

Last updated
Global World Series
Sport Baseball
Founded 1939
Ceased 1957
Organizing body National Baseball Congress
ContinentInternational
Last
champion(s)		Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
Most titlesFlag of the United States.svg  United States (6 titles)

The Global World Series was an international semi-pro baseball tournament organized by the United States National Baseball Congress (NBC) in the mid-1950s. It was the successor to various international series between the U.S. teams and other countries, which were held from 1939 to 1950. The Global World Series was similar to the Amateur World Series, but was not sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (FIBA), and was not limited to amateur players.

Contents

The first two editions, in 1955 and 1956, were held at Milwaukee County Stadium in Milwaukee, and the third and final edition was held at Detroit's Briggs Stadium in 1957. The United States team won the first two editions, defeating a team from Hawaii in the finals both years. The third edition saw Japan defeat Canada in the finals. The tournament was discontinued because of high costs and low attendance.

History

Background

The National Baseball Congress, founded in 1938, organized a semipro baseball tournament, the NBC World Series (related to the World Series of Major League Baseball in name only), that was held annually in Wichita, Kansas. With district, state, regional and a national tournament in place, NBC president Ray Dumont set out to establish a non-professional global tournament. He started in 1939, with a seven-game series between the NBC World Series champion representing the United States, and the Puerto Rico national champion from Guayama. [1] That Puerto Rico team notably included Pedro "Perucho" Cepeda and Pancho Coimbre. [2] Another series in 1940 included Red Barkley on the U.S. team, and Luis Olmo on Puerto Rico. [2] In 1948, a Can-Am Series with Canada was billed as the Sandlot Baseball World Series. [3] 1950 and 1952 matched the NBC World Series champion against Japan in the Inter-Hemisphere Series.

Dumont began discussing an international tournament that would feature multiple semipro teams from across the globe in 1948, supported by J. G. Taylor Spink, publisher of The Sporting News, and Alejandro Aguilar Reyes, founder and then-commissioner of the Mexican League. [4] Despite the Mexican League's recent conflict with Major League Baseball, Dumont also enlisted the support of former MLB Commissioner Happy Chandler, in his role as head of the International Baseball Congress. [5] [lower-alpha 1] Chandler in particular sought to expand the existing two-nation series (most recently played between the United States and Japan) to a series involving four nations, or perhaps eight, in 1954; despite the success of the two series in Japan, Chandler felt that, in order to increase the number and scope of the teams in the tournament, an American city would have to host. [4]

The IBC was supported in their efforts by the U.S. Department of State, which saw it as a means of promoting American ideals around the world; President Dwight D. Eisenhower personally endorsed the tournament, writing that "friendships derived from sports competition are enduring." [6]

Global Series

Chandler and Dumont initially sought to host the first Global World Series in 1954, but plans fell through and it was instead held in 1955. Brooklyn Dodgers president Walter O'Malley volunteered the use of Ebbets Field for a world tournament, but Chandler instead selected Milwaukee County Stadium, the new home of the Milwaukee Braves. The 1955 Global World Series included representatives of Hawaii, Colombia, Spain, Puerto Rico, Japan, Canada, the United States, and Mexico. [4] [7] Some countries were represented by their professional or semi-pro club champions, while other national teams were made up of a collection of all-stars. The Spanish national team classified by virtue of winning the 1955 European Baseball Championship. [8] Daryl Spencer was on the American team, while Luis Olmo was with Puerto Rico. [4] The participation of the European champions was a coup for Chandler and the IBC, as FIBA had not been able to involve those European countries in the Amateur World Series. [9]

The 1956 U.S. selection, a semi-pro team from Fort Wayne, included John Kennedy, a Negro Leaguer who would soon become the first African American to play for the Philadelphia Phillies, and Don Pavletich, a future catcher for the Cincinnati Reds. Canada was represented by the North Battleford Beavers, Japan by the Nippon Oil club from Yokohama, and Hawaii by the Honolulu Red Sox. [4] As in 1955, the national teams from Colombia, Mexico, and Puerto Rico were all-star squads, primarily comprising winter league players, while the 1956 European champion was the Netherlands, including Han Urbanus. [10]

