| Founded | 1946 |
|---|---|
| Abolished | 1965 |
| Region | North America (1946—50) South America Caribbean |
| Number of teams | 4 |
| Related competitions | Caribbean Series |
| Last champions |  Cinco Estrellas(1st title) |
| Most successful club(s) |  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.
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 Frick ruled that American major leaguers were barred from playing in Havana, where the 1961 Caribbean Series had been scheduled.[10] Instead, the new Serie Interamericana would replaced 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 a 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] Despite this, the Dominican Republic organized a tournament in 1965, inviting Venezuela and Puerto Rico. 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.[12]
Editions
Records
No-hitters (2)
- Sandy Consuegra (All Cubans) on September 22, 1949, vs Cerveceria Caracas[6][27]
- Juan Pizarro (Mayagüez) on February 8, 1963, vs Industriales de Valencia[28]
References
- ^ "La Interamericana: el embrión de la Serie del Caribe". Playoff Magazine (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ González and Ruiz, p. 389—91
- ^ a b c d "El Béisbol en Venezuela: Serie Interamericana, semilla de la Serie del Caribe". La Gran Aldea (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "Venezuela Series Opens". The Sporting News. Oct 30, 1946. p. 28 – via SABR.
- ^ "John Antonelli". Society for American Baseball Research.
- ^ a b González and Ruiz, p. 428
- ^ a b "Buffalo Stars". St. Louis Sporting News. Sep 24, 1947. p. 37 – via SABR.
- ^ "More Baseball". The Tribune. Sep 25, 1947.
- ^ "Paul Richards' Stars Go to Venezuela for Games". The Sporting News. Sep 22, 1948. p. 21 – via SABR.
- ^ "Caracas Grabs Latin Title Set, Cuban Loop Out". The Sporting News. 11 January 1961. p. 21. Retrieved 20 February 2024 – via SABR.
- ^ a b c Tony Piña Cámpora. "2". SERIE DEL CARIBE – HISTORIA DE LA CONFEDERACIÓN (PDF) (in Spanish).
- ^ Tony Menendez (Jan 16, 2023). "La Serie Interamericana Fue Serie de Campeones del Caribe". El Hogar del BaseballLatino.
- ^ "Venezuelan Play Fades With Razz For Bushwicks". The Sporting News. Nov 27, 1946. p. 16 – via SABR.
- ^ "BUSHWICKS BEATEN, 8–7; Bow to Monterrey in Opener of 4-Nation Series at Caracas". The New York Times. Oct 19, 1946.
- ^ "Bushwicks Top Cuba for Title". The New York Times. Nov 13, 1946.
- ^ "U.S. Team Wins At Venezuela". The Sporting News. Oct 22, 1947. p. 24 – via SABR.
- ^ "Surkont Pitches Win in Venezuela". Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. Sep 14, 1947.
- ^ "Surkont Pitches Six-Hit Triumph". Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. Oct 4, 1947.
- ^ "U.S. STARS TRIUMPH, 9–5; Buffalo Takes Inter-American Baseball Series at Caracas". The New York Times. Oct 11, 1948.
- ^ "Buffalo Stars win International Tourney". Buffalo Courier-Express. Oct 11, 1948.
- ^ "U.S. Wins in Venezuela". The Sporting News. Oct 19, 1949. p. 30 – via SABR.
- ^ "Venezuelan Series Under Way". The Sporting News. Sep 27, 1950. p. 35 – via SABR.
- ^ "Crabbers Top Latin Title 4th Time in 14 Years". The Sporting News. Feb 21, 1962. p. 37 – via SABR.
- ^ "Panama Wins Latin Crown on Lizondro's Five-Hitter". The Sporting News. Feb 23, 1963. p. 41 – via SABR.
- ^ "Estrellas Cops Latin Title Behind Top-Notch Hurling". The Sporting News. Feb 22, 1964. p. 27 – via SABR.
- ^ Adolfo Miranda Sáenz (2009). Polémico testimonio (in Spanish). p. 123. ISBN 9789992408179.
- ^ "Consuegra Pitches No-Hitter". The Sporting News. Oct 5, 1949. p. 52 – via SABR.
- ^ 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.
Bibliography
- Javier González; Carlos Figueroa Ruiz. Campos de Gloria: El beisbol en Venezuela, 127 años de historia 1895-2022 (PDF) (in Spanish). Biblioteca Digital Banesco.
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This page was last edited on 8 April 2024, at 03:35