Winter League Baseball: Serie del Caribe 2018-2019 Faces Potential Cancellation

2018~2019

HOST

Barquisimeto, Venezuela

BREAKING NEWS

• ESPN Deportes ~ On potential cancellation of 2018-2019 Serie del Caribe
• MLB.com ~ Unrest in Venezuela Threatens Caribbean Series
• Sporting News ~ Political Unrest in Venezuela Puts Caribbean Series in Jeopardy

If you've been keeping up with international news, then you're probably aware Venezuela is a nation in crisis.  Amidst epic political turmoil, cities throughout the country on Wednesday erupted in demonstration.  Hundreds of arrests are being reported, while 13 known deaths have occurred in protests.

The city of Barquisimeto was due to host this year's Caribbean Series.  On Thursday, the Professional Baseball Confederation of the Caribbean issued a statement all but declaring a final resolution in light of present conditions in Venezuela, and that a definitive determination would be forthcoming within 24-hours.

An ongoing state of turmoil likewise caused the confederation to shift last year's Serie del Caribe - originally scheduled for Barquisimeto - to Jalisco, Mexico.  It marked Mexico's second straight season as host nation.  As a result, they've expressed a reluctance to host a third straight tournament.
However, last year's decision to opt out of Venezuela was made well in advance, a full seven months before the February event.  Thus affording ample time for tackling the complexities of relocation and logistical reconfiguration.  This year's opening game of the Serie del Caribe is tentatively scheduled for Feb.2, which at this point leaves little or no time for a sudden change of venues.  Moreover, Puerto Rico is still beset with post Hurricane Maria recovery, and is in no position to host.  Dominican Republic offered to host but at the participating country's expense.  Cuba since 2014 is still technically considered a guest of the Caribbean Series, and therefore is not a host consideration.

Founded in 1949, the Serie del Caribe ironically was the brainchild of Venezuelan businessmen Pablo Morales and Oscar Prieto Ortiz.  Perhaps even more ironic, the Serie del Caribe was last suspended in 1981 due to a Venezuelan League player's strike.

CONFEDERATION of the CARIBBEAN CHARTER MEMBERS: 1949-1960

• Venezuela (0)
• Panama (1)
• Puerto Rico (4)
• Cuba (7)
• *Serie del Caribe titles

By 1959-1960, Cuba's Communist Revolution seizes control of government.  Fidel Castro nationalizes the country's baseball enterprise, and by banning professionalism transforms the game into regional divisions of strictly amateur competition.  The Serie del Caribe is suspended from 1961 through 1969 as a result.  Panama folds operations.  The circuit is reformed in 1970 with lone returning members Puerto Rico and Venezuela.  Dominican Republic joins the loop in 1970, and Mexico joins the year after.  These four member circuits now make up the present Confederation of the Caribbean.  As a result of slow and steady thawing of decades long political tensions, the Confederation invited Cuba back in 2014 as a guest participant.

CONFEDERATION of the CARIBBEAN CURRENT MEMBERS: 1970-present

• Dominican Republic (19)
• Puerto Rico (12)
• Mexico (9)
• Venezuela (7)
• Cuba (1)
• * Serie del Caribe titles

VENEZUELA
Serie del Caribe Champions: 1970; 1979; 1982; 1984; 1989; 2006; 2009.

• Liga Venezulana Beisbol Profesional

Despite political and civil unrest dominating the nation's attention, the LVBP championship series  pressed on.

CHAMPIONS: LOS CARDENALES de LARA

• Founded: 1942
• LVBP Champions: 1991; 1998; 2000-2001.

CARDENALES de LARA sweep LEONES de CARACAS; 4-0
I - LAR 7; CAR 1
II - LAR 8; CAR 2
III - LAR 12; CAR 1

GAME FOUR

LARA         7
CARACAS 0

SATURDAY FINAL

MEXICO

Serie del Caribe Champions: 1976; 1986; 1996; 2002; 2005; 2011; 2013-2014; 2016.

