Interamerican Series

Last updated
Interamerican Series
Founded 1946
Abolished 1965
RegionNorth America (1946—50)
South America
Caribbean
Number of teams4
Related competitions Caribbean Series
Last champions Flag of Nicaragua.svg Cinco Estrellas
(1st title)
Most successful club(s) Flag of the United States.svg Buffalo All-Stars
(2 titles)

The Interamerican Series (Spanish: Serie Interamericana) was an international club baseball tournament that brought together independent and winter league teams in North America and the Caribbean. Held from 1946 to 1950 and from 1961 to 1965, it was the precursor to the modern Caribbean Series.

Contents

History

The Interamerican Series was the initiative of Venezuelan businessman Jesús Corao. [1] It came in the wake of Venezuela hosting the 1944 and 1945 Amateur World Series, the Serie Monumental that saw American Negro league all-stars play Venezuelan clubs, [2] and the ensuing professionalization of the sport in the country, in the form of the Venezuelan League. [3]

The inaugural series included Venezuelan champions Cerveceria Caracas, Industriales de Monterrey of the Mexican League, [3] the Havana Cubans of the Florida International League (alternatively, the "All-Cubans"), [4] [3] and the Brooklyn Bushwicks, an independent semi-pro team managed by John Antonelli, with former and future Major League stars like Tony Cuccinello, Whitey Ford, and Hank Borowy. [5] [3] The 1946 tournament was notable for being the place where major league scout Joe Cambria signed Chico Carrasquel, then playing for Caracas. [6] In 1947, the Bushwicks were replaced by the Buffalo All-Stars, a team of International League players managed by Buffalo Bisons manager Paul Richards. [7] [8] [9] The series was suspended after 1950, as focus shifted to the Caribbean Series.

The series was resurrected in 1961 as a result of the Cuban Revolution; MLB Commissioner Ford C. Frick ruled that American major leaguers were barred from playing in Havana, which effectively scuttled the plans for the 1961 Caribbean Series. [10] Instead, the new Serie Interamericana would replace the slot filled by the now-dissolved Cuban League with the champion of Panamanian League, with the host nation also sending an extra team. The first edition was held in Caracas, but then shifted to San Juan and Panama City. In 1964, the champion of the Nicaraguan League became the fourth team, after Venezuela opted to instead play an interleague series against the Dominican Republic. [11]

The series struggled economically, due to the absence of Cuba as well as of the Dominican Republic, which itself was wracked in political turmoil and had been sanctioned by the Organization of American States since 1960. [11]

Editions

YearHostChampionsRunners-up3rd place4th placeRef.
1946 Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Caracas
Oct. 18 – Nov. 13
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Brooklyn Bushwicks
(9–3)
Flag of Cuba.svg Havana Cubans
(6–6)
Flag of Mexico.svg Industriales de Monterrey
(5–7)
Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Cerveceria Caracas
(4–8)
[12] [13] [14]
1947 Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Caracas
Sept. 13 – Oct. 5
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Buffalo All-Stars
(6–4)
Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Cerveceria Caracas
(5–5)
Flag of Cuba.svg Cuban All-Stars
(4–6)
[15]

[16] [7] [17]

1948 Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Caracas
Sept. 17 – Oct. 8
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Buffalo All-Stars
(7–2)
Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Cerveceria Caracas
(6–3)
Flag of Puerto Rico (1895-1952).png Puerto Rico
(3–6)
Flag of Cuba.svg All Cubans
(2–7)
[18] [19]
1949 Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Caracas
Oct. 18 – Nov. 13
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg New York Stars
(6–3)
Flag of Cuba.svg All Cubans
(5–3)
Flag of Puerto Rico (1895-1952).png Puerto Rico
(4–3)
Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Cerveceria Caracas
(1–7)
[20]
1950 Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Caracas
Sept. 7 – Oct. 1
Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Cerveceria Caracas Flag of Cuba.svg All Cubans Flag of Puerto Rico (1895-1952).png Senadores de San Juan Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg New York Black Yankees [21]
Not held from 1950 to 1961
1961 Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Caracas
Feb 10 – 16
Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Industriales de Valencia Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Rapiños de Occidente Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg Senadores de San Juan Flag of Panama.svg Cerveza Balboa
1962 Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg San Juan
Feb 6 – 14
Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg Cangrejeros de Santurce
(8–1)
Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Leones del Caracas
(5–4)
Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg Indios de Mayagüez
(4–5)
Flag of Panama.svg Marlboro
(1–8)
[22]
1963 Flag of Panama.svg Panama City
Feb 8 – 14
Flag of Panama.svg Chiriquí-Bocas
(5–2)
Flag of Nicaragua.svg Indios del Bóer
(4–3)
Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg Indios de Mayagüez
(3–3)
Flag of Venezuela.svg Industriales de Valencia
(1–5)
[23]
1964 Flag of Nicaragua.svg Managua
Feb 8 – 14
Flag of Nicaragua.svg Cinco Estrellas
(5–1)
Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg Senadores de San Juan
(3–3)
Flag of Panama.svg Marlboro
(3–3)
Flag of Nicaragua.svg Orientales de Granada
(1–5)
[24] [25]

