Schmandt and Mueller Depart for Cuban Tour

The American Series (, "American Season") was the name given to the exhibition

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

games played between

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

n and American teams in Cuba. Before the

Cuban Revolution The Cuban Revolution () was the military and political movement that overthrew the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, who had ruled Cuba from 1952 to 1959. The revolution began after the 1952 Cuban coup d'état, in which Batista overthrew ...

, American teams would regularly travel to Cuba and play various professional, all-star and/or amateur Cuban teams throughout the country. The series usually took place either in the fall, after the end of the American season, or during

spring training Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...

before the season began. The first American Series took place in , with then

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nort ...

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engl ...

team going 2–0 against its Cuban opponents. Various

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

minor Minor may refer to: Common meanings * Minor (law), a person not under the age of certain legal activities. * Academic minor, a secondary field of study in undergraduate education Mathematics * Minor (graph theory), a relation of one graph to an ...

and

Negro league The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relativel ...

teams took part in the American Series, including the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...

Lincoln Giants The New York Lincoln Giants were a Negro league baseball team based in New York City from 1911 through 1930. Founding The Lincoln Giants can trace their origins back to the Nebraska Indians, of Lincoln, Nebraska, from the 1890s. According t ...

and

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

. In , the

Brooklyn Superbas The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. In 1884, it became a member of the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brookl ...

and the

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...

became the first major league teams to play in the series, with the two teams facing off against each other and with Brooklyn also playing four games against local

Cuban League The Cuban League ( Spanish: ''Liga cubana'') was one of the earliest and longest lasting professional baseball leagues outside the United States, operating in Cuba from 1878 to 1961. The schedule usually operated during the winter months, so the ...

teams and generally overwhelming them. Figueredo 2003, p. 39. Eight years later, the

came to Cuba and found stronger competition there, as they went 6–6 against the

teams and 0–1 against the Negro league

Brooklyn Royal Giants The Brooklyn Royal Giants were a professional Negro league baseball team based in Brooklyn, New York, Brooklyn, New York (state), New York. Formed in 1905 by John Wilson Connor (1875–1926), owner of the Brooklyn Royal Cafe, the team initiall ...

. The Series against major league opponents continued every year from to , and then occasionally until . In the edition, the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

got

no-hit In baseball, a no-hitter or no-hit game is a game in which a team does not record a hit through conventional methods. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine ...

Eustaquio Pedroso Eustaquio "Bombín" Pedroso (September 20, 1886 - death date unknown) was a Cuban professional baseball pitcher, first baseman and corner outfielder in the Cuban League and the Negro leagues. He played from to with several ballclubs, including ...

of Leones del HabanaThe final American Series games before the Cuban League disbanded were played from March 20 to 21, , when the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

, featuring

Sandy Koufax Sanford Koufax (; né Braun; born December 30, 1935), nicknamed "the Left Arm of God", is an American former baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 195 ...

and

Don Drysdale Donald Scott Drysdale (July 23, 1936 – July 3, 1993), nicknamed "Big D", was an American professional baseball pitcher and broadcaster who played in Major League Baseball. He spent his entire 14-year career with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Do ...

, faced the Cincinnati Reds in spring training games played in

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

played a two-game series (one game in Havana, the other in

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

) against the

Cuban national baseball team The Cuba national baseball team () represents Cuba at regional and international levels. The team is generally made up of players from the domestic Cuban national baseball system, though it has at times included professional players who defect ...

. Many well-known names played in American Series, including

Babe Ruth George Herman "Babe" Ruth (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional Baseball in the United States, baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nickna ...

Ty Cobb Tyrus Raymond Cobb (December 18, 1886 – July 17, 1961), nicknamed "the Georgia Peach", was an American professional baseball center fielder. A native of rural Narrows, Georgia, Cobb played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He spent ...

Josh Gibson Joshua Gibson (December 21, 1911 – January 20, 1947) was an American baseball catcher primarily in the Negro leagues. In 1972, he became the second Negro league player to be inducted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, National ...

Sam Crawford Samuel Earl Crawford (April 18, 1880 – June 15, 1968), nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Crawford batted and threw left-handed, stood tall and weighed . Born in Wahoo, Nebraska, he had a sh ...

Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first Black American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the Baseball color line, ...

Ted Williams Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, primarily as a left fielder, for the Boston Red Sox from 193 ...

and

Christy Mathewson Christopher Mathewson (August 12, 1880 – October 7, 1925), nicknamed "Big Six," "the Christian Gentleman," "Matty," and "the Gentleman's Hurler," was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball for ...

Early series

1879 Series

In December 1879, the

team of the National Association became the first professional baseball team to visit Cuba. The team was promoted in Cuba as the "Hop Bitters", which was actually the name of the Rochester franchise. The trip was a financial failure, as they were only able to play two games against Cuban teams. The following season, Worcester achieved major-league status when it was admitted to the

National League National League often refers to: *National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada *National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...

1891 Series

A team known as the "All-Americans", which included

John McGraw John Joseph McGraw (April 7, 1873 – February 25, 1934) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) player and manager (baseball), manager who was for almost thirty years manager of the New York Giants (NL), New York Giants. He was also the ...

playing shortstop, played a series of five games against

teams, winning all of them by lopsided scores.

Series between Major League and Cuban League teams

1900 MLB Series

(

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

) * Cubano club (

) *

Habana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Cuban League The Cuban League ( Spanish: ''Liga cubana'') was one of the earliest and longest lasting professional baseball leagues outside the United States, operating in Cuba from 1878 to 1961. The schedule usually operated during the winter months, so the ...

) * San Francsico club (

) The major league Brooklyn Superbas played four games in Havana against Cuban teams from November 5 through 25, winning all four games by lopsided scores. Brooklyn beat Cubano 12–2 and 10–2, Habana 13–1, and San Francisco 14–6.

1908 MLB Series

* Almendares (

) *

(

Negro league baseball The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relativel ...

) *

(

) *

) The 1908 series saw two Cuban League teams, one Negro league team, and one Major League team compete. The Cincinnati Reds played 14 games, playing seven against Almendares, six against Habana, and one against the Brooklyn Royal Giants. The Almendares won five games and lost only one, with one tie; Cincinnati won six and lost seven, also with a tie; Habana won one and lost five, and Brooklyn won its only game. The series is best known for the pitching performance of

José Méndez José de la Caridad Méndez Báez (March 19,1887– October 31, 1928) was a Cuban professional baseball right-handed pitcher, shortstop, third baseman and manager in the Negro leagues. Born in Cárdenas, Matanzas, he died at age 43 in Havan ...

of Almendares, who had just gone 9–0 in his

rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience, a rookie is typically considered needing more tra ...

season. In three appearances, Méndez held the Reds scoreless for 25 consecutive innings. In his first start, he pitched a one-hitter and

struck out In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safel ...

nine. His next appearance came in relief, where he held the Reds to two hits in seven innings. He concluded the series with another

shutout In team sports, a shutout (North American English, US) or clean sheet (Commonwealth English, UK) is a game in which the losing team fails to score. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketba ...

. Overall, he struck out 24, walked three, and gave up eight hits in 25 scoreless innings.

1909 MLB Series

) * Almendares (

) *All-Stars (

) *

(

) In the 1909 series, Habana went 6-3 in nine games to finish with the best winning percentage. Almendares went 5–3, and Detroit, the

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...

pennant winner, went 4–8. Detroit star

did not participate in the series. A major league all-star team, featuring

Addie Joss Adrian "Addie" Joss (April 12, 1880 – April 14, 1911), nicknamed "the Human Hairpin", was an American professional baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Cleveland Bronchos of Major League Baseball, later known as the Naps, between 1902 and 19 ...

Mordecai Brown Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown (October 19, 1876 – February 14, 1948), nicknamed "Three Finger Brown" or "Miner", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher and manager during the first two decades of the 20th century (known as the " dead- ...

Sherry Magee Sherwood Robert "Sherry" Magee (August 6, 1884 – March 13, 1929) was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1904 through 1919, Magee played with the Philadelphia Phillies (1904–1914), Boston Braves (1915–1917) and Cincinna ...

