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Caribbean Series

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Caribbean Series
SportBaseball
First season1949; 75 years ago (1949)
DirectorJuan Francisco Puello Herrera
Organizing bodyCaribbean Professional Baseball Confederation
CountriesColombia
Dominican Republic
Mexico
Panama
Puerto Rico
Venezuela
RegionCaribbean and Latin America
Most recent
champion(s)
Venezuela Tiburones de La Guaira
(1st title)
(2024)
Most titlesDominican Republic Tigres del Licey
(11 titles)
TV partner(s)United States:
ESPN Deportes
Bally Sports
Related
competitions
LPB
LIDOM
LMP
PROBEIS
LBPRC
LVBP
Official websiteseriedelcaribe.net
Current sports event 2024 Caribbean Series

The Caribbean Series (Spanish: Serie del Caribe) 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.

The Dominican Republic has won the most Caribbean Series championships (22), with Tigres del Licey being the most successful team in the tournament's history. The series has been won by 29 teams from seven different countries. Only two teams have won the tournament two consecutive years, the most recent being Criollos de Caguas from Puerto Rico in 2017 and 2018.

History

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The competition was the brainchild of Venezuelan baseball entrepreneur Pablo Morales and Oscar Prieto Ortiz, who devised the idea after seeing the success of the Serie Interamericana in 1946, which featured the clubs Brooklyn Bushwicks from the United States, Cervecería Caracas from Venezuela, Sultanes de Monterrey from Mexico, and an All-Star team composed of Cuban players.[1]

Pablo Morales and Oscar Prieto founded the Caribbean Series

Inspired by the Interamerican Series and his experience as a former president of the International Baseball Federation, Morales joined Prieto and presented the idea to baseball representatives of Cuba, Panama, and Puerto Rico during a meeting held in Havana on August 21, 1948.[2] The representatives then agreed to stage a four-country, round-robin tournament 12-game to be known as the Serie del Caribe, to be launched in Cuba from February 20–25 of 1949.

The Series ran annually from 1949 through 1960, with Cuba winning seven times. However, the event was suspended in 1961, as a result of the Cuban Revolution. Fidel Castro dissolved all professional baseball in Cuba, and MLB Commissioner Ford Frick ruled that American major leaguers were barred from playing in Havana, where the 1961 series had been scheduled.[3][4]

It was not until 1970 that the Caribbean Series was revived. Moreover, the 1981 Caribbean Series was not held due to a Venezuelan League player's strike.

The tournament featured the champions of the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela for over 40 years. Cuba returned in 2014. Panama returned to host the 2019 edition. Colombia was added for the 2020 edition, replacing Cuba who could not participate due to visa issues. Curaçao was invited as a guest in 2023.[5]

Participants

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Key
  •   Member of the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation
Country League First edition
 Curaçao Curaçao Professional Baseball League 2023
 Dominican Republic Dominican Professional Baseball League 1970
 Mexico Mexican Pacific League 1971
 Nicaragua Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League 2024
 Panama Panamanian Professional Baseball League[a] 1949
 Puerto Rico Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente 1949
 Venezuela Venezuelan Professional Baseball League[b] 1949

Previous participants

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Country League First edition Latest edition
 Cuba Cuban League 1949 1960
Cuban National Series 2014 2019
Cuban Elite League 2023
 Curaçao Curaçao National Championship AA League 2023
 Colombia Colombian Professional Baseball League 2020 2023

