Latino Baseball Online Store

LATINOS IN MLB

Current Players &
Pitchers Statistics

Top All Time Latino Player Statistics

Latino Players in MLB since 1900 

Latino Millionaires
Click here to see!

LatinoBaseball.com Players of the year

Top All Time Latino Awards 

Latino Players of the Year

Rising Latino Stars in MLB

Latinos in the Hall of Fame 

History by Country 

Historical Articles

Event Photo Album

Latino Baseball En Foco 

Latinos in Business of Baseball 

Recommended Web Links

WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
Clásico Mundial de Béisbol

CARIBBEAN WINTER BASEBALL

ESPN Dominican
TV/RADIO Schedule

Caribbean Team Standing in 2005-06

100 Years Caribbean Baseball Gallery

Caribbean Winter Baseball History

Event Photo Album

CARIBBEAN WORLD SERIES

TV/Radio Schedule

Headlines

Results 2005

CWS 2005 Final Stats

CWS 2006 Final Stats

History

Historical Statistics

VIP Event Photos

Event Video

Caribbean Directory

ABOUT US

Who We Are

Advertise with Us

Write to Us

 

 

 

 

 

Caribbean Winter Baseball History 

The Caribbean World Series is the only tournament that pits professional baseball teams from different countries in competition to proclaim themselves champions the region. As champions are crowned in the four participating countries, all eyes focus on this annual rite representing baseball of the highest caliber.

By happy coincidence, Puerto Rico plays host to this tournament as it enters its 50th year. If any member of the Caribbean Confederation has earned the right to host this landmark event, it is the Professional Baseball League of Puerto Rico, co-pioneer of this tournament's opening chapter, which was played from 1949 to 1960, as well as being an important catalyst for the rebirth of the tournament in 1970.

Few Latin American events can boast 50 years of existence, which is a great achievement considering the trials and tribulations that put its future in doubt on many occasions. But somehow it has managed to persevere.

In looking for the roots of this annual tournament, one must go back to October 1945, when Branch Rickey signed Jackie Robinson, assigning him to the minor league Royals team in Montreal, finally ending the abhorrent practice of racial segregation that had plagued the organized baseball. Up to this point, the Caribbean winter league ßhad always been populated with African-American talent. The Brooklyn Dodgers' putting an end to racial discrimination meant the big leagues’ eventual control of the best players, which, for so many years had gone to play in the Caribbean.

In reaction to the danger of being subjected to the whims of magnates of the major leagues, the leaders of the baseball leagues from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Panama, and Venezuela united themselves with Organized Baseball (BBO) and created the Caribbean Confederation in 1948. The meeting that consummated the union was held in Havana in August of 1948 with Emilio de Armas, Florentino Pardo y Miguel Angel Gonzalez representing Cuba; Eric del Valle for Panama; Pedro "Pedrin" Zorrilla, Jorge Luis Cordova, and Eduardo Santiago for Puerto Rico, with Felipe Huizi and Sebastian Ardiles representing Venezuela. Gustavo Cueto was elected secretary of the organization.
The structure of this alliance was intended to protect the interests of these four leagues that held winter schedules. In addition, it was agreed that an annual series would be held, with hosting rotating among its members. It was decided that the first of these tournaments would be held in Havana in February of 1949, the second in San Juan, with Caracas being next, ending up the tour in Panama. The format would consist of 12 games, each team playing the other teams twice.

The first Caribbean World Series was played in the Del Cerro Stadium in Havana, from February 20 to the 25th of 1949. The first game pitted the Indios de Mayagüez, Puerto Rico against the Spur Cola team of Panama. In the final game of the series, the Almendares of Cuba played against Cerveceria Caracas of Venezuela. The first pitch was thrown by then-President of the North American Minor League Association George Trautman. Cuba swept the series with offensive outbursts of 11, 13 and 16 runs, a shutout by Eddie Wright, three wins by Agapito Mayor and 11 RBIs by Monte Irving.
This historic first stage of the Caribbean World Series, which cemented the Caribbean Confederation with its very successful annual tournaments, came to an abrupt end in 1960. The Cuban league, under pressure from a revolutionary government that had come to power in 1959 and declared itself communist, abolishing professional sports, could not comply with its commitment to attend in 1961.