, and

Fred Merkle Carl Frederick Rudolf Merkle (also sometimes documented as Frederick Charles Merkle; December 20, 1888 – March 2, 1956), nicknamed "Bonehead", was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball from 1907 to 1926. Although he had a lengthy ...

played five games against the Cuban teams and went 2–3. The series featured an 11-inning

no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter or no-hit game is a game in which a team does not record a hit (baseball), hit through conventional methods. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in ...

pitched by

of Almendares against Bill Lelivelt of the Tigers. The game went to extra innings with the score tied 1–1, as Almendares had allowed an unearned run in the seventh inning on a throwing error. In the eleventh inning, a well-executed squeeze bunt by Armando Cabañas gave Almendares a 2–1 victory.

1910 MLB Series

(

) *

) * Almendares (

) *

Philadelphia Athletics The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, they became the Oakland ...

(

) After two consecutive series in which Cuban teams had best winning percentage, in 1910 the American team finished with the best winning percentage, as the Detroit Tigers went 7–4 in 12 games.

1911 MLB Series

(

) *

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

(

) * Almendares Park (

) * Havana Park (

) The New York Giants, featuring

Baseball Hall of Famer The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United St ...

, won 9 of their 12 games. The Phillies went 5–4, Almendares went 4–6, and the Havana Park club finished 3–8.

1912 MLB Series

(

) * Almendares (

) *

) Only three teams competed in the 1912 Cuban-American series, with the Philadelphia Athletics winning 10 of their 12 games. Philadelphia's

Eddie Collins Edward Trowbridge Collins Sr. (May 2, 1887 – March 25, 1951), nicknamed "Cocky", was an American professional baseball player, manager and executive. He played as a second baseman in Major League Baseball from to for the Philadelphia Athle ...

batted .417, and pitcher

Jack Coombs John Wesley Coombs (November 18, 1882 – April 15, 1957), nicknamed "Colby Jack" after his alma mater, was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics (1906–14), Br ...

won all five of his games. Habana went winless in six games.

1913 MLB Series

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. In 1884, it became a member of the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brook ...

(

) *

) * Almendares (

) The Brooklyn Dodgers went 10-5. Habana won three of their 7 games, and Almendares finished the series 2–6.

1915 MLB Series

* St. Louis Terriers (

Federal League The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that played its first season as a minor league in 1913 and operated as a "third major league", in competition with the e ...

–

) The St. Louis Terriers, featuring pitcher

Eddie Plank Edward Stewart Plank (August 31, 1875 – February 24, 1926), nicknamed "Gettysburg Eddie", was an American professional baseball player. A pitcher, Plank played in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901 through 1914, th ...

and Cuban center fielder

Armando Marsans Armando Marsans Mendiondo (October 3, 1887 – September 3, 1960) was a Cuban professional baseball outfielder, first baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB), minor league baseball, the Negro leagues, the Cuban League and the Mexican ...

, went 7–2.

1919 MLB Series

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...

(

) *

) * Almendares (

) A record crowd of 10,619 turned out to see the first game of the series, a pitching duel between Pittsburgh's Hal Carlson and Habana's

Oscar Tuero Oscar Tuero (December 17, 1898 – October 21, 1960) was a professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of three seasons (1918–1920) with the St. Louis Cardinals. Career For his career, he compiled a 6–9 record in ...

that Pittsburgh won 1–0. The Pirates went 10–6, while Habana was 4–4 and Almendares was 2–6.

1920 MLB Series

(

) *

) * Almendares (

) *All-Cubans (a

all-star An all-star team is a group of people all having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and has been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry. Sports "All-star" as a sport ...

team)

was reportedly paid between $1,000 and $2,000 per game to join the Giants in the last half of the series. By the time he hit his first home run in his fifth game, Cuban slugger

Cristóbal Torriente Cristóbal Torriente (November 16, 1893 – April 11, 1938) was a Cuban professional baseball outfielder and pitcher in the Negro leagues and the Cuban League with multiple teams. He played from 1912 to 1932 and was primarily a pull hitter, t ...

had already stolen his thunder by hitting three home runs in one game (one of them off Ruth, who briefly pitched in the game). Almendares beat the Giants 4–2 (with two tied games), while the Giants won the series against Habana 6–1 (with one tie). A game against a Cuban all-star team also ended in a tie.