Notes

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Series

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Year Venue Champion Manager Record
1949 Cuba Havana Cuba Alacranes del Almendares   Fermin Guerra 6–0
1950 Puerto Rico San Juan Panama Carta Vieja Yankees   Wayne Blackburn   5–1
1951 Venezuela Caracas Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce   George Scales 5–1
1952 Panama Panama City Cuba Leones del Habana   Mike González 5–0
1953 Cuba Havana Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce (2)   Buster Clarkson 5–0
1954 Puerto Rico San Juan Puerto Rico Criollos de Caguas   Mickey Owen 4–2
1955 Venezuela Caracas Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce (3)   Herman Franks 5–1
1956 Panama Panama City Cuba Elefantes de Cienfuegos   Oscar Rodríguez 5–1
1957 Cuba Havana Cuba Tigres de Marianao   Napoleón Reyes 5–1
1958 Puerto Rico San Juan Cuba Tigres de Marianao (2)   Napoleón Reyes (2) 4–2
1959 Venezuela Caracas Cuba Alacranes del Almendares (2)   Clemente Carreras 5–1
1960 Panama Panama City Cuba Elefantes de Cienfuegos (2)   Tony Castaño 6–0
1961–1969 None held
1970 Venezuela Caracas Venezuela Navegantes del Magallanes   Carlos Pascual 7–1
1971 Puerto Rico San Juan Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey   Manny Mota 6–0
1972 Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Puerto Rico Leones de Ponce   Frank Verdi 5–1
1973 Venezuela Caracas Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey (2)   Tommy Lasorda 5–1
1974 Mexico Hermosillo Puerto Rico Criollos de Caguas (2)   Bobby Wine 4–2
1975 Puerto Rico San Juan Puerto Rico Vaqueros de Bayamón   José Pagán 5–1
1976 Dominican Republic Santo Domingo & Santiago   Mexico Naranjeros de Hermosillo   Cananea Reyes 5–1
1977 Venezuela Caracas Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey (3)   Buck Rodgers 6–0
1978 Mexico Mazatlán Puerto Rico Indios de Mayagüez   Rene Lachemann 5–1
1979 Puerto Rico San Juan Venezuela Navegantes del Magallanes (2)   Willie Horton 5–1
1980 Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey (4)   Del Crandall 4–2
1981 None held
1982 Mexico Hermosillo Venezuela Leones del Caracas   Chico Carrasquel 5–1
1983 Venezuela Caracas Puerto Rico Lobos de Arecibo   Ron Clark 5–1
1984 Puerto Rico San Juan Venezuela Águilas del Zulia   Rubén Amaro 5–1
1985 Mexico Mazatlán Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey (5)   Terry Collins 5–1
1986 Venezuela Maracaibo Mexico Águilas de Mexicali   Cananea Reyes (2) 4–2
1987 Mexico Hermosillo Puerto Rico Criollos de Caguas (3)   Ramón Avilés 5–2
1988 Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Leones del Escogido   Phil Regan 4–2
1989 Mexico Mazatlán Venezuela Águilas del Zulia (2)   Pete Mackanin 5–1
1990 United States Miami Dominican Republic Leones del Escogido (2)   Felipe Alou 5–1
1991 United States Miami Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey (6)   John Roseboro 5–0
1992 Mexico Hermosillo Puerto Rico Indios de Mayagüez (2)   Pat Kelly 5–1
1993 Mexico Mazatlán Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce (4)   Mako Oliveras 5–2
1994 Venezuela Puerto la Cruz Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey (7)   Casey Parsons 5–1
1995 Puerto Rico San Juan Puerto Rico Senadores de San Juan   Luis Meléndez 6–0
1996 Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Mexico Tomateros de Culiacán   Francisco Estrada 5–1
1997 Mexico Hermosillo Dominican Republic Águilas Cibaeñas   Mike Quade 4–2
1998 Venezuela Puerto la Cruz Dominican Republic Águilas Cibaeñas (2)   Tony Peña 6–0
1999 Puerto Rico San Juan Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey (8)   Dave Jauss 5–2
2000 Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce (5)   Mako Oliveras (2) 6–0
2001 Mexico Culiacán Dominican Republic Águilas Cibaeñas (3)   Félix Fermín 4–2
2002 Venezuela Caracas Mexico Tomateros de Culiacán (2)   Francisco Estrada (2)   5–1
2003 Puerto Rico Carolina Dominican Republic Águilas Cibaeñas (4)   Félix Fermín (2) 6–1
2004 Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey (9)   Manny Acta 5–1
2005 Mexico Mazatlán Mexico Venados de Mazatlán   Juan José Pacho 5–1
2006 Venezuela Valencia and Maracay Venezuela Leones del Caracas (2)   Carlos Subero 6–0
2007 Puerto Rico Carolina Dominican Republic Águilas Cibaeñas (5)   Félix Fermín (3) 5–1
2008 Dominican Republic Santiago Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey (10)   Héctor de la Cruz 5–1
2009 Mexico Mexicali Venezuela Tigres de Aragua   Buddy Bailey 5–1
2010 Venezuela Margarita Island Dominican Republic Leones del Escogido (3)   Ken Oberkfell 5–1
2011 Puerto Rico Mayagüez Mexico Yaquis de Obregón   Eddie Díaz 4–2
2012 Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Leones del Escogido (4)   Ken Oberkfell (2) 4–2
2013 Mexico Hermosillo Mexico Yaquis de Obregón (2)   Eddy Díaz (2) 4–3
2014 Venezuela Margarita Island Mexico Naranjeros de Hermosillo (2)   Matías Carrillo 4–2
2015 Puerto Rico San Juan Cuba Vegueros de Pinar del Río   Alfonso Urquiola 3–3
2016 Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Mexico Venados de Mazatlan (2)  Juan José Pacho 6–0
2017 Mexico Culiacán Puerto Rico Criollos de Caguas (4)  Luis Matos 3−3
2018 Mexico Guadalajara Puerto Rico Criollos de Caguas (5)  Luis Matos (2) 4−2
2019 Panama Panama City Panama Toros de Herrera  Manuel Rodríguez 4−1
2020 Puerto Rico San Juan Dominican Republic Toros del Este  Lino Rivera 6−1
2021 Mexico Mazatlán Dominican Republic Águilas Cibaeñas (6)  Félix Fermín (4) 7−0
2022 Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Colombia Caimanes de Barranquilla  José Mosquera 5−2
2023 Venezuela Caracas and La Guaira Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey (11)  Jose Offerman 6−3
2024 United States Miami Venezuela Tiburones de La Guaira  Ozzie Guillén 7−1

