1950 Caribbean Series

The 1950 Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) was the second edition of the first stage of the Caribbean Series. It was held in Sixto Escobar Park in San Juan, Puerto Rico from February 21 to February 26. The series featured four teams from Cuba, Panama, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. The series had to go more than the scheduled 12 games when both Carta Vieja of the Panamanian League and Caguas-Guayama of the Puerto Rican Winter League finished 4-2 in the round-robin series. Carta Vieja won the series after winning in a tiebreaker game, 9 - 3, to achieve the upset as they had entered as the underdogs of the series. The Panamanian team was managed by Wayne Blackburn. The Most Valuable Player was Joe Tuminelli, a third baseman with Carta Vieja.

Carta Vieja was managed by Wayne Blackburn and led by 3B and Series MVP Joe Tuminelli (.240, .480 SLG, 2 HR and 7 RBI), OF Dick Burgett (.393, .500 SLG, 4 R, 5 RBI) and Chet Brewer (2-0). The most prominent player was Brewer and OF Jerry Lynch (.208) went on to a fine career. Carta Vieja's win was the only one by a Panamanian team in the series until Toros de Herrera did so in 2019.

Caguas was led by manager-OF Luis Olmo (.292), OF Willard Brown (.348), 2B Gene Markland (.286, .571 SLG, 4 R), Luis Arroyo (2-0, 8 H in 15 2/3 IP) and Wilmer Fields (1-0, 5 H in 9 IP). Bankhead went 1-2 and fanned 16 in 16 innings of work while 1B Vic Power only went 3 for 18 with no runs and one RBI.

The favored Almendares Blues (6-0 in the 1949 Caribbean Series) only went 3-3, losing a 1-0 opener to Dan Bankhead of Caguas, then falling 9-8 to Panama after a 9th inning rally by the Carta Vieja club and a 6-1 defeat to Caguas in the rematch. The Almendares team was guided by catcher Mike Guerra (.176) and plagued by 18 errors. 3B Hector Rodriguez hit .474 and slugged .842, scoring six runs, but OF Al Gionfriddo, a 1949 star, was 0 for 16. Bob Hooper went 2-0 with a .56 WHIP but Connie Marrero dropped both of his decisions.

The Magallanes Navigators of the Venezuelan League finished last at 1-5. The hapless Navigators were piloted by OF Vidal López (.267, 4 RBI, 4 doubles). OF Jim Pendleton was a bright spot at .409. Sandy Ullrich had their lone win while Terris McDuffie dropped two decisions and Mel Himes (0-1) walked 12 in 14 innings.

Final Standings[edit]

Team	League	G	W	L	WPCT	Manager
Carta Vieja	PAN Panamanian League	7	5	2	0.714	Wayne Blackburn
Caguas-Guayama	PRI Puerto Rican League	7	4	3	0.571	Luis Olmo
Almendares	CUB Cuban Winter League	6	3	3	0.500	Fermín Guerra
Navegantes del Magallanes	VEN Venezuelan League	6	1	5	0.167	Vidal López