1956 Caribbean Series

The VIII edition of the Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) was played in 1956. It was held from February 10 through February 15, featuring the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Elefantes de Cienfuegos; Panama, Chesterfield Smokers; Puerto Rico, Criollos de Caguas and Venezuela, Industriales de Valencia. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice. The games were played at Estadio Olímpico de Panamá in Panama City, Panama.

Summary

In this edition, Cienfuegos won the first of five consecutive Series titles for the Cuban team. Cienfuegos was managed by Oscar Rodríguez and finished with a 5-1 record. The pitching staff was guided by Camilo Pascual (2-0, 11 strikeouts, 2.50 ERA), Pedro Ramos (2-0, 1.59 ERA) and René Gutiérrez (1-0, 0.00 ERA in 9⅓ innings). The offense was clearly led by catcher and Series MVP Ray Noble (.400 BA, one home run, .654 OBP and 1B Bob Boyd (.304 BA, one HR, 11 RBI, .522 SLG). Other contributions came from 2B Curt Roberts (.375, one HR, six runs, .542 SLG), Chico Fernández (.269, 10 runs, one HR) and 3B Milt Smith (two HR, .522 SLG). The roster also included IF Ossie Alvarez, OFs Prentice Browne and Archie Wilson and Ps Sandalio Consuegra, Seth Morehead and Gene Bearden, among others.

Panama, with Standford Graham at the helm, posted a 3-3 record to tie Puerto Rico for second place. Ps Don Elston, Ross Grimsley and Wally Burnette got the victories while 1B Elías Osorio (.286, 3 HR, .762 SLG) led the offense. Grimsley made the All-Star team, as well as OFs Bobby Prescott and Bill Stewart. The line up was also filled with Héctor López (2B), Humberto Robinson (P), David Roberts (OF) and Joe Tuminelli (3B).

Puerto Rico was managed by Ben Geraghty and got wins from Taylor Phillips, Roberto Vargas and Chi-Chi Olivo, while 1B Lou Limmer (.350, three HR, six runs, eight RBI) provided punch in the lineup. Also in the roster were P Tom Lasorda and Cs Bill Cash and Ray Murray; IFs Daryl Spencer (2B), Víctor Pellot Power (3B) and Félix Mantilla (SS), as well as OFs Wes Covington and Chuck Harmon.

Venezuela was managed by Regino Otero and finished in last place with a 1-5 mark. The team was outscored by their opponents 47-14. Bright spots were Ps Turk Farrell and Jim Pearce. Farrell recorded the lone win against Puerto Rico in a one-run, one hit effort, while Pearce took an 11-inning, 2-1 loss to Panama, striking out nine batters without giving a walk. Valencia also featured Ed Bailey (C), Tommy Brown (1B), Elio Chacón (CF), Emilio Cueche (P), Julián Ladera (P), Ron Mrozinski (P) and Paul Stuffel (P).

Final standings

Country	Club	W	L	W/L %	GB	Managers
Cuba	Elefantes de Cienfuegos	5	1	.833	–	Oscar Rodríguez
Panama	Chesterfield Smokers	3	3	.500	2.0	Standford Graham
Puerto Rico	Criollos de Caguas	3	3	.500	2.0	Ben Geraghty
Venezuela	Industriales de Valencia	1	5	.167	4.0	Regino Otero

Individual leaders
Player/Club	Statistic
Lou Limmer / PUR	Batting average	.400
Lou Limmer / PUR Elías Osorio / PAN	Home runs	3
Bob Boyd / CUB	RBI	11
Chico Fernández / CUB	Runs	10
Curt Roberts / CUB	Stolen bases	2
Camilo Pascual / CUB Pedro Ramos / CUB	Wins	2
Camilo Pascual / CUB	Strikeouts	12
René Gutiérrez / CUB	ERA	0.00
Turk Farrell / VEN Camilo Pascual / CUB	Innings pitched	18
Awards
Ray Noble / CUB	Most Valuable Player
Oscar Rodríguez	Manager

