1991 Pan-American Games

The 1991 Pan-American Games were the first played in Havana, giving home field advantage to a Cuban national team that had won every Pan-American Games baseball competition in the 1970s and 1980s. At stake here were four slots for the 1992 Olympics, as the Pan-Am Games served as the qualifier for the first time the Olympics would have baseball as a medal sport. The games were held at historic Estadio Latinoamericano.

Team USA started off 5-0 but lost 3-2 to Cuba in front of 60,000 fans. In the semifinals, though, the US was stunned 7-1 by the Puerto Rican national team and never got to face Cuba for the gold. Cuba won 18-3 (thanks to 3 long balls from Ermidelio Urrutia) while the US struggled to beat the Dominican Republic national team 2-1 in 15 innings for the Bronze medal. All four finalists qualified for the Olympics.

Of note was the first no-hitter in Pan-American Games history, thrown by Jorge Valdes against Canada in a 14-0, 7-inning game.

Team Summaries[edit]

(All stats are from the round-robin phase unless otherwise noted)

Aruba went 2-6, being outscored 88-20. Only two teams were worse - one was the Netherlands Antilles team; Aruba had been part of the Antilles until a few years prior when they became a distinct part of the Netherlands. Clem Wernet (2-0, 1.84) led Aruba while Felix Thiel hit .400.
Canada only was 1-7 despite a better run differential (38-63) than three other teams. They were led by Chris Smeeton (1-0, 1.13).
Cuba went unbeaten and was easily first in runs (113) while edging out the USA for the top staff (19 runs allowed). They had almost every All-Star - C Jose Delgado (.500), 1B Lourdes Gourriel Sr. (.419/~.486/.871, 11 R, 4 HR, 9 RBI), 2B and MVP Antonio Pacheco (.545/~.615/.879, 13 R, 15 RBI), SS German Mesa, 3B Omar Linares (.414/~.575/.793, 13 R, 11 BB), OF Victor Mesa (.407/~.500/.630, 13 R, 13 RBI), OF Luis Ulacia (.500), DH Romelio Martinez (.409/~.552/.818, 12 R) and LHP Jorge Valdes (2-0, 0.73, 5 H in 12 IP). They did all of this despite losing ace Lazaro Valle to a blood clot in his arm and the defection of Rene Arocha. Cuba was the only Pan Am host to win it all until Canada in 2015.
Dominican Republic finished 5-3 despite being outscored 39-33. RHP Felix Nova (3-0, 1.86) made the All-Star team while Miguel Sosa hit .500. Rafael Luis López managed the team.
Mexico posted a 3-5 record and scored 35 runs while allowing 62.
Netherlands Antilles tied Canada for last (1-7) and scored 28 while allowing 59 tallies.
Nicaragua finished an even 4-4. Their 51 runs ranked 4th and their 36 runs allowed were 3rd. Orlando Cuevas (1-0, 1.32) led the staff while Freddy Zamora (.387/~.472/.710) was the top hitter.
Puerto Rico won the Silver despite a 5-3 record. They scored 65, second to Cuba, but allowed 52, only 5th among the nine teams. Ernest Martinez (.389, .806 SLG) drove in 12 runs for the Puerto Ricans.
United States had a fine 7-1 record in the round-robin and was second in runs allowed (24) and third in runs (61) before falling apart in the next rounds. OF Chris Roberts made the tourney All-Star team and tied for the lead with four home runs. OF Chris Wimmer (.385) stole the most bases (8). Top hurlers were Jeff Ware (1-1, 1.59) and Jeff Granger (2-0, 2.38). Ron Polk managed the team.