• Liga Mexicana del Pacifico

Jalisco leads LMP Championship Series over Obregon; 3-2

I - OBR 8; JAL 3

II - JAL 6; OBR 4

III - OBR 10; JAL 9

IV - JAL 5; OBR 3
V - JAL 7; OBR 0

GAME SIX

YAQUIS de OBREGON @ CHARROS de JALISCO

MONDAY

CUBA
Serie del Caribe Champions: 1949; 1952; 1956-1960; 2015.

• BaseballDeCuba

CHAMPIONS: LENADORES de LAS TUNAS (Lumberjacks)

• Founded: 1977
• Record: 65-45 (.591)
• 2018-2019 First Time Serie Nacional Champions/58th Edition; Defeat Leopardos de Villa Clara (four games to one).

• Cuban Baseball Federation Reveals Las Tunas final roster for Serie del Caribe

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Serie del Caribe Champions: 1971; 1973; 1977; 1980; 1985; 1988; 1990-1991; 1994; 1997-1999; 2001; 2003-2004; 2007-2008; 2010; 2012.

• Liga Beisbol Profesional Republica Dominicana

CHAMPIONS: ESTRELLAS de ORIENTALES 

• Founded: 1910
• First Championship: 1936
• LIDOM Champions: 1954; 1968; 2019

LIDOM
CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Estrellas de Orientaled defeat Toros del Este; 5-1
I - Stars 13; Toros 1
II - Stars 6; Toros 1
III - Toros 13; Stars 2
IV - Stars 3; Toros 2
V - Stars 3; Toros 0
VI - Stars 4; Toros 0

PUERTO RICO
Serie del Caribe Champions: 1951; 1953-1955; 1972; 1974-1975; 1978; 1983; 1987; 1992-1993; 1995; 2000; 2017-2018.

• Liga Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente

CHAMPIONS: CANGREJEROS de SANTURCE 

• Founded: 1939
• LBPRC Champions: 1951; 1953; 1955; 1959; 1962; 1965; 1967; 1971; 1973; 1991; 1993; 2000; 2015-2016; 2019.

LBPRC

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Cangrejeros de Santurce sweep Indios de Mayaguez; 4-0

I - SAN 4; MAY 0

II - SAN 7; MAY 1

III - SAN 8; MAY 3

IV - SAN 1; MAY 0

*Wikipedia/CaribbeanSeries

Winter League Baseball: Crabbers Whitewash Indians in LBPRC Series Opener

WINTER LEAGUE BEISBOL
2018~2019

PUERTO RICO

Liga Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente

LBPRC

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

CANGREJEROS de SANTURCE 

vs. 

INDIOS de MAYAGUEZ

Santurce leads series 1-0

I - SAN 4; MAY 0

1/21 - Crabbers Ride Strong Pitching, Defense, and Timely Hitting, to Game One Victory Over Favored Indians.

Hits were hard to come by, but Santurce made the most of theirs in Game One of Puerto Rico's championship series at Mayaguez.  Indios starter Jonathan Sanchez surrenders just two hits through six innings pitched.  However, the first of which in the top of the third off the bat of Santurce left fielder Rey Fuentes landed over the right field wall for a two-run home run.  That's essentially all the Crabbers would need as starter Ivan Maldonado pitches seven scoreless innings, allowing just four scattered hits and a walk, with three strikeouts en route to an opening game victory.  Relievers James Pugilese and Fernando Cruz close out the game with an inning each of scoreless, no hit ball, with three strikeouts.

GAME TWO

Mayaguez @ Santurce

Hiram Bithorn Stadium

• Cangrejeros de Santurce: charter member since 1939; 14 Puerto Rico league titles; five Serie del Caribe titles.

• Indios de Mayaguez: charter member since 1939; 18 Puerto Rico league titles; two Serie del Caribe titles.

Winner advances to Serie del Caribe 2018-2019, 

Host: City of Barquisimeto, Venezuela.

Congratulations Edgar Martinez on being elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame.