From these series, the memory of individual exploits created a myth that made the legend possible. If, 10 years after disappearing, the Caribbean Series has been revived, it is due to the wonderful memories embedded in our minds from the 12 series held between 1949 and 1960: the three victories thrown by the Cuban pitcher Agapito Mayor, throwing for the Almendares in the first series—an incomparable feat; the staggering batting average of .619 by the Cuban Lorenzo "Chiquitin" Cabrera to win the batting title in Caracas in 1951; the no-hit shutout thrown by Tommy Fine of the United States against the Venezuelan team in 1952 in Panama; the four home runs by the legendary Willard Brown in Havana in 1953; the memorable home run by Willie Mays in the 11th inning during the 1995 series in Caracas, to give the Puerto Rican team their first championship win after failing in their first 12 series; and the 17 strike outs by Juan Pizarro against the Panamanian team in 1958 in San Juan. These memories are the golden charms on the chain that forming the legacy that made the revival of the series by Rodrigo "Guigo" Otero possible in 1970. 

During the intervening decade, there were a number of failed attempts to bring back the tournaments, using two teams from the host country. But it was the visionary "Guigo" Otero Suro who opened the doors to a revival of the Caribbean World Series. Coaxing the cynics who at first opposed the venture, the well-liked leader "Guigo" placed the Dominican Republic and Mexican Winter League into the spaces left by Cuba and Panama to form a new quartet.

In 1970, the stadium of University City in Caracas, Venezuela served as the locale for the inauguration of the second stage of the series: the Dominican Republic had by then already joined the Confederation to form the trio that played in that series.
The Dominicans did not compete during the initial stages of the series in 1949 because during that era, their championships were played out during the summer. But this system was later forced to rotate to winter, allowing that nation's players the opportunity to play in the United States during the summer months.

Mexico started playing in the series in 1971, in Puerto Rico. Even though Mexico continued the tradition of playing their baseball during the summer months, its vast national geography allowed the creation of a winter league in cities on its Pacific coast. Because of the potential distance of the Mexican host cities, there were those who feared overburdening economic expenses for the visiting teams when the series was played in Mexico. These fears were unfounded, and the participation of Mexico has in fact saved the series in many moments of crisis which have threatened the series' existence.
In this sense, the second stage of the series has not shown the stability of the first; but fortunately, its problems have been resolved and the last few years have been especially successful. In 1974, Venezuela could not attend the tournament because of a conflict between the players and coaches, so the Mexican hosts provided two teams. And in 1981, the series scheduled for Caracas was cancelled because of money conflicts with the players. Then, financial crises suffered by Caribbean countries during the 1980s caused them to turn down hosting duties. However, Mexico responded to the challenge and hosted five of the 11 series between 1978 and 1989. In 1991 and 1992, there was an unsuccessful experiment by a group of promoters to hold the series in Miami; the first year in Bobby Maduro Stadium and the following year in the Orange Bowl.
At the return of the Caribbean World Series to its normal rotation in 1993, the series stabilized, although there was a change of scenery in Venezuela, where the last two series have been moved to Puerto La Cruz because of difficulties in using the University of Caracas' stadium.

The 1995 series in San Juan was played in front of enthusiastic crowds and with the participation of excellent players hungry to play ball, after suffering through the major league strike which paralyzed Major League Baseball from August of 1994 to February 1995. Due to this great series, play between Caribbean teams has been revived and fan support has grown in its participating countries. In the past few years, series play has been televised for the Latino fans in the United States as well as fans in the participating countries.

Since its revival in 1970, many great athletic moments have been placed in the record books, including: the five home runs hit by Rico Carty in Mazatlan, Mexico, and the unforgettable "Dream Team" representing Puerto Rico in 1995 composed of such superstars as Sandy and Roberto Alomar, Igor Gonzalez, Carlos Baerga, Bernie Williams and Ivan Rodriguez.

This year the series celebrates its 50th year. And the honor of serving as host could not been given to a more appropriate city. San Juan is the cradle of the Professional Baseball League of Puerto Rico, the only one of the six leagues that have participated that has not missed a single year of these Caribbean World Series.

 

(c) 2006 LatinoBaseball.com. An R. Paniagua, Inc. All rights reserved. Web site design by Hispanic Digital Network, Inc.