1921 MLB Series

(

) *

) * Almendares (

) *Cuban All-Stars In games against Habana and Almendares, the Dodgers went 10–5. Those series were followed by a five-game series between the Dodgers and a Cuban all-star team; the Cubans won 3–2.

1936 MLB Series

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

(

) *

) * Almendares (

) As part of their spring training, the St. Louis Cardinals played four games in Havana against Habana and Almendares. Habana won both of their matches against the Cardinals, while the Cardinals swept both games from Almendares.

1937 MLB Series

(

) *

) * Almendares (

) *Fortuna (amateur) *Armed Forces (amateur) Almendares beat the Giants in both games they played, 6–1 and 4–0, and Habana won their game 9–1. The Giants managed a 1–1 tie in a game against a Cuban all-star team, and beat Fortuna, an amateur team, 7–2. An

armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...

team also won a game against the Giants, 7–4. The St. Louis Cardinals also came to Havana to play two games against the Giants, which they split.

1940 MLB Series

(

) *Cubans (a

all-star team) During their 1940 spring training, the National League champion Cincinnati Reds played three games in Havana against a Cuban League all-star team. The Cubans won the first game 11–7, while the Reds won the second 6–1 behind the pitching of Bucky Walters. The third game ended in a 4–4 tie.

1941 MLB Series

(

) *Cubans (a

all-star team) *

(

) *All-Stars (a Cuban amateur all-star team) The Brooklyn Dodgers conducted their spring training in Havana. That spring the Dodgers played a five-game series against a Cuban League all-star team, going 2–2 with one tied game. The Dodgers also played series in Havana against the

and the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

. Another series was played in Havana between the

and the

. The Red Sox also agreed to play one game against a Cuban amateur all-star team. The Cuban amateurs won, 2–1.

1942 MLB Series

(

) *Cubans (a

all-star team) The Dodgers again used Havana as their spring training site and played series there against a Cuban all-star team and against the

. The Dodgers lost the series with the Cubans three games to two.

1946 MLB Series

* Washington Senators (

) *Cubans (a

all-star team) *

All-Stars (

) The Washington Senators opened their spring training in Havana. They swept all five games that they played against a Cuban all-star team. They also played a series against the

in Havana. In October, a National League "all-star" team managed by

Chuck Dressen Charles Walter Dressen (''pronounced:'' DREE-sen) (September 20, 1894Dressen's birthdate has been revised from 1898, as was commonly reported in '' The Sporting News' Baseball Register'' and ''Macmillan's Baseball Encyclopedia'', to 1894 by both ...

played against a Cuban all-star team. The major league team won the series 5–4.

1947 MLB Series

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

(

) *Cubans (a

all-star team) *

Havana Cubans The Havana Sugar Kings () were a Cuban-based minor league baseball team that played from 1946 to 1960. From 1954 until 1960, they belonged in the Class AAA International League, affiliated with Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds. Their hom ...

(

Florida International League The Florida International League was a lower- to mid-level circuit in American and Cuban minor league baseball that existed from 1946 through July 27, 1954. It was designated Class C level league for its first three seasons, then upgraded to Clas ...

) In 1947, the Brooklyn Dodgers were preparing to promote

and integrate the major leagues. Brooklyn team president,

Branch Rickey Wesley Branch Rickey (December 20, 1881 – December 9, 1965) was an American baseball player and sports executive. Rickey was instrumental in breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing black player Jackie Robinson. He also creat ...

, decided to hold their spring training to avoid southern

segregation Segregation may refer to: Separation of people * Geographical segregation, rates of two or more populations which are not homogenous throughout a defined space * School segregation * Housing segregation * Racial segregation, separation of human ...

. In Havana, the Dodgers played series against the

Boston Braves The Boston Braves were a Major League Baseball club that originated in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, and played from 1871 to 1952. Afterwards they moved to History of the Atlanta Braves#Milwaukee, Milwaukee (and became the Milwaukee Braves). ...

and the

. While the Yankees were visiting, they played a game against a Cuban all-star team. The Cubans won behind the pitching of

Connie Marrero Conrado Eugenio Marrero Ramos (April 25, 1911 – April 23, 2014), nicknamed "Connie", was a Cuban professional baseball pitcher. The right-handed Marrero pitched in Major League Baseball from to for the Washington Senators. Marrero was a p ...