All-Star Team
Name/Club	Position
Ray Noble / CUB	catcher
Lou Limmer / PUR	first baseman
Curt Roberts / CUB	second baseman
Victor Pellot / PUR	third baseman
Chico Fernández / CUB	shortstop
Ramón Maldonado / PUR	left fielder
Bill Stewart / PAN	center fielder
Bobby Prescott / PAN	right fielder
Camilo Pascual / CUB Ross Grimsley / PAN	pitchers
Oscar Rodríguez / CUB	manager

Scoreboards

Game 1, February 10

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	2
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	2	0	4	0	X	6	9	1
WP: Turk Farrell (1-0)   LP: Paul Stuffel (0-1) Home runs: PUR: Ramón Maldonado (1) VEN: Ed Bailey (1)

Game 2, February 10

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	0	0	0	6	2	2	1	0	2	13	16	1
Panama	0	0	0	2	0	2	1	0	0	5	6	2
WP: Camilo Pascual (1-0)   LP: Ross Grimsley (0-1) Home runs: CUB: Milt Smith (1) PAN: None

Game 3, February 11

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	5	9	2
Cuba	2	4	0	0	0	0	2	1	X	9	13	2
WP: Pedro Ramos (1-0)   LP: Emilio Cueche (0-1)

Game 4, February 11

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	3	7	2
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	2	0	3	0	0	X	5	8	1
WP: Chi-Chi Olivo (1-0)   LP: Wally Burnette (0-1) Home runs: PAN: Elías Osorio (1) PUR: Lou Limmer (1)

Game 5, February 12

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	4	7	1
Puerto Rico	0	1	1	0	1	0	0	4	X	7	11	0
WP: Taylor Phillips (1-0)   LP: Sandalio Consuegra (0-1) Home runs: CUB: None PUR: Victor Pellot (1), Ramón Maldonado (2), Lou Limmer (2)

Game 6, February 12

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	R	H	E
Panama	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	7	1
Venezuela	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	7	0
WP: Don Elston (1-0)   LP: Jim Pearce (0-1) Home runs: PAN: Héctor López (1), Bill Stewart (1) VEN: None

Game 7, February 13

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	6	0
Puerto Rico	3	1	2	1	0	3	0	0	X	10	14	0
WP: Roberto Vargas (1-0)   LP: Ron Mrozinski (0-1) Home runs: VEN: None PUR: Chuck Harmon (1), Daryl Spencer (1)

Game 8, February 13

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1
Cuba	0	0	1	0	0	4	0	1	X	6	8	1
WP: René Gutiérrez (1-0)   LP: Humberto Robinson (0-1) Home runs: PAN: None CUB: Archie Wilson (1), Milt Smith (2)

Game 9, February 14

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	4	7	7	0
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	2
WP: Camilo Pascual (2-0)   LP: Turk Farrell (0-1) Home runs: CUB: Ossie Alvarez (1), Bob Boyd (1) VEN: None

Game 10, February 14

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	5	9	5
Panama	2	2	5	3	0	1	0	0	X	13	16	3
WP: Ross Grimsley (1-1)   LP: Chi-Chi Olivo (1-1)

Game 11, February 15

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	2	7	1
Cuba	1	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	X	4	5	1
WP: Pedro Ramos (2-0)   LP: Paul Stuffel (0-2) Home runs: PUR: Lou Limmer (3) CUB: Chico Fernández (1)

Game 12, February 15

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	1
Panama	4	5	1	0	0	3	4	1	X	18	16	2
WP: Wally Burnette (1-1)   LP: Ron Mrozinski (0-2) Home runs: VEN: None PAN: Elías Osorio 2 (3), Clyde Parrish (1), Héctor López (2), Denny Schell (1)

 

See also

• Ballplayers who have played in the Series

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

• Official site
• Latino Baseball
• Series del Caribe, Las (Spanish)