Winter League Baseball: Semi Finals Near Complete; Puerto Rico; Mexico; Venezuela

Winter League Beisbol

2018~2019

PUERTO RICO

Liga Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente

Founded 1938

80th Anniversary Season

ROUND ROBIN STANDINGS

1. Indios de Mayaguez          8-3*
2. Cangrejeros de Santurce  5-5
3. Gigantes de Carolina        3-8

1/18 - Mayaguez 8; Carolina 3.  Mets catcher Tomas Nido went 2 for 3, with a double, run scored, and a pair of RBI, in los Indios victory over Carolina on Friday.

REMAINING SCHEDULE

• 1/19 - Santurce @ Mayaguez
• 1/21 - Carolina @ Santurce

There's been no let up in los Indios de Mayaguez, LBPRC leaders throughout this abbreviated season, and round robin play.  With Friday's victory over Carolina, not only have los Gigantes exhausted their championship round possibilities, but los Indios de Mayaguez clinch top seed in the upcoming LBPRC championship series.  Santurce has two games yet to play, but not enough to overtake Mayaguez.  Otherwise, a championship series showdown between Mayaguez versus Santurce is all but set.

MEXICO

Liga Mexicana del Pacifico

Founded 1945

SEMIFINALS

Charros de Jalisco defeat Venados de Mazatlan; 4-1

I - JAL 3; MAZ 0

II - JAL 2; MAZ 0

III - MAZ 7; JAL 3

IV - JAL 6; MAZ 3

V - JAL 10; MAZ 6

Yaquis de Obregon vs. Caneros de Los Mochis; 3-3

Game Seven

Yaquis @ Caneros

Saturday

LMP 

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES 

Jan. 21~29

VENEZUELA

Liga Venezolana Beisbol Profesional

Founded 1945

Leones de Caracas defeat Caribes de Anzoategui; 4-1

I - Leones 6; Caribes 4

II - Caribes 9; Leones 8

III - Leones 6; Caribes 5

IV - Leones 4; Caribes 2

V - Leones 4; Caribes 1

Cardenales de Lara Lead Navegantes de Magallanes; 3-2

I - MAG 4; LAR 1

II - LAR 2; MAG 1

III - LAR 6; MAG 2

IV - LAR 3; MAG 0

V - MAG 3; LAR 0

GAME SIX

Navegantes @ Cardenales

Saturday

LVBP 

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Jan. 22~30

ICYMI:

• Cuba and Dominican Championships

Winter League Baseball: Cuba Crowns New Champion; Dominican League Finals Underway

WINTER LEAGUE BEISBOL

2018~2019

CUBA

Serie Nacional de Beisbol Cuba

FOUNDED 1961

CAMPEONES SERIE NACIONAL/58th EDITION

Lenadores de Las Tunas

Las Tunas defeat Leopardos de Villa Clara; 4-1

I - LTU 13; VCL 6

II - LTU 8; VCL 4

III - VCL 9; LTU 4

IV - LTU 7; VCL 5

V - LTU 8; VCL 4

• Club Founded 1977
• Translation: Los Lenadores = the Lumberjacks/Woodcutters.
• Las Tunas play in Group C of the circuit's Eastern League.
• This is the club's first ever Serie Nacional championship.
• Las Tunas now enlist traditional reinforcements from within the league en route to this year's 2019 Caribbean Serie being hosted by Venezuela.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Liga Beisbol Profesional Republica Dominicana

Founded 1951

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

TOROS del ESTE

 vs. 

ESTRELLAS de ORIENTALES

Estrellas lead series 2-0

I - Estrellas 13; Toros 1

II - Estrellas 6; Toros 1

Game Three - 1/19

Game Four - 1/21

Game Five - 1/22

Game Six - 1/23*

Game Seven - 1/25*

Game Eight - 1/26*

Game Nine - 1/27*

1/18 - Game Two:  Before exiting on the winning side of a 4-1 game, Orientales starter Nestor Cortes pitches six scoreless innings of three-hit ball, with two walks and three strikeouts.  Five relievers join to pitch the final three frames, surrendering one earned run on three hits and a walk, with four strikeouts.  Roman Mendez struck out the side to close out the ninth.  Paolo Espino took the loss for los Toros, having allowed four earned runs on four hits and two walks through five innings, despite striking out nine.  Touted shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. was 1 for 2, with an RBI and two runs scores for los Estrellas.  Former Mets and los Toros designated hitter Jordany Valdespin went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.