, who held the Yankees to one run on four hits. A week later, the Dodgers faced the Havana Cubans, a minor league affiliate of the Washington Senators that was composed of Cuban players. Marrero again pitched as a member of the Cubans, struck out eight, and allowed four hits and one run, but the Dodgers held the Cubans scoreless to win the game 1–0. Figueredo 2003, pp. 287–288. Robinson was still assigned to the

Montreal Royals The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team in Montreal, Quebec, during 1897–1917 and 1928–1960. A member of the International League, the Royals were the top farm club ( Class AAA) of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1939; pi ...

, the Dodgers' Class AAA affiliate, which also trained in Havana. Two other black players,

Roy Campanella Roy Campanella (November 19, 1921 – June 26, 1993), nicknamed "Campy", was an American professional baseball player, primarily as a catcher. The Philadelphia native played in the Negro leagues and Mexican League for nine years before entering ...

and

Don Newcombe Donald Newcombe (June 14, 1926 – February 19, 2019), nicknamed "Newk", was an American professional baseball pitcher who played ten non-consecutive seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He began his career in the Negro National League and en ...

, were also assigned to the Royals. Montreal played five games against the two Cuban teams, winning three, losing one, and tying one game. In those five games, Robinson went 8 for 19, a .421 average.

1949 MLB Series

(

) *

(

) The Athletics won the three-game series 2–1, with the Cubans winning the second game 6–4.

1953 MLB Series

(

) *Cubans (a Cuban all-star team)

had the Pittsburgh Pirates conduct their spring training in Havana, where they played 10 games against the Cubans, a Cuban all-star team managed by Rodolfo Fernández. The Pirates went 6–4 against the Cubans, with

Felipe Montemayor Felipe Ángel Montemayor (February 7, 1928 – February 4, 2025) was a Mexican professional baseball player. The outfielder played in 64 games played, games for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball during and and all or parts of 14 ...

of the Pirates hitting five home runs.

Series between major-league teams and the Cuban national team

1999 MLB Series

After an exhibition series played between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds on March 20–21, 1959, less than three months after the

, no Major League Baseball team played in Cuba for 40 years. In 1999, the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

arranged to play a two-game series against the

, with the first game played in Havana on March 28, and the second game played in

on May 3. The Orioles won the first game, 3–2, and the Cuban national team won the second, 12–6.

Series between Negro League and Cuban League teams

Series were played between teams in the

and in the

Negro leagues The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relativel ...

1900 Negro League Series

* Almendares (

) *Criollos (Cuban baseball) *Cuba (

) *

Cuban X-Giants The Cuban X-Giants were a professional Negro league baseball, Negro league baseball team that played from 1896 to 1906. Originally most of the players were former Cuban Giants, or ex-Giants. Like the Cuban Giants, the original players were not Cu ...

(

) *

) *Indepencia (Cuban baseball) *Libertad (Cuban baseball) *10 de Octubre (Cuban baseball) The first series played in Cuba by a

team was by the

, a team of American players that was managed by E. B. Lamar and included Frank Grant and Clarence Williams. They played at least 17 games in Cuba; accounts are available for 15 games. Of these recorded games, the Cuban X-Giants won 12 and lost 3. Among their Cuban opponents, Criollos won two and lost one, and

Habana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Almendares losing two, and Indepencia, Libertad, and "10 de Octubre" losing one game apiece.

1903 Negro League Series

*Colombia (Cuban baseball) *Criollo (Cuban baseball) *Maine (Cuban baseball) *

(

) *Nuevo Azul (Cuban baseball) The

, an American Negro league team featuring

Rube Foster Andrew "Rube" Foster (September 17, 1879 – December 9, 1930) was an American baseball player, manager, and executive in the Negro leagues. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981. Foster is considered by sports historians to hav ...

Pete Hill John Preston "Pete" Hill (October 12, 1882 – November 19, 1951) was an American outfielder and manager (baseball), manager in baseball's Negro league baseball, Negro leagues from 1899 to 1925. He played for the Philadelphia Giants, Leland Giants ...