In 1957, the series was moved to Briggs Stadium in Detroit. The United States was represented by an amateur club from Sinton, Texas, which included former big leaguers Paul Schramka, Wilmer Fields, and Clint Hartung. [4] The Japanese selection defeated the Edmonton Eskimos of Canada in the final game by a score of 4–2 to win the title. [11] [12] However, the tournament was a financial loss, and efforts to revive it in 1959 were unsuccessful. [4]

Editions

International Series (1939–52)

YearHostChampionsScoreRunners-upRef.
1939 Flag of Puerto Rico (1895-1952).png San Juan Flag of Puerto Rico (1895-1952).png  Puerto Rico
Brujos de Guayama
4–3
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States
Duncan Halliburtons 		[13]
1940 Flag of Puerto Rico (1895-1952).png San Juan Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States
Enid Champlins
4–3
Flag of Puerto Rico (1895-1952).png  Puerto Rico
Brujos de Guayama		 [14]
1948 Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg Kitchener Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg  Canada
London Majors
4–3
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States
Fort Wayne General Electrics 		[15]
1949 Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg Kitchener Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States
Fort Wayne Kekiongas
4–2
Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg  Canada
Kitchener Legionnaires 		[16]
1950 Flag of Japan.svg Osaka and Tokyo Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States
Fort Wayne General Electrics
3–2
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
Osaka Kanebo		 [17]
1952 Flag of Japan.svg Osaka and Tokyo Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States
Fort Myer Colonials
3–2
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
Osaka Kanebo		 [18]

In 1955, a non-professional Global Series was organized. Teams representing Canada, Columbia, Hawaii (a U.S. Territory until 1959), Holland, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Spain played in the eight team tournament. The NBC World Series champion represented the United States. [19] [20] The Global Series only lasted three seasons.

Global Series (1955–57)

YearHostChampionsRunners-up3rd place4th placeRef.
1955
details 		Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Milwaukee
Sep. 23 – Sep. 28		Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States
Wichita Boeing Bombers 		Flag of Hawaii.svg  Hawaii
Honolulu Red Sox		Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg  Canada
Saskatoon Gems		Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia [21] [22]
1956
details 		Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Milwaukee
Sep. 7 – Sep. 13		Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States
Fort Wayne Allen Dairymen		Flag of Hawaii.svg  Hawaii
Honolulu Red Sox		Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
Yokohama Nippon Oil 		Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico [23]
1957
details 		Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Detroit
Sep. 13 – Sep. 13		Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
Kumagai Gumi Constructors 		Canadian Red Ensign (1957-1965).svg  Canada
Edmonton Eskimos 		Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States
Sinton Plymouth Oilers		 [24] [25]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Not to be confused with the International Baseball Federation, or FIBA

Related Research Articles

The Little League World Series is an annual baseball tournament for children aged 10 to 12 years old, held in the Eastern United States. Originally called the National Little League Tournament, it was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. The Series was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania; while the postal address of the organization is in Williamsport, the Series itself is played at Howard J. Lamade Stadium and Volunteer Stadium at the Little League headquarters complex in South Williamsport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilmer Fields</span> American baseball player (1922–2004)

Wilmer Leon Fields was an American baseball player who was a household name in the Negro leagues and other baseball circuits between the 1940s and 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baseball World Cup</span> International baseball competition

The Baseball World Cup (BWC) was an international baseball tournament for national teams around the world, sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF). First held in 1938 as the Amateur World Series (AWS), it was, for most of its history, the highest level of international baseball competition in the world. Even after it was supplanted in this regard in 2006 by the modern World Baseball Classic (WBC), the Baseball World Cup was still considered by the IBAF to be a major world championship, along with the WBC and the Summer Olympic Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Baseball Classic</span> International baseball tournament

The World Baseball Classic (WBC), also referred to as the Classic, is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), the sport's global governing body, and organized in partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB) and Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). The winning team is awarded the World Baseball Classic Championship Trophy. It is one of the two main senior baseball tournaments sanctioned by the WBSC, alongside the WBSC Premier12, but is the only one to grant the winner the title of "world champion".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juan Pizarro (baseball)</span> Puerto Rican baseball player (1937–2021)