Both teams are in search of their third ever LIDOM championship.

• Los Toros: 1994-1995; 2010-1011
• Estrellas: 1953-1954; 1967-1968 (won championship in 1936, prior to LIDOM)
• info/Wiki

Winter League Baseball: Playoff Updates Through 1/15/2019

WINTER LEAGUE BEISBOL

2018~ 2019

CUBA
Serie National Beisbol de Cuba

SERIE FINAL

• Lenadores de Las Tunas lead series against Leopardos de Villa Clara; 2-1

1. Lenadores de Las Tunas 13; Leopardos de Villa Clara 6
2. Lenadores de Las Tunas 8; Leopardos de Villa Clara 4
3. Leopardos de Villa Clara 9; Lenadores de Las Tunas 4
4. 1/16  Las Tunas @ Villa Clara
5. 1/17  Las Tunas @ Villa Clara
6.   if necessary*
7.   if necessary*

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Liga de Beisbol Profesional Republica Dominicana

ROUND ROBIN

• TIE-BREAKER FINAL: TOROS 4; LEONES 3

• Los Toros starter Raul Valdez pitches an eight inning gem, exiting on the winning side of a 4-1 game after limiting Los Leones de Escogito to a lone earned run on five hits and a walk, with one strikeout.  Reliever Fernando Abad is summoned to pitch the bottom of the ninth.  But after retiring his first batter faced, Abad promptly surrenders two earned runs on three hits and a walk.  Enter reliever Michael Dimock, who retires Leones pinch-hitter Luis Valenzuela on a fly to right fielder Hunter Pence, but walks second baseman Ryan Court to load the bases.  Dimock then induces a harmless fly to center by Escogito center fielder Ryan Roberson to finally close out Los Toros tie-breaking victory over Los Leones.  Los Toros del Este advance to the LIDOM championship series where they'll face awaiting top seed Estrellas del Orientales.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
GAME ONE

Los Toros del Este (36-33)

vs.

Estrellas del Orientales (40-28)
Friday, Jan. 18, 2019

PUERTO RICO
Liga Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente

ROUND ROBIN STANDINGS

1. Indios de Mayaguez           7-2 (3 games left)
2. Cangrejeros de Santurce   4-5 (3 games left)
3. Gigantes de Carolina         2-6 (4 games left)

• 1/15 - Mayaguez 4; Santurce 1 (11-innings)
• 1/16 - Mayaguez @ Carolina

Six games against each opponent; tourney concludes Jan. 21; top two clubs advance to LBPRC championship series.

MEXICO
Liga Mexicana del Pacifico

SEMI FINALS

• Caneros de Los Mochis vs. Yaquis de Obregon series tied; 2-2
• Charros de Jalisco lead series over Venados de Mazatlan; 2-1

• 1/16 - Game Four (Jalisco vs. Mazatlan); Game Five (Los Mochis vs. Obregon)
• 1/17 - Game Five (Jalisco vs. Mazatlan)
• 1/18 - Game Six
• 1/19 - Game Seven

VENEZUELA
Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional

SEMI FINALS

• Cardenales de Lara lead series against Navegantes de Magallanes; 2-1
• Leones de Caracas lead series against Caribes de Anzoategui; 2-1

• 1/16 - GAME FOUR
• 1/17 - GAME FIVE
• 1/19 - GAME SIX
• 1/20 - GAME SEVEN

Winter League Baseball: Dominican League Round Robin Requires Tie-Breaker

WINTER LEAGUE BEISBOL

2018~2019

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Liga Beisbol Profesional Dominicana

ROUND ROBIN FINAL STANDINGS:

• Estrellas de Orientales   11-7 (40-19)
• Leones de Escogito        10-8 (37-31)
• Toros del Este                10-8 (35-33)
• Tigres de Licey              5-13 (32-46)

SUNDAY, 13 JAN 2019

• After topping the circuit with a 29-12 regular season record, Los Estrellas de Orientales reaffirm their standing with a victory over los Tigres on Sunday, giving them a round robin best eleven victories, and a berth in LIDOM's championship series.
• Third place Los Toros defeat Escogito forcing a tie for second place.

