1954 Caribbean Series

1954 Caribbean Series
Tournament details
Country	Puerto Rico
City	San Juan
Venue(s)	1 (in 1 host city)
Dates	18–23 February
Teams	4
Final positions
Champions	Criollos de Caguas (1st title)
Runner-up	Alacranes del Almendares
Tournament statistics
MVP	Jim Rivera
	← 1953 1955 →

The sixth edition of the Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) was played in 1954. It was held from February 18 through February 23, featuring the champion baseball teams from Cuba (Alacranes del Almendares), Panama (Carta Vieja Yankees), Puerto Rico ,(Criollos de Caguas) and Venezuela (Lácteos de Pastora). Lácteos de Pastora were the champion of the Liga Occidental de Béisbol Profesional rather than the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Sixto Escobar in San Juan, P.R.

Summary

Puerto Rico won the Series with a 4-2 record en route for a second straight championship (third overall). The Caguas club was managed by Mickey Owen and led by center fielder and Series MVP Jim Rivera, who posted a .400 batting average to lead the hitters. Caguas also received offensive support from 1B Víctor Pellot Power (.348) and 2B Jack Cassini (.333). Meanwhile, the pitching staff surrendered only 10 earned runs (2.00 ERA), being led by starters Corky Valentine (1-0, 1.00 ERA, five hits), Brooks Lawrence (1-0, 1.00, six hits) and Rubén Gómez (1-0, 2.00, five hits), while reliever Luis Arroyo added depth coming out of the bullpen (three appearances, 1-0, 0.00, 7+1⁄3 innings). Puerto Rico also had Jack Sanford (P) in addition to Félix Mantilla (SS), Charlie Neal (IF) and Luis (Canena) Márquez.

Cuba, piloted by Bobby Bragan, had a 3-3 record to tie the second place with Panama. The Cuban squad got fine work of P Conrado Marrero (1-0, five-hit shutout), CF Sam Chapman (.391, homerun, .609 SLG) and RF Angel Scull (.391, .522 SLG). Other roster members included Julio Bécquer (1B), Joe Hatten (P), Cholly Naranjo (P) and Héctor Rodríguez (3B).

Panama was managed by Al Kubski and received a heroic pitching effort by starter Victor Stryska (2-0), who allowed just one earned run in 18 innings pitched. The attack was guided by 3B Joe Tuminelli (.391) and LF Bobby Prescott (.381), in an anemic lineup who batted a collective .255 average and scored 17 runs (fewest in the Series).

Venezuela was guided by Napoleón Reyes and finished in last place with a 2-4 record. Ramón Monzant (1-0, 3.00) and Ralph Beard (1-0, 7.20) got the victories, while Howie Fox collected a 2.58 ERA in two appearances but lose a decision. Bad luck starter Thornton Kipper dropped two decisions, losing his duels against Gómez (PR) and Stryska (PAN), while allowing four earned runs (2.12) in 17 innings. Besides, Emilio Cueche made two strong relief appearances and allowed just one earned run in 8+2⁄3 innings of work. 3B Luis García provided the lone offensive threat with a .348 BA and a .563 SLG, including nine RBI to lead the Series hitters. Venezuela included Ed Bailey (C), Vernon Benson (SS), Tommy Byrne (P/1B), Wally Moon (CF), Johnny Temple and rookie Luis Aparicio (SS), among others.

Participating teams

Team	Manager
Alacranes del Almendares	Bobby Bragan
Carta Vieja Yankees	Al Kubski
Criollos de Caguas	Mickey Owen
Lácteos de Pastora	Napoleón Reyes

Final standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	RF	RA	RD	PCT	GB
1	Criollos de Caguas (H)	6	4	2	22	15	+7	.667	—
2	Alacranes del Almendares	6	3	3	28	18	+10	.500	1
3	Carta Vieja Yankees	6	3	3	17	31	−14	.500	1
4	Lácteos de Pastora	6	2	4	21	24	−3	.333	2

Source: CBPC
(H) Hosts

Scoreboards

Game 1, February 18


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	6	7	10	3
Cuba	2	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	5	10	1
WP: Ralph Beard (1-0) LP: Junior Walsh (0-1) Sv: Howie Fox (1) Home runs: : None CUB: Joe Hatten (1) * Game was called after eight innings due to time limit.

