The eleventh edition of the Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) 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.

1959 Caribbean Series
Tournament details
CountryVenezuela
CityCaracas
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Dates10–15 February
Teams4
Final positions
ChampionsCuba Alacranes del Almendares (2nd title)
Runner-upVenezuela Indios de Oriente
Tournament statistics
MVPUnited States Norm Cash
← 1958
1960 →

Summary

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Cuba won the Series with a 5-1 record for a fourth straight championship. The Almendares club won for the second time guided by manager Sungo Carrera and led by 1B Rocky Nelson (.320 BA, six RBI), LF Carlos Paula (.462), 2B Tony Taylor (.346, .462 SLG) and RF Sandy Amorós (.333). The pitching staff included starters Camilo Pascual (2-0, 16 strikeouts, 1.50 ERA, 18 innings), Orlando Peña (1-1, 17+23 innings) Art Fowler (1-0, 1.00, nine innings) and reliever Mike Cuellar (1-0, 0.00). Other players for Cuba included pitchers Tommy Lasorda, Cholly Naranjo and Carlos Pascual in addition to Bob Allison (OF), Jim Baxes (3B), Dick Brown (C), Miguel de la Hoz (2B), Enrique Izquierdo (C), Willy Miranda (SS), Leonardo Posada (OF) and Angel Scull (OF).

Venezuela, with a low-profile team, finished an honourable second place after going 4-2. Managed by Kerby Farrell, the offense was anchored by RF/1B and Series MVP Norman Cash, who finished with a .360 BA (9-for-25), 11 RBI and a .680 SLG. Oriente also received a considerable support from 3B Luis García and LF Jesús Mora, who tied for first place in the batting race with a .417 average (10-for-24). García added six runs, three doubles and slugged .625, while Mora collected four runs and a .583 SLG. Werner Birrer was the top pitcher with a 2-0 record, including a 13-inning victory, a 1.25 ERA and 18 SO in 21+23 innings. He also set a Series record with 13 innings pitched in a single game (#2), while Cash set a new mark with six RBI in a single game (#8). Other players included Elio Chacón (SS), Jim Owens (P), Ramón Monzant (P) and Jerry Snyder (2B).

Puerto Rico, managed by Ramón Concepción, disappointed with a 3-3 mark to finish in third place. C Valmy Thomas (.381) and 1B Orlando Cepeda (.333) led the attack, while Marion Fricano and Julio Navarro each pitched 1–0 shutouts. Santurce also featured Luis Arroyo (P), Joe Black (P), Jackie Brandt (CF), Orlando Cepeda (1B), Nino Escalera (1B/OF), Rubén Gómez (P), Willie Kirkland (RF), Bob Lennon (LF), Félix Maldonado (LF), Lloyd Merritt (P), José Pagán (3B), Victor Pellot Power (2B), José Santiago (P) and Pete Wojey (P).

Panama finished in last place with a 0-6 record, to become the first winless team in Series history. The Coclé club was managed by Les Peden and benefited from a solid effort by RF Ken Hunt, who hit .304 with five RBI, home run, triple and a .609 SLG. Other players included P Bud Black, IF Owen Friend, SS Pumpsie Green, OF Gail Henley and IF/OF Joe Tuminelli, among others.

Participating teams

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Team Manager
  Alacranes del Almendares   Clemente Carreras
  Azucareros de Coclé   Les Peden
  Cangrejeros de Santurce   Monchile Concepción
  Indios de Oriente   Kerby Farrell

Final standings

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Pos Team Pld W L RF RA RD PCT GB
1   Alacranes del Almendares 6 5 1 30 8 +22 .833
2   Indios de Oriente (H) 6 4 2 31 34 −3 .667 1
3   Cangrejeros de Santurce 6 3 3 20 16 +4 .500 2
4   Azucareros de Coclé 6 0 6 13 36 −23 .000 5
Source: CBPC
(H) Hosts

