1952 Caribbean Series

The fourth edition of the Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) was played in 1952. It was held from February 20 through February 26, featuring the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Leones de la Habana; Panama, Carta Vieja Yankees; Puerto Rico, Senadores de San Juan and Venezuela, Cervecería Caracas. The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice, and the games were played at Panama City. The first pitch was thrown by Alcibíades Arosemena, by then the President of Panama.

Summary

Cuba became the first country to win two Caribbean Series championships with an undefeated record of 5-0. The Cuban team, with manager/catcher Mike González at the helm, won the Series behind a strong pitching effort by Tommy Fine, who posted a 2-0 record with a 1.50 ERA in two complete-games and won Most Valuable Player honors. After a 3-3 tie against Puerto Rico in the Series opener, he was called by the Cuban team as a late replacement for future Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm. Fine posted the only no-hitter pitched in any Caribbean series game, to give his team a 1-0 win against Venezuela. Five days later, Fine faced Panama's club and was close to glory. He was three outs from consecutive no-hitters in the series, having allowed a single in the ninth inning to break it up. His 17 hitless streak also is the longest in series history. Outfielder Sandy Amorós led series hitters with a .450 batting average (9-for-20), including personal numbers with a .650 SLG, six runs, six RBI. Other contributions came from OF Fernando Pedroso (.400), catcher Andrés Fleitas (.304), and infielders Lou Klein (.333) and Spider Jorgensen, who hit two of the team's three home runs.

The clubs from Panama and Venezuela tied for second place with a 3-3 record. Panama was managed by Al Leap and included in the roster infielders Spook Jacobs, Joe Tuminelli and Jim Cronin, catcher León Kellman, and pitchers Connie Johnson and Marion Fricano.

The Venezuelan club, led by José Antonio Casanova, featured players as right fielder Wilmer Fields (.360, two HR, .720 SLG, 8 RBI), shortstop Chico Carrasquel and third baseman Luis García, as well as catcher/outfielder Guillermo Vento and pitchers José Bracho, Emilio Cueche, Bob Griffith, Johnny Hetki, Al Papai and Luis Zuloaga. In addition, center fielder Héctor Benítez and third baseman Buddy Hicks joined Fields in the All-Star team.

After a tied game with Cuba, Puerto Rico's team failed to win in their next five games. Managed by Fred Thon, their roster included outfielders Nino Escalera and Luis Rodríguez Olmo; pitchers Red Adams, Luis Arroyo, Art Ditmar and Pantalones Santiago, and OF/P Cot Deal.

Final standings


Country	Club	W	L	W/L %	GB	Managers
Cuba	Leones de la Habana	5	0	1.000	–	Mike González
Panama	Carta Vieja Yankees	3	3	.500	2½	Al Leap
Venezuela	Cervecería Caracas	3	3	.500	2½	José Antonio Casanova
Puerto Rico	Senadores de San Juan	0	5	.000	5.0	Freddie Thon

Individual leaders
Player/Club	Statistic
Sandy Amorós/CUB	Batting average	.450
Sandy Amorós/CUB Wilmer Fields/VEN Spook Jacobs/PAN	Hits	9
Sandy Amorós/CUB	Doubles	4
John Kropf/PAN Alberto Osorio/PAN	Triples	1
Wilmer Fields/VEN Spider Jorgensen/CUB	Home runs	2
Stan Breard/PUR	Runs	8
Wilmer Fields/VEN	Runs batted in	7
Jerry Lynch/PAN	Stolen bases	2
Tommy Fine/CUB	Wins	2
Tommy Fine/CUB	Earned run average	0.00
Bill Ayers/CUB Tommy Fine/CUB Johnny Hetki/VEN	Complete games	2
Johnny Hetki/VEN	Strikeouts	9
Cot Deal/PUR	Walks	9
Awards
Tommy Fine/CUB	Most Valuable Player
Mike González/CUB	Manager

All-Star Team
Name/Club	Position
Tommy Fine/CUB	Pitcher
Andrés Fleitas/CUB	Catcher
Ed Neville/PAN	First baseman
Spook Jacobs/PAN	Second baseman
Buddy Hicks/VEN	Third baseman
Lou Klein/CUB	Short stop
Sandy Amorós/CUB	Left fielder
Héctor Benítez/VEN	Center fielder
Wilmer Fields/VEN	Right fielder
Mike González/CUB	Manager

Game 1, February 20


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	0	0	1	0	0	3	0	6	0	3	5	1
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	0	3	7	2
WP: None LP: TBD Home runs: CUB: Spider Jorgensen (1) PUR: Cot Deal (1)

Game 2, February 20


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	10	1
Panama	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	2
WP: Johnny Hetki (1-0) LP: Dave Thomas (0-1) Home runs: VEN: None PAN: Jim Cronin (1)

Game 3, February 21


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Cuba	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	x	1	4	2
WP: Tommy Fine (1-0) LP: Al Papai (0-1) Notes: Fine posted the only no-hitter pitched in Series history, striking out four while walking three.

Game 4, February 21


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	0	2	1	0	0	1	0	2	0	6	9	2
Puerto Rico	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	2
WP: Hisel Patrick (1-0) LP: Red Adams (0-1) Home runs: PAN: Dale Lynch (1) PUR: None

Game 5, February 22


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	1	3	8	2
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	8	1
WP: José Bracho (1-0) LP: Cot Deal (0-1) Sv: Emilio Cueche (1) Notes: Bracho hurled 10 innings and went 2-for-2 with two walks.

Game 6, February 22


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	8	3
Cuba	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	x	4	5	1
WP: Rogelio Martínez (1-0) LP: Marion Fricano (0-1) Home runs: PAN: None CUB: Spider Jorgensen (2)

Game 7, February 23


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	4	2
Cuba	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	7	0
WP: Jackie Collum (1-0) LP: Roberto Vargas (0-1) Home runs: PUR: Luis Rodríguez Olmo (1) CUB: Lou Klein (1)

Game 8, February 23


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	4	8	0
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	8	1
WP: Alberto Osorio (1-0) LP: Bill Samson (0-1) Home runs: PAN: Ed Knoublach (1) VEN: None

Game 9, February 24


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	5	7	8	1
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	5	4
WP: Bill Ayers (1-0) LP: Johnny Hetki (1-1) Home runs: CUB: None VEN: Wilmer Fields (1)

Game 10, February 25


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	9	1
Panama	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	x	4	9	0
WP: Andrés Alonso (1-0) LP: José Santiago (0-1)

Game 11, February 26


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	3	7	1
Venerzuela	2	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	x	6	11	2
WP: Al Papai (1-1) LP: Red Adams (0-2) Home runs: PUR: None VEN: Wilmer Fields (2), Mo Mozzali (1)

Game 12, February 26


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	2	0	0	0	0	0	3	3	3	11	16	0
Panama	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	3	3	2
WP: Tommy Fine (2-0) LP: Hisel Patrick (0-1) Notes: Fine had a no-hitter through eight innings, setting a Series record with 17 consecutive hitless innings pitched.

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

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Caribbean Series
Years	1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Circuits	Colombian Professional Baseball League Cuban National Series Dominican Professional Baseball League Mexican Pacific League Panamanian Professional Baseball League Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
Related articles	Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame Caribbean Series Most Valuable Player Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame List of players who have played in the Series Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame
1961 to 1969 - The Series was not held during these years following the dissolution of Cuba's professional league. 1981 - The Series was not held due to a Venezuelan player's strike.