Championship games

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Starting with the 2013 Caribbean Series, a championship game was introduced where the two teams with the best win–loss record from the round-robin first stage would meet to determine the champion. In 2013 the first round consisted of 12 games and each team faced the other teams twice, one as home club and the other as an away team; from 2014 on, with the return of Cuban teams to the tournament, the first stage was changed to a round robin of 10 games where each team faced the other teams once.

Year Venue Champion Result Runner-up Manager
2013 Mexico Hermosillo Mexico Yaquis de Obregón 4–3 (18) Dominican Republic Leones del Escogido Dominican Republic Eddie Díaz
2014 Venezuela Isla de Margarita Mexico Naranjeros de Hermosillo 7–1 Puerto Rico Indios de Mayagüez Mexico Matías Carrillo
2015 Puerto Rico San Juan Cuba Vegueros de Pinar del Río 3–2 Mexico Tomateros de Culiacán Cuba Alfonso Urquiola
2016 Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Mexico Venados de Mazatlán 5–4 Venezuela Tigres de Aragua Mexico Juan José Pacho
2017 Mexico Culiacán Puerto Rico Criollos de Caguas 1–0 (10) Mexico Águilas de Mexicali Puerto Rico Luis Matos
2018 Mexico Guadalajara Puerto Rico Criollos de Caguas 9–4 Dominican Republic Águilas Cibaeñas Puerto Rico Luis Matos
2019 Panama Panama City Panama Toros de Herrera 3–1 Cuba Leñadores de Las Tunas Panama Manuel Rodríguez
2020 Puerto Rico San Juan Dominican Republic Toros del Este 9–3 Venezuela Cardenales de Lara Puerto Rico Lino Rivera
2021 Mexico Mazatlán Dominican Republic Águilas Cibaeñas 4–1 Puerto Rico Criollos de Caguas Dominican Republic Félix Fermín
2022 Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Colombia Caimanes de Barranquilla 4–1 Dominican Republic Gigantes del Cibao Colombia José Mosquera
2023 Venezuela Caracas and La Guaira Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey 3–0 Venezuela Leones del Caracas Dominican Republic José Offerman
2024 United States Miami Venezuela Tiburones de La Guaira 3–0 Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey Venezuela Ozzie Guillén