Juan Ramón Pizarro a.k.a. "Terín" was a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. He played for 18 seasons on 9 teams, from 1957 through 1974. In 1964, he won 19 games (19–9) and pitched 4 shutouts for the Chicago White Sox. He was selected for the Major League All-Star Baseball game in 1963 and 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence–Dumont Stadium</span>

Lawrence–Dumont Stadium, previously known as Lawrence Stadium, was a baseball stadium in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It was located on the northwest corner of McLean Boulevard and Maple Street, along the west bank of the Arkansas River, in the Delano neighborhood of downtown Wichita. The stadium held 6,400 fans and most recently was the home field of the Wichita Wingnuts independent baseball team from 2008 until 2018, and was home to the annual National Baseball Congress World Series from 1935 until 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buster Clarkson</span> American baseball player (1915-1989)

James Buster Clarkson was an American baseball player who played briefly in Major League Baseball and had a long career in the Negro leagues, the minor leagues, and the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League. He is also known as Buzz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States national baseball team</span>

The United States national baseball team, also known as Team USA represents the United States in international-level baseball competitions. The team is currently ranked 2nd in the world by the World Baseball Softball Confederation. The United States has won many international tournaments, many of which are now discontinued. Most notably the team won the Olympic baseball tournament in 2000, and the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerto Rico national baseball team</span> National sports team

The Puerto Rico national baseball team, also known as Team Rubio is the national baseball team of Puerto Rico. The men's senior team is currently ranked 13th in the world. Puerto Rico is the incumbent Pan American and Central American/Caribbean champion, as well as the 2017 World Baseball Classic runner-up. The team will compete against Israel, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Nicaragua in the 2023 World Baseball Classic in March 2023 in Miami, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Thurman</span> American baseball player (1917-1998)

Robert Burns Thurman was a professional baseball pitcher, outfielder and pinch-hitter. He played in the Negro leagues, the Puerto Rican winter league, and for a few years at the end of his career, in Major League Baseball with the Cincinnati Reds. He is a member of the Puerto Rican Baseball Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Borom</span> American baseball player (1915-2011)

Edward Jones"Red"Borom was an American second baseman who played two seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Detroit Tigers. Born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Borom was 28 years old before he made it to the big leagues. He only played one full season in the major leagues, and that season saw him win the 1945 World Series. Borom also played professional and semi-pro baseball for over 15 years from the mid-1930s into the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intermediate, Junior, Senior & Big League Baseball</span>

Intermediate, Junior, and Senior League Baseball are youth baseball divisions of Little League Baseball that are considered more advanced and difficult than younger Little League divisions due to more advanced rules, including the ability to lead-off and steal as the pitcher breaks, along with longer base paths and greater pitching distance. Junior League also includes the use of bats with 2+5⁄8-inch (6.7 cm) barrels rather than the transitional 2+1⁄4-inch (5.7 cm) barrels of Little League. Junior League also allows the use of metal spikes in cleats in addition to the molded or plastic spikes used in Little League. The Big League level was a former division for even older teens until it was discontinued for both baseball and softball after the 2016 Big League World Series due to low participation levels over the previous 15 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Junior League World Series</span> Recurring baseball tournament for children ages 12-14 help in Taylor, Michigan

The Junior League World Series is a baseball tournament for children aged 12, 13, and 14 years old. The tournament is held annually at Heritage Park in Taylor, Michigan. It is patterned after the Little League World Series, which was named for the World Series in Major League Baseball.

The 1940 Amateur World Series was the third Amateur World Series (AWS), an international men's amateur baseball tournament. The tournament was sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation. The tournament took place, for the second consecutive time, in Cuba. It was contested by seven national teams playing twelve games each from September 14 through October 6 in Havana. Cuba won its second, and second consecutive, AWS title.

Donald Wayne Kainer is an American former baseball player who pitched for the Texas Rangers in 1980.

Wichita, Kansas is home to several professional, amateur, and college sports teams.