Home Run Johnson Grant U. "Home Run" Johnson (September 23, 1872 – September 4, 1963) was an American shortstop and second baseman in baseball's Negro league baseball, Negro leagues. In a career that spanned over 30 years, he played for many of the greatest tea ...

, and Clarence Williams, played nine games in Cuba from December 1 through December 9, 1903, winning only two. The Cuban X-Giants lost games to Colombia 6–3 and 2–1, lost two games and tied one against Criollo, 4–0, 3–2, and 2–2, lost one game against Maine, 10–3, and won two games against Nuevo Azul, 4–0 and 3–1, while losing one, 4–3.

1904 Negro League Series

(

) *

Nuevo Criollo Nuevo is the Spanish word for "new". It may refer to: * Nuevology, California, a town in California, United States * Nuevo (band), featuring singer and musician Peter Godwin * Nuevo (Bayamón), a settlement in Puerto Rico * "Nuevo", Spanish-langu ...

(

) * Azul club (

) * Carmelita club (

) The

, featuring

Harry Buckner Harry Edward "Green River" Buckner (October 22, 1876 – March 26, 1938), also nicknamed "Buck" and "Goat Head", was an American Negro league pitcher and outfielder in the between 1896 and 1918. Biography A native of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Buckne ...

, Dan McClellan, and Clarence Williams, won six of eight against Cuban teams. The X-Giants went 2–0 against both the Azul club and the Carmelita club, won one game against

, and went 1–2 against

Habana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.All Cubans The All Cubans were a team of Cuban professional baseball players that toured the United States during 1899 and 1902–05, playing against white semiprofessional and Negro league teams. The team was the first Latin American professional baseball ...

(

) *

(

) *

Club Fé Club Fé was a Cuban baseball team based in Havana in the Cuban League. It played in 1882, 1885, from 1887 to 1890, and again from 1901 to 1914. Fé first played during the 1882 season, which was canceled after four games and all game results were ...

(

) *

) The

again visited Cuba and won five of nine games. They went 1–2 against the

All Cubans The All Cubans were a team of Cuban professional baseball players that toured the United States during 1899 and 1902–05, playing against white semiprofessional and Negro league teams. The team was the first Latin American professional baseball ...

, 2–1 against

, and 2–1 against

Habana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Almendares (

) *

(

) *

) In their fourth visit to Cuba, the

, featuring

Bill Gatewood William Miller "Big Bill" Gatewood (August 22, 1881 – December 8, 1962) was an American Negro league baseball pitcher and manager for several years before the founding of the first Negro National League, and in its first few seasons. He pitch ...

, and

Bruce Petway Bruce Franklin Petway (December 23, 1885 – July 4, 1941) was an American Negro league baseball catcher in the early 20th century who came to be known as having one of the best throwing arms in the league. He is also said to have been one of the ...

, went 6–5. They went 4–1 against

Habana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Almendares.

1907 Negro League Series

* Almendares (

) *

Philadelphia Giants The Philadelphia Giants were a Negro league baseball team that played from 1902 to 1911. From 1904 to 1909 they were one of the strongest teams in black baseball, winning five eastern championships in six years. The team was organized by Sol Whi ...

(

) The

, featuring

John Henry Lloyd John Henry Lloyd (April 25, 1884 – March 19, 1964), nicknamed "Pop" and "El Cuchara", was an American baseball shortstop and manager in the Negro leagues. During his 27-year career, he played for many teams and had a .343 batting average. Llo ...

, Dan McClellan, and

, went 10–12 in their visit to Cuba. They lost series to Almendares and to

Habana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Almendares (

) *

(

) *

) The

, featuring

Bill Monroe William Smith Monroe ( ; September 13, 1911 – September 9, 1996) was an American mandolinist, singer, and songwriter who created the bluegrass music genre. Because of this, he is often called the " Father of Bluegrass". The genre takes its n ...

, and Judy Gans, played sixteen games against Cuban League teams in Havana in late October and early November. Almendares won five and lost four; Brooklyn split their games, winning eight and losing eight, and Habana won three and lost four.

1910 Negro League Series

* Almendares (

) *

Leland Giants The Leland Giants, originally the Chicago Union Giants, were a Negro league baseball team that competed independently during the first decade of the 20th century. The team was formed via a merge of the Chicago Unions and the Chicago Columbia Gia ...