Championships by team

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Rank Team Wins Years
1 Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey 11 1971, 1973, 1977, 1980, 1985, 1991, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2008, 2023
2 Dominican Republic Águilas Cibaeñas 6 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2021
3 Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce 5 1951, 1953, 1955, 1993, 2000
Puerto Rico Criollos de Caguas 1954, 1974, 1987, 2017, 2018
5 Dominican Republic Leones del Escogido 4 1988, 1990, 2010, 2012
6 Cuba Tigres de Marianao 2 1957, 1958
Cuba Alacranes del Almendares 1949, 1959
Cuba Elefantes de Cienfuegos 1956, 1960
Venezuela Navegantes del Magallanes 1970, 1979
Venezuela Águilas del Zulia 1984, 1989
Puerto Rico Indios de Mayagüez 1978, 1992
Mexico Tomateros de Culiacán 1996, 2002
Venezuela Leones del Caracas 1982, 2006
Mexico Yaquis de Obregón 2011, 2013
Mexico Naranjeros de Hermosillo 1976, 2014
Mexico Venados de Mazatlán 2005, 2016
17 Panama Carta Vieja Yankees 1 1950
Cuba Leones del Habana 1952
Puerto Rico Leones de Ponce 1972
Puerto Rico Vaqueros de Bayamón 1975
Puerto Rico Lobos de Arecibo 1983
Mexico Águilas de Mexicali 1986
Puerto Rico Senadores de San Juan 1995
Venezuela Tigres de Aragua 2009
Cuba Vegueros de Pinar del Río 2015
Panama Toros de Herrera 2019
Dominican Republic Toros del Este 2020
Colombia Caimanes de Barranquilla 2022
Venezuela Tiburones de La Guaira 2024

Championships by country

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Rank Country Wins Years
1  Dominican Republic 22 1971, 1973, 1977, 1980,1985, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2020, 2021, 2023
2  Puerto Rico 16 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1983, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2017, 2018
3  Mexico 9 1976, 1986, 1996, 2002, 2005, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016
4  Cuba 8 1949, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 2015
 Venezuela 1970, 1979, 1982, 1984, 1989, 2006, 2009, 2024
6  Panama 2 1950, 2019
7  Colombia 1 2022

Undefeated teams

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No. Team Record Years
3 Dominican Republic Tigres del Licey 6–0
6–0
5–0
1971
1977
1991
2 Puerto Rico Cangrejeros de Santurce 6–0
6–0
1953
2000
2 Dominican Republic Águilas Cibaeñas 6–0
7–0
1998
2021
1 Cuba Alacranes del Almendares   6–0 1949
1 Cuba Leones del Habana 5–0 1952
1 Cuba Elefantes de Cienfuegos 6–0 1960
1 Puerto Rico Senadores de San Juan 6–0 1995
1 Mexico Venados de Mazatlán 6–0 2016

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Salón de la Fama y Museo del Béisbol de Venezuela Exaltados 2008 – Oscar Prieto Ortiz Archived 31 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine (Spanish).
  2. ^ Bjarkman, Peter (1994). Baseball with a Latin Beat: A History of the Latin American Game. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-89950-973-0.
  3. ^ "Caracas Grabs Latin Title Set, Cuban Loop Out". The Sporting News. 11 January 1961. p. 21. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Historia Serie del Caribe". LVBP.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  5. ^ Rojas, Enrique (13 May 2022). "Oficial: Cuba y Curazao jugarán en próxima Serie del Caribe en Caracas 2023". ESPNdeportes.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 June 2023.

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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