The Interamerican Series was the initiative of Venezuelan businessman Jesús Corao. It came in the wake of Venezuela hosting the
1944 and
1945 Amateur World Series, the
Serie Monumental that saw American
Negro league all-stars play Venezuelan clubs, and the ensuing
professionalization of the sport in the country, in the form of the
Venezuelan League. The inaugural series included Venezuelan champions
Cerveceria Caracas,
Industriales de Monterrey of the
Mexican League, In 1947, the Bushwicks were replaced by the
Buffalo All-Stars, a team of
International League players managed by Buffalo Bisons manager
Paul Richards. The series was suspended after 1950, as focus shifted to the
Caribbean Series. The series was resurrected in 1961 as a result of the
Cuban Revolution;
MLB Commissioner Ford C. Frick ruled that American major leaguers were barred from playing in Havana, which effectively scuttled the plans for the 1961 Caribbean Series. Instead, the new Serie Interamericana would replace the slot filled by the now-dissolved
Cuban League with the champion of
Panamanian League, with the host nation also sending an extra team. The first edition was held in Caracas, but then shifted to San Juan and Panama City. In 1964, the champion of the
Nicaraguan League became the fourth team, after Venezuela opted to instead play an interleague series against the
Dominican Republic. The series struggled economically, due to the absence of Cuba as well as of the Dominican Republic, which itself was wracked in political turmoil and had been sanctioned by the
Organization of American States since 1960. == Editions ==