(

) The Chicago

, featuring

, and

, played a series against Cuban League teams in Havana in late October and early November. Detailed statistics are available for 13 games, though there was at least one additional game—a 3–1 victory by Almendares over the Leland Giants—for which statistics are not available. Of the 13 games for which statistics are available, Almendares beat the Leland Giants five times and lost twice, with one tie, and Habana lost all five games they played against the Chicago team.

1912 Negro League Series

* Almendares (

) *

(

) The

of New York City, featuring

Dick Redding Richard Redding (April 15, 1890 – October 31, 1948), nicknamed "Cannonball", was an American pitcher, outfielder, and manager (baseball), manager in baseball's Negro league baseball, Negro leagues, regarded as perhaps the fastest pitcher in ...

Louis Santop Louis Santop Loftin (January 17, 1889 – January 22, 1942) was an American baseball catcher in the Negro leagues. He became "one of the earliest superstars" and "black baseball's first legitimate home-run slugger" (Riley), and was elected to the ...

, and Cyclone Joe Williams, played a series against Cuban League teams in Havana in December. Almendares won four games and lost two, and Habana won four games and lost three, while the Lincoln Giants won five and lost eight.

1914 Negro League Series

* Almendares (

) *

Lincoln Stars The Lincoln Stars are a Tier I junior ice hockey team playing in the United States Hockey League (USHL). The Stars' home ice is the Ice Box on the former Nebraska State Fair grounds and adjacent to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Histo ...

(

) The

of New York City, featuring

Dizzy Dismukes William "Dizzy" Dismukes (March 15, 1890 – June 30, 1961) was an American pitcher and manager in Negro league baseball and during the pre-Negro league years. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama, where his father Isaac Lee Dismukes was a deacon in ...

, Spottswood Poles,

, and

, played a 14-game series against Cuban League teams in Havana from October 9 through November 2. Almendares won six games and lost one, and Habana won three games, lost three, and tied one, while the Lincoln Giants won four, lost nine, and tied one. Statistics were not available for the last game of the series.

1915 Negro League Series

* Almendares (

) *

Indianapolis ABCs The Indianapolis ABCs were a Negro league baseball team that played both as an independent club and as a charter member of the first Negro National League (NNL). They claimed the western championship of black baseball in 1915 and 1916, and fin ...

(

) * San Francisco club (

) The

, featuring

Oscar Charleston Oscar McKinley Charleston (October 14, 1896 – October 5, 1954) was an American center fielder, first baseman and manager in Negro league baseball and the Cuban League. Over his 43-year baseball career, Charleston played or managed with more th ...

Bingo DeMoss Elwood "Bingo" DeMoss (September 5, 1889 – January 26, 1965) was an American professional baseball player and manager in the Negro leagues. Early life DeMoss was born in Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. stat ...

, and Ben Taylor, played a 20-game series against Cuban League teams in Havana during October and November. Habana won six games and lost three; Almendares won five games and lost four; San Francisco won one and lost one; and Indianapolis won eight and lost 12.

Cuban League The Cuban League ( Spanish: ''Liga cubana'') was one of the earliest and longest lasting professional baseball leagues outside the United States, operating in Cuba from 1878 to 1961. The schedule usually operated during the winter months, so the ...
teams

* Almendares (1906–1915) *

(1905) * Azul club (1904) * Carmelita club (1904) *

(1905) *

) (1904–1915) *

(1904) * San Francisco club (1915)

Negro league The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relativel ...
teams

(1908) * Chicago Leland Giants (1910) *

(1904–1906) *

(1915) *

New York Lincoln Giants The New York Lincoln Giants were a Negro league baseball team based in New York City from 1911 through 1930. Founding The Lincoln Giants can trace their origins back to the Nebraska Indians, of Lincoln, Nebraska, from the 1890s. According t ...

(1912) * New York Lincoln Stars (1914) *

(1907)

Notes

References

* * *

External links

Cuban-American Major League Clubs Series at Baseball-Reference
{{Negro League teams Major League Baseball competitions International baseball competitions hosted by Cuba Negro league baseball