Scoreboards

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Game 1, February 10

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Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 7 0
Puerto Rico 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 5 0
WP: Rubén Gómez (1-0)   LP: Orlando Peña (0-1)

Game 2, February 10

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Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 R H E
Panama 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2   7 2
Venezuela 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 14 1
WP: Werner Birrer (1-0)   LP: Stanley Arthur Wall (0-1)

Game 3, February 11

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Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 4 11 1
Panama 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1   6 2
WP: Camilo Pascual (1-0)   LP: Bud Black (0-1)

Game 4, February 11

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Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 5 13 1
Venezuela 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 6 10 1
WP: Marcelino Sánchez (1-0)   LP: Pete Wojey (0-1)
Home runs:
PRI: Orlando Cepeda (1)
VEN: Norman Cash 2 (2)

Game 5, February 12

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Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 3 0 2 1 0 0 3 0 0 9 16 3
Panama 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3   5 2
WP: Marion Fricano (1-0)   LP: Alberto Osorio (0-1)

Game 6, February 12

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Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cuba 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 3 11 12 2
Venezuela 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0   1   2 2
WP: Art Fowler (1-0)   LP: Ramón Monzant (0-1)
Home runs:
CUB: Tony Taylor (1)
VEN: None

Game 7, February 13

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Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Puerto Rico 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 1
Cuba 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 1 7 1
WP: Orlando Peña (1-0)   LP: Lloyd Merritt (0-1)

Game 8, February 13

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Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Venezuela 4 1 0 0 6 0 2 0 1 14 22 2
Panama 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 1   5 13 1
WP: Dave Hoskins (1-0)   LP: Richard Donnelly (0-1)
Home runs:
VEN: None
PAN: Ken Hunt (1)

Game 9, February 14

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Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Panama 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 8 0
Cuba 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 X 5 8 0
WP: Mike Cuellar (1-0)   LP: Pete Meza (0-1)

Game 10, February 14

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Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Venezuela 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 5 10 1
Puerto Rico 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3   7 2
WP: Werner Birrer (2-0)   LP: Rubén Gómez (1-1)

Game 11, February 15

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Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Venezuela 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2   3 3
Cuba 2 0 0 0 0 2 3 1 X 8 10 1
WP: Camilo Pascual (2-0)   LP: Jim Owens (0-1)
Notes: It was the fourth win by Pascual in his Series career, surpassing the previous record of three wins set by Agapito Mayor in 1949.

Game 12, February 15

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Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Panama 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Puerto Rico 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 X 1 4 1
WP: Julio Navarro (1-0)   LP: Bud Black (0-2)

Statistics leaders

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Statistic Player Team Total
Batting average   Luis García   Indios de Oriente .417
  Jesús Mora   Indios de Oriente
Home runs   Norm Cash   Indios de Oriente 2
Runs batted in   Norm Cash   Indios de Oriente 11
Runs   Luis García   Indios de Oriente 6
Hits   Luis García   Indios de Oriente 10
  Jesús Mora   Indios de Oriente
Doubles   Luis García   Indios de Oriente 3
Triples Seven tied 1
Stolen bases   Tony Taylor   Alacranes del Almendares 3
Wins   Babe Birrer   Indios de Oriente 2
  Camilo Pascual   Alacranes del Almendares
Earned run average   Babe Birrer   Indios de Oriente 1.25
Strikeouts   Babe Birrer   Indios de Oriente 18
Saves   Ramón Monzant   Indios de Oriente 1
Innings pitched   Babe Birrer   Indios de Oriente 21+23

Awards

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Posiciones de los Equipos". seriedelcaribe.net (in Spanish). Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Anuario oficial Serie Del Caribe 2022" (in Spanish). Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe. p. 26. Retrieved 13 June 2023. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)

Sources

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  • Antero Núñez, José. Series del Caribe. Jefferson, Caracas, Venezuela: Impresos Urbina, C.A., 1987.
  • Gutiérrez, Daniel. Enciclopedia del Béisbol en Venezuela – 1895-2006 . Caracas, Venezuela: Impresión Arte, C.A., 2007.
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