The National Baseball Congress World Series or NBC World Series is an annual collegiate and semi-pro baseball tournament held in Wichita, Kansas. Satchel Paige, Don Sutton, Tom Seaver, Ozzie Smith, Tony Gwynn, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are just a few of the Major League Baseball stars who have played in the tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riverfront Stadium (Wichita)</span>

Riverfront Stadium is a baseball park in downtown Wichita, Kansas, United States. It serves as the home ballpark of the Wichita Wind Surge of the Texas League. The team relocated from the New Orleans suburb of Metairie, Louisiana, after the 2019 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Little League World Series</span> Baseball tournament for children aged 10 to 12 years old

The 2022 Little League World Series was a youth baseball tournament which took place from August 17 to August 28 at the Little League headquarters complex in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Ten teams from the United States and ten teams from other countries competed in the 75th edition of the Little League World Series (LLWS). Honolulu Little League of Honolulu, Hawaii, defeated Pabao Little League of Willemstad, Curaçao, in the championship game by a 13–3 score; the game ended in four innings due to the run rule.

The 1955 Global World Series was the first Global World Series, an international baseball tournament organized by the International Baseball Congress in the mid-1950s. It was held in Milwaukee from September 23 to 28, 1955, and was the first worldwide baseball tournament hosted in the United States.

References

  1. ↑ Martin, Whitney (September 1, 1939). "Duncan Champions Gape Gasp At Big City Then Sail Away". The Daily Oklahoman. p. 31.
  2. 1 2 Van Hyning, Tom (19 May 2024). "Enid, Oklahoma's Baseball Links: Late Nineteenth Century to the 21st Centruy, Part II". Beisbol 101. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  3. ↑ "North American Final". Western Canada Baseball. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Buege, 2012
  5. ↑ "Baseball Interest Growing in Free World". USIS Features. US Department of State. 1952. p. 159.
  6. ↑ Raubacher, George (June 22, 1955). "Hash". Janesville Daily Gazette.
  7. ↑ "MILWAUKEE'S WORLD SERIES". Sports Illustrated. 10 October 1955. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  8. ↑ Julio Pernas López (2011). Strike Two: El Béisbol en la españa de la posguerra 1939-1960 y otras curiosidades del deporte español (PDF) (in Spanish). World Baseball Softball Confederation. pp. 224–26. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  9. ↑ Riccardo Schiroli (2019). The Game We Love (PDF). World Baseball Softball Confederation. p. 68.
  10. ↑ Josh Chetwynd (2008). Baseball in Europe: A Country by Country History. pp. 22–23. ISBN   9780786437245.
  11. ↑ "JAPAN TAKES GLOBAL WORLD SERIES". Newsreels.net. Hearst Metronome. 27 September 1955. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  12. ↑ "Global World Series". Western Canada Baseball.
  13. ↑ "DUNCAN IS TWICE DEFEATED SUNDAY BY PUERTO RICO". The Wichita Eagle. September 18, 1939. p. 8.
  14. ↑ "Enid Defeats Puerto Rico". The Wichita Eagle. October 2, 1940. p. 10.
  15. ↑ "London Majors Rip Voltmen". The Wichita Eagle. September 30, 1948. p. 12.
  16. ↑ "Fort Wayne Wins Baseball Crown". The Sault Star. May 13, 1950. p. 12.
  17. ↑ Lightner, Pete (September 22, 1950). "Capeharts Praise Japanese Fans". The Wichita Eagle. p. 8.
  18. ↑ "Calderone Stars As Myer Wins 9–1". Daily Press. September 18, 1952. p. 8.
  19. ↑ "Milwaukee Host to Global Series". The Capital Times. September 7, 1955. p. 19.
  20. ↑ "Global Series Opens Friday". The Wichita Eagle. September 2, 1956. p. 23.
  21. ↑ "Wichita Bombers Win Global World Series". Racine Journal Times. Associated Press. 30 September 1955. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  22. ↑ Lightner, Pete (September 30, 1955). "Boeing Whips Hawaii in 11th for Global Title". The Wichita Eagle. p. 13.
  23. ↑ "GLOBAL CHAMPIONS AND SPOILS". The Wichita Eagle. September 15, 1956. p. 20.
  24. ↑ Fleming, Don (September 19, 1957). "Japan's Tiny Terror Osawa Rips Ball Crown Hopes Away From Esks". Edmonton Journal. p. 12.
  25. ↑ "Japan Nine Here For Games Sunday". The Honolulu Advertiser. September 26, 1957. p. 47.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.