MONDAY, 14 JAN 2019

• With both teams scoreboard watching, the battle for second place ensues.  Los Toros hand Orientales their seventh loss of the tourney with a 3-0 whitewashing led by starter Jenrry Mejia.  The former Mets pitcher allows no runs on seven hits through six innings, with just one walk and three strikeouts for the victory.  
• Escogito likewise roars to 7-0 whitewashing of los Tigres de Licey.  Backed by a 14-hit attack, Leones starter Enny Romero allows a mere two hits and no walks through six scoreless pitched with eight strikeouts for the victory.  

TUESDAY, 15 JAN 2019

• Los Leones de Escogito will now host Los Toros del Este in a one-game tie-breaker for the right to meet Los Estrellas de Orientales in LIDOM's championship series.

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Liga Beisbol Profesional Dominicana

TBD

vs.

Estrellas de Orientales

Winter League Baseball: Cuba Grand Final; Mexico and Venezuela Down to Final Four

WINTER LEAGUE BEISBOL

2018 ~ 2019

CUBA

Semi-Finals

(#1) Las Tunas win series over (#4) Ciego de Avila; 4-1

(#2) Villa Clara win series over (#3) Santi Spiritus; 4-1

GRAND FINAL NACIONAL SERIE

GAME ONE

#2 Team Villa Clara (62-48)

vs.

#1 Team Las Tunas (65-45)

*

1/13 - Villa Clara @ Las Tunas

1/15 - Las Tunas @ Villa Clara

1/16 - Las Tunas @ Villa Clara

1/17 - Las Tunas @ Villa Clara

MEXICO

SEMI-FINALS

Best of Seven; Jan. 11-19

Yaquis de Obregon 

vs.  Caneros de Los Mochis

Los Mochis leads series 1-0

Charros de Jalisco  

vs.  Venados de Mazatlan

Mazatlan leads series 1-0

VENEZUELA

ROUND ONE

Caribes de Anzoategui def. Navegantes de Magallanes; 4-3

Cardenales de Lara def. Bravos de Margarita; 4-1

Leones de Caracas def. Tigres de Araguas; 4-2

*Loser's Bracket: Magallanes def. Araguas; 2-0

SEMI-FINALS

Best of Seven; Jan. 12-20

Navegantes de Magallanes  

vs.  Cardenales de Lara

Caribes de Anzoategui  

vs.  Leones de Caracas

• SerieNacionalBeisbolCuba 
• LigaMexicanaPacifico 
• LigaVenezolanaBeisbolProfesional

Winter League Updates: Wild Night in Mexico; Cuban Final Four

Winter League Beisbol

ROUND ONE

MEXICO

Round One:

1/8/2019 - In a bid to force game seven, former NYM Oliver Perez joins five other Culiacan Tomateros pitchers in throwing a combined no-hitter through eight full innings.  Entering the top of the ninth inning in a scoreless game, Jalisco outfielder Stephen Cardullo draws a two-out walk.  Catcher Gabriel Gutierrez then breaks up the no-hitter and ruins the shutout with an RBI double, giving the Charros the lead, an eventual 1-0 victory, and a series upset over the top seed Tomateros.

1/8/2019 - Los Yaquis de Obregon break a 5-5 tie in the bottom of the ninth to force a game seven against Mazatlan.