Game 2, February 18


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	0	0	4	7	1
Puerto Rico	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	8	1
WP: Victor Stryska (1-0) LP: Jack Sanford (0-1)

Game 3, February 19


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	0	2	2	2	0	0	4	0	3	13	16	1
Panama	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	2
WP: Conrado Marrero (1-0) LP: Humberto Robinson (0-1) Home runs: CUB: Ray Orteig 2 (2) PAN: None

Game 4, February 19


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	3	7	0
Venezuela	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	3
WP: Rubén Gómez (1-0) LP: Thornton Kipper (0-1) Home runs: PUR: None VEN: Luis García (1) * Future Hall of Famer SS Luis Aparicio debuted in the Series.

Game 5, February 20


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	3	6	5
Venezuela	5	3	0	0	1	0	0	0	X	9	7	1
WP: Ramón Monzant (1-0) LP: Cookie Stemple (0-1) Home runs: PAN: None VEN: Billy Queen (1)

Game 6, February 20


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	6	0
Cuba	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	0
WP: Brooks Lawrence (1-0) LP: Cliff Fannin (0-1) Home runs: PUR: Bill Howerton (1), Ranee Pless (1) CUB: Sam Chapman (1)

Game 7, February 21


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	R	H	E
Cuba	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	7	1
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	9	3
WP: Clarence Lott (1-0) LP: Howie Fox (0-1) Home runs: CUB: None VEN: * Game was called after eight innings due to time limit.

Game 8, February 21


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	6	12	0
Panama	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	3	8	3
WP: Luis Arroyo (1-0) LP: Humberto Robinson (0-2) Home runs: PUR: None PAN: Ray Dabek (1)

Game 9, February 22


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	0	0	0	2	0	3	0	0	0	5	7	0
Cuba	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	2
WP: Bill Hockenbury (1-0) LP: Bob Muncrief (0-1)

Game 10, February 22


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	5	2
Puerto Rico	2	3	0	0	2	0	0	0	X	7	8	0
WP: Corky Valentine (1-0) LP: Ralph Beard (1-1)

Game 11, February 23


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	1
Panama	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	10	2
WP: Victor Stryska (2-0) LP: Thornton Kipper (0-2)

Game 12, February 23


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	7	1
Puerto Rico	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	6	4
WP: Junior Walsh (1-1) LP: Chi-Chi Olivo (0-1)

Statistics leaders

Statistic	Player	Team	Total
Batting average	Jim Rivera	Criollos de Caguas	.450
Home runs	Ray Orteig	Alacranes del Almendares	2
Runs batted in	Luis García	Lácteos de Pastora	9
Runs	Angel Scull	Alacranes del Almendares	5
Hits	Jim Rivera	Criollos de Caguas	9
Doubles	Vic Power	Criollos de Caguas	3
Doubles	Bobby Prescott	Carta Vieja Yankees	3
Triples	Five players tied		1
Stolen bases	Jack Cassini	Criollos de Caguas	2
Wins	Vic Stryska	Carta Vieja Yankees	2
Earned run average	Vic Stryska	Carta Vieja Yankees	0.50
Strikeouts	Joe Hatten	Alacranes del Almendares	12
Saves	Howie Fox	Lácteos de Pastora	1
Innings pitched	Vic Stryska	Carta Vieja Yankees	18.0

Awards

Tournament Awards^[1]
Award	Player	Team
MVP	Jim Rivera	Criollos de Caguas
Best manager	Mickey Owen	Criollos de Caguas

All Star Team^[2]
Position	Player	Team
First base	Vic Power	Criollos de Caguas
Second base	Jack Cassini	Criollos de Caguas
Third base	Luis García	Lácteos de Pastora
Shortstop	Vern Benson	Lácteos de Pastora
Left field	Bobby Prescott	Carta Vieja Yankees
Center field	Jim Rivera	Criollos de Caguas
Right field	Sam Chapman	Alacranes del Almendares
Catcher	Ray Orteig	Alacranes del Almendares
Pitcher	Vic Stryska	Carta Vieja Yankees

References

^ "Posiciones de los Equipos". seriedelcaribe.net (in Spanish). Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
^ "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

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.

External links

[1] "Posiciones de los Equipos". seriedelcaribe.net (in Spanish). Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe. Retrieved 13 June 2023.

[awards-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)

[1]

[2]