Records

No-hitters (2)

Similarly-named tournaments

Several other tournaments in the 1950s and '60s shared the "Interamerican Series" name, though historical records are spotty. A best-of-five series played in 1951 between the Sinton Plymouth Oilers, a U.S. semi-pro team from Sinton, Texas, and Mexico's Sultanes de Monterrey, was referred to as the Interamerican Series. This tournament was organized by the International Baseball Congress, led by former MLB Commissioner Happy Chandler. [28] Another club tournament titled Pan American Series in 1958, but also referred to as the Interamerican Series, was held in Managua in 1958, between the Venados de Mazatlán of the Mexican Pacific League, Leones de León of the Nicaraguan League, and Vanytor de Barranquilla of the Colombian League. [29]

The Dominican Republic organized a tournament in 1965 that is sometimes referred to as the final edition of the Interamerican Series, inviting Venezuela and Puerto Rico. [11] Major league stars like Roberto Clemente and Felipe Alou participated, but the series ended prematurely. [11] The trophy was not formally awarded, though it is still owned by the Dominican team, Águilas Cibaeñas. [30]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caribbean Series</span> Annual baseball tournament

The Caribbean Series is an annual club tournament contested by professional baseball teams in Latin America. It is organized by the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation. The series is normally played in February, after the various winter leagues have ended their national tournaments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">René González (baseball)</span> Cuban baseball player

René González was a Cuban professional baseball player. A native of Cienfuegos, Cuba, González was a first baseman/outfielder who batted and threw right-handed.

<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">Venezuelan Professional Baseball League</span> Top-level professional baseball league in Venezuela

The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League is the top-level professional baseball league in Venezuela. The league's champion takes part in the Caribbean Series each year.

The 1949 Caribbean Series was the first edition of the Caribbean Series. It was held from February 20 through February 25 with the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Alacranes del Almendares; Panama, Spur Cola Colonites; Puerto Rico, Indios de Mayagüez and Venezuela, Cervecería Caracas.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooklyn Bushwicks</span> Minor-league baseball team in Atlantic City, New Jersey (1998–2009)

The Brooklyn Bushwicks were an independent, semi-professional baseball team that played its games almost totally in Dexter Park in Queens from 1913 to 1951. They were unique at their time for fielding multi-ethnic rosters. They played what amounts to exhibition games against barnstorming Negro league teams, minor league baseball teams, and other semi-pro teams. The Bushwicks were owned by Max Rosner, who hired many former major league players to play on his club, including Dazzy Vance and others. Many of the famous players of the time came to play exhibitions at Dexter Park including Jackie Robinson, Dizzy Dean, Hank Greenberg, Joe DiMaggio, Satchel Paige, Whitey Ford, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Joe Medwick. Until he became friends with Rosner, Ruth demanded upfront payments in cash before agreeing to personal appearances. The DiMaggio picture was taken during his debut year with the Yankees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Babe Birrer</span> American baseball player (1929-2013)

Werner Joseph Birrer was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. Listed at 6' 0", 195 lb., Birrer batted and threw right handed. He was born in Buffalo, New York. Graduated from Kensington High School in Buffalo, New York (1947). Signed by Detroit Tigers Scout "Cy" Williams, not the ball player in 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League</span>

The Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League, known as the Campeonato Claro for sponsorship purposes, is the professional baseball league of Nicaragua. The league consists of five teams with a 30-game regular season schedule that runs from November to December, followed by a four team playoff round robin; the two best teams advance to a best of seven championship series.

The fourteenth edition of the Caribbean Series baseball tournament was played in 1971. It was held from February 6 through February 11 with the champions teams from Dominican Republic, Tigres del Licey; Mexico, Naranjeros de Hermosillo; Puerto Rico, Cangrejeros de Santurce, and Venezuela, Tiburones de La Guaira. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which boosted its capacity to 18,000 seats. The first pitch was thrown by Bowie Kuhn, by then the Commissioner of Major League Baseball.

The fifth edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 1953. It was held from February 20 through February 25, featuring the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Leones de la Habana; Panama, Chesterfield Smokers; Puerto Rico, Cangrejeros de Santurce, 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 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 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luis Zuloaga</span> Baseball player

Luis Zuloaga was a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher.

Guillermo Aquilino Vento was a Venezuelan former professional baseball player. Listed at 5' 8", 165 lb (75 kg), Vento batted and threw right handed. He was born in Maracaibo, Zulia.