• (#5) Caneros de Los Mochis win series vs. (#2) Naranjeros de Hermosillo; 4-2.
• (#6) Charros de Jalisco win series vs. (#1) Culiacan Tomateros; 4-2.
• (#3) Yaquis de Obregon vs. (#4) Venados de Mazatlan series tied 3-3.
• 1/9 UPDATE: (#4) Venados de Mazatlan win series vs. Yaquis de Obregon; 4-3

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Round Robin Standings: games run through Jan. 14

1. Estrellas de Orientales   7-5
2. Leones de Escogito        7-5
3. Toros de Este                 7-5
4. Tigres de Licey               3-9

Player Affiliations:

• Orientales:  40 MLB affiliated players (NYM-Matt Pobereyko); 7 listed on 40-man rosters.
• Escogito:  41 MLB affiliated players (NYM-Arquimedess; Carlos Hernandez); 12 listed on 40-man rosters.
• Toros de Estes:  40 MLB affiliated players (NYM-Jenrry Mejia; Tim Peterson; Dominic Smith); 16 listed on 40-man rosters.
• Licey:  38 MLB affiliated players (NYM-Dilson Herrera; Rymer Liriano); 13 listed on 40-man rosters.

PUERTO RICO

Round Robin Standings: games run through Jan. 21

1. Indios de Mayaguez          4-0
2. Cangrejeros de Santurce  2-2
3. Gigantes de Carolina        0-4

Player Affiliations:

• Mayaguez:  28 MLB affiliated players (NYM-Thomas Nido TJ Rivera; Joshua Torres); 7 listed on 40-man rosters.  
• Santurce:  9 MLB affiliated players; 2 listed on 40-man rosters.
• Carolina:  15 MLB affiliated players; 1 listed on 40-man roster.

VENEZUELA

Round One: games runs through Jan. 11

• (#5) Cardenales de Lara win series vs. (#2) Bravos de Margarita; 4-1
• (#6) Caribes de Anzoategui lead series vs. (#1) Navegantes de Magallanes; 3-2.
• (#3) Leones de Caracas lead series vs. (#4) Tigres de Aragua; 3-2
• Game Six: Jan. 10
• Game Seven (if necessary): Jan. 11

Player Affiliations:

• Magallanes:  18 MLB affiliated players; 3 listed on 40-man rosters.
• Margarita:  24 MLB affiliated players; 3 listed on 40-man rosters.
• Caracas:  16 MLB affiliated players (NYM-Luis Carpio); 2 listed on 40-man rosters.
• Aragua:  19 MLB affiliated players (NYM-Jose Garcia); 6 listed on 40-man rosters.
• Lara:  30 MLB affiliated players (NYM-Roberts Colina; Boris Sanchez; Edward Paredes); 1 listed on 40-man roster.
• Anzoategui:  20 MLB affiliated players (NYM-Yeizo Campos); 3 listed on 40-man rosters.

CUBA: BeisbolCUBA

(#1-Wild Card Round/Field of Sixteen/45 Game Schedule) Villa Clara finish first with 28-17 record.
(#2-Second Stage/Top Six/60 Game Schedule) Las Tunas finish first with 34-26 record.

Round Three/Semi-Finals: best of seven

• (#1) Las Tunas lead series vs. (#4) Ciego de Avila; 3-0.
• (#2) Villa Clara leads series vs. (#3) Santi Spiritus; 3-1.

Winners advance to Grand Final Series.

* NOTE: no distinction made between active/reserve affiliated players.

The Brooklyn Bushwicks and Dexter Park

From the desk: BROOKLYN BASEBALL HISTORY

...and the baseball club from Brooklyn wins the Caribbean championship!

Perhaps not this year, but it happened, folks.  And not just once, but multiple times.


Brief History: Serie del Caribe

The inspiration for first creating a tournament whereby the best Caribbean winter league baseball clubs would vie for a championship is credited to Venezuelan businessman Jesus Corao.

In 1946, in Caracas, the first Inter-American Series was held between teams representing Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, and representing the United States ... the Brooklyn Bushwick.  Five Caribbean series were held in Caracas between 1946 and 1950, with Brooklyn winning the first four and Venezuela winning the last.

The success of the series did not go unnoticed.  In 1946 two Venezuelan entrepreneurs pitched a Caribbean series to what became the original members of the Confederation of Caribbean Baseball (Cuba, Puerto Rico, Panama, and Venezuela).  In August 1949, in Havana, they signed an agreement creating a tournament whereby each nation's respective champion would vie for the Serie del Caribe title.

The rest, as they say, is Caribbean beisbol history ...