Héctor Benítez Redondo was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. Listed at 5' 7" (1.73 m), 160 lb. (73 k), he batted and threw left handed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pablo Morales Pérez</span> Venezuelan baseball executive and promoter

Pablo Antonio Morales Pérez was a Venezuelan baseball executive and promoter. He served as president of the International Baseball Federation (FIBA) in two periods, and also took the reins of the organizing committee of the 1944 Amateur World Series held in Caracas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luis Romero Petit</span> Baseball player

Luis Romero Petit was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He batted and threw right handed.

The 2023 Caribbean Series was the 65th edition of the Caribbean Series, played at La Rinconada Baseball Stadium in Caracas and Jorge Luis García Carneiro Stadium in La Guaira, Venezuela from February 2 to February 10, 2023.

The Serie Monumental was an international club baseball tournament held in Venezuela in late 1945–46. It saw a team of all-stars from the American Negro leagues play their opposites in the Venezuelan League. The series, played only once, was the immediate precursor to the 1946–50 Interamerican Series, and by extension, to the modern Caribbean Series.

References

  1. "La Interamericana: el embrión de la Serie del Caribe". Playoff Magazine (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  2. González and Ruiz, p. 389—91
  3. 1 2 3 4 "El Béisbol en Venezuela: Serie Interamericana, semilla de la Serie del Caribe". La Gran Aldea (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  4. "Venezuela Series Opens" . The Sporting News. Oct 30, 1946. p. 28 via SABR.
  5. "John Antonelli". Society for American Baseball Research.
  6. 1 2 González and Ruiz, p. 428
  7. 1 2 "Buffalo Stars" . St. Louis Sporting News. Sep 24, 1947. p. 37 via SABR.
  8. "More Baseball". The Tribune. Sep 25, 1947.
  9. "Paul Richards' Stars Go to Venezuela for Games" . The Sporting News. Sep 22, 1948. p. 21 via SABR.
  10. "Caracas Grabs Latin Title Set, Cuban Loop Out" . The Sporting News. 11 January 1961. p. 21. Retrieved 20 February 2024 via SABR.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Tony Piña Cámpora. "2". SERIE DEL CARIBE – HISTORIA DE LA CONFEDERACIÓN (PDF) (in Spanish). pp. 19–22.
  12. "Venezuelan Play Fades With Razz For Bushwicks" . The Sporting News. Nov 27, 1946. p. 16 via SABR.
  13. "BUSHWICKS BEATEN, 8–7; Bow to Monterrey in Opener of 4-Nation Series at Caracas". The New York Times. Oct 19, 1946.
  14. "Bushwicks Top Cuba for Title". The New York Times. Nov 13, 1946.
  15. "U.S. Team Wins At Venezuela" . The Sporting News. Oct 22, 1947. p. 24 via SABR.
  16. "Surkont Pitches Win in Venezuela". Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. Sep 14, 1947.
  17. "Surkont Pitches Six-Hit Triumph". Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. Oct 4, 1947.
  18. "U.S. STARS TRIUMPH, 9–5; Buffalo Takes Inter-American Baseball Series at Caracas". The New York Times. Oct 11, 1948.
  19. "Buffalo Stars win International Tourney". Buffalo Courier-Express. Oct 11, 1948.
  20. "U.S. Wins in Venezuela" . The Sporting News. Oct 19, 1949. p. 30 via SABR.
  21. "Venezuelan Series Under Way" . The Sporting News. Sep 27, 1950. p. 35 via SABR.
  22. "Crabbers Top Latin Title 4th Time in 14 Years" . The Sporting News. Feb 21, 1962. p. 37 via SABR.
  23. "Panama Wins Latin Crown on Lizondro's Five-Hitter" . The Sporting News. Feb 23, 1963. p. 41 via SABR.
  24. "Estrellas Cops Latin Title Behind Top-Notch Hurling" . The Sporting News. Feb 22, 1964. p. 27 via SABR.
  25. Adolfo Miranda Sáenz (2009). Polémico testimonio (in Spanish). p. 123. ISBN   9789992408179.
  26. "Consuegra Pitches No-Hitter" . The Sporting News. Oct 5, 1949. p. 52 via SABR.
  27. Thomas E. Van Hyning (1995). Puerto Rico's Winter League: A History of Major League Baseball's Launching Pad. McFarland & Company. p. 232. ISBN   0786401281.
  28. "Industrial Baseball Outlook: Semi-Pro Roundup". Industrial Sports Journal. 13 (2): 12, 46. March 15, 1952.
  29. "Pan American Series Opens in Managua, 13,500 attend" . The Sporting News. Feb 19, 1958. p. 31 via SABR.
  30. Tony Menendez (Jan 16, 2023). "La Serie Interamericana Fue Serie de Campeones del Caribe". El Hogar del BaseballLatino.

Bibliography