• Cuba won the inaugural Serie del Caribe of 1949-50, then captured a second in 1952.  Between 1956 through 1960, Cuba reeled off another five straight Caribbean titles.  However, as part of his revolution, Fidel Castro disbanded the county's professional baseball circuits.  

• At the same time, Panama's professional league ceased operations as well.  As a result, the Serie del Caribe was suspended between the years 1961 through 1969.

• The four-team Caribbean tournament resumed when the Dominican Republic joined the confederation in 1970 (with returning Venezuela and Puerto Rico) and when Mexico joined in 1971. 

• The 2016-17 winter season marked Cuba's fourth straight reappearance in the Serie del Caribe. In 2014, Cuba participated in their first Serie del Caribe since 1960, and one short year later captured their first title in 55 years and the country's eighth overall.  For now, they continue participating on an invitation basis extended by the four-member confederation.

• The Criollos de Caguas baseball club representing Puerto Rico defeated Mexico's Aguilas de Mexicali, capturing the Serie del Caribe 2017 title and thus becoming the 59th champion in the tournament's history.

The Brooklyn Bushwick

They were an independent semi-pro club and easily one of the game's more unheralded New York City enterprises to ever take the baseball field.

The Bushwicks were owned by a gentleman named Max Rosner, who immigrated to the United States in 1892 from Hungary.  A businessman in the cigar trade, he was soon sponsoring and even playing shortstop for a local team named the Paramounts in the neighborhood of Williamsburg.

A few years after the Paramounts disbanded, in 1913, Rosner purchased the nearby Ridgewood Nine semi-pro club, and in 1914 renamed them the Bushwick.  The former Ridgewoods had previously played their home games since 1902 at Wallace's Grounds located at Halsey and Irvin streets in Bushwick.  Rosner's team remained there until a fire in 1917 destroyed the grandstands.

In 1918, the Brooklyn Bushwicks moved into Dexter Park, where they played out the remainder of their existence.  At its height, the park grew to hold upwards of 15,000 fans for their traditional Sunday double-headers.

And for a good reason - the team was good.

Former President of the Baseball Writers Association of America, Jack Lang, said, "In any given game, the Bushwicks had up to five men in the line-up who had some major league experience."

Whether playing for the Bushwicks or in exhibitions against them, Whitey Ford, Dazzy Vance, Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Dizzy Dean, Carl Hubbell, Casey Stengel, Jackie Robinson, Phil Rizzuto, Joe Medwick, and Hank Greenberg were just a few (future or former) major league notables who participated in games at Dexter Park.

The Brooklyn Bushwicks always maintained multicultural diverse rosters.  Likewise, they hosted the finest Negro Leagues competition of the day, featuring their fellow Dexter Park tenant Brooklyn Royal Giants, the Adrian Page Fence Giants, Cleveland Buckeyes, Cuban Giants, Philadelphia Giants, Roy Campanella, and the Baltimore Elite Giants, Josh Gibson and the Homestead Grays, and other stars Cool Papa Bell, Satchel Paige, et al.

Jackie Robinson's breaking of baseball's color barrier and the resulting demise of the various Negro Leagues are believed to have made it increasingly harder for Max Rosner to field quality talent and lure representative competition.  The advent of television further affected Rosner's ability to draw fans to the park.

Shortly after they participated in the Inter-America Caribbean series, the team ceased operations upon completing their 1951 season.

Dexter Park, 1930s

The area of Dexter Park had previously existed as a racetrack, then a recreational park.  The ballpark itself, which dated back to the 19th century, was located just off Jamaica Avenue on the Woodhaven side of the Brooklyn/Queens border.

Dexter Park was also the nation's first ball field to be fitted with lights, hosting the first night game in 1930, a full six seasons before the Brooklyn Dodgers played the major's first night game at Ebbets Field.

One particular optician's advertisement on the outfield wall read, "Don't kill the Umpire - Maybe it's your eyes?"  An incline also existed in the right field area due to a horse having been buried there.

Only in Brooklyn...



Yahoo images
covehurst.net
Green Cathedrals

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