Cuban Winter League

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(Redirected from Professional Cuban League)

While baseball leagues in Cuba date back to 1878, the Cuban Winter League really got its start in 1900 when American players began spending the off-season on the island competing against native stars.

Prominent players included Pete Hill, Bill Monroe, Rube Foster, José Muñoz, Pop Lloyd, Jose Mendez, Luis Padron, Julian Castillo, Smokey Joe Williams, Dolf Luque, Cristobal Torriente, Luis Santop, Oscar Charleston, Alejandro Oms, Bernardo Baro, Martin Dihigo, Valentin Dreke, Bullet Rogan, Biz Mackey, Jud Wilson, Jose Acosta, Bill Foster, Satchel Paige, Johnny Allen, Agustin Bejerano, Cocaina Garcia, Ramon Bragana, Willie Wells, Mule Suttles, Cool Papa Bell, Silvio Garcia, Buck Leonard, Lazaro Salazar, Bobby Estalella, Josh Gibson, Ray Dandridge, Double Duty Radcliffe, Sammy Bankhead, Sal Maglie, Minnie Minoso, Bobby Avila, Monte Irvin, Connie Marrero, Don Newcombe, Roy Campanella and Camilo Pascual.

In 1961 Fidel Castro banned pro sports in the country and the Cuban Winter League came to an end after one of the longest and most glorious histories. Baseball remained the premier sport in Cuba after being reorganized by the government and the country continued to produce great players. Foreign players were not coming to the country anymore, though, so the quality of play in the amateur Cuban Serie Nacional likely is lower.

League Champions[edit]

Team won the Serie del Caribe
1945-46 Winners Cienfuegos
Season Champion Record Manager
1878/1879 Habana 4 - 0 - 1 (1.000) Esteban Bellán
1879/1880 Habana 5 - 2 (0.714) Esteban Bellán
1880/1881 No season held
1882 The season was not completeted due to a dispute between Habana and Club Fé
1882/1883 Habana 5 - 1 (0.833) Esteban Bellán
1883/1884 No season held
1885 Habana 4 - 3 (0.571) Ricardo Mora
1885/1886 Habana 6 - 0 (1.000) Francisco Saavedra
1886/1887 Habana 10 - 2 (0.833) Francisco Saavedra
1887/1888 Club Fé 12 - 3 (0.800) Antonio Utrera
1888/1889 Habana 16 - 4 - 1 (0.800) Emilio Sabourin
1889/1890 Habana 14 - 3 (0.824) Emilio Sabourin
1890/1891 Club Fé 12 - 6 (0.667) Luis Almoina y Meléndez
1891/1892 Habana 13 - 7 (0.650) Emilio Sabourin
1892/1893 Matanzas 14 - 9 (0.609) Luis Almoina y Meléndez
1893/1894 Almendares 17 - 7 - 1 (0.708) Ramón Gutiérrez
1894/1895 The season was not completed and the playoffs were cancelled
1895/1896 The season was cancelled due to the War of Independence
1896/1897 The season was cancelled due to the War of Independence
1897/1898 The season was suspended before the playoffs
1898/1899 Habanista 9 - 3 - 1 (0.750) Alberto Azoy
1900 San Francisco 17 - 10 - 1 (0.630) Patrocinio Silverio
1901 Habana 16 - 3 - 1 (0.842) Alberto Azoy
1902 Habana 17 - 0 - 2 (1.000) Alberto Azoy
1903 Habana 16 - 4 (0.800) Alberto Azoy
1904 Habana 16 - 4 (0.800) Alberto Azoy
1905 Almendares 19 - 11 (0.633) Abel Linares
1905/1906 Club Fé 15 - 9 - 1 (0.625) Alberto Azoy
1907 Almendares 17 - 13 - 1 (0.567) Eugenio Santa Cruz
1908 Almendares 37 - 8 - 1 (0.822) Juan L. Sánchez
1908/1909 Habana 33 - 13 - 1 (0.690) Luis Someillán
1910 Almendares 13 - 3 - 1 (0.812) Juan L. Sánchez
1910/1911 Almendares 21 - 6 - 3 (0.714) Juan L. Sánchez
1912 Habana 22 - 12 - 1 (0.647) Eduardo Laborde
1913 Club Fé 21 - 11 - 2 (0.656) Agustín Molina
1913/1914 Almendares 22 - 11 - 1 (0.667) Eugenio Santa Cruz
1914/1915 Habana 23 - 11 (0.676) Miguel A. González
1915/1916 Almendares 30 - 12 - 3 (0.714) Alfredo Cabrera
1917 Orientales 8 - 6 - 1 (0.571) Armando Marsans
1918/1919 Habana 29 - 19 (0.604) Miguel A. González
1919/1920 Almendares 22 - 5 - 2 (0.815) Adolfo Luque
1920/1921 Habana 21 - 9 - 5 (0.700) Miguel A. González
1921 Habana 4 - 1 (0.800) Miguel A. González
1922/1923 Marianao 35 - 19 - 1 (0.648) Baldomero Acosta
1923/1924 Santa Clara 36 - 11 - 1 (0.766) Agustín Molina
1924/1925 Almendares 33 - 16 - 1 (0.660) Joseíto Rodríguez
1925/1926 Almendares 34 - 13 - 2 (0.723) Joseíto Rodríguez
1926/1927 Habana 20 - 11 (0.645) Miguel A. González
1926/1927 (Triangal) Alacranes N/A Adolfo Luque
1927/1928 Habana 24 - 13 (0.649) Miguel A. González
1928/1929 Habana 43 - 12 - 1 (0.782) Miguel A. González
1929/1930 Cienfuegos 33 - 19 - 2 (0.635) Pelayo Chacón
1930/1931 The season was not completeted due to poor attendance
1930/1931
(Campeonato Unico)1
Almendarista 9 - 4 - 1 (0.692) Joseíto Rodríguez
1931/1932 Almendares 21 - 9 - 4 (0.700) Joseito Rodriguez
1932/1933 Almendares/Habana 13 - 9 (0.591) Adolfo Luque/Miguel A. González
1934/1935 Almendares 18 - 9 - 1 (0.667) Adolfo Luque
1935/1936 Santa Clara 34 - 14 - 1 (0.708) Martín Dihigo
1936/1937 Marianao 38 - 31 - 3 (0.551) Martín Dihigo
1937/1938 Santa Clara 44 - 18 - 4 (0.710) Lázaro Salazar
1938/1939 Santa Clara 34 - 20 - 2 (0.630) Lázaro Salazar
1939/1940 Almendares 28 - 23 - 1 (0.549) Adolfo Luque
1940/1941 Habana 31 - 18 - 5 (0.633) Miguel A. González
1941/1942 Almendares 25 - 19 - 4 (0.568) Adolfo Luque
1942/1943 Almendares 28 - 20 - 1 (0.583) Adolfo Luque
1943/1944 Habana 32 - 16 (0.667) Miguel A. González
1944/1945 Almendares 32 - 16 - 6 (0.667) Reinaldo Cordeiro
1945/1946 Cienfuegos 37 - 23 - 4 (0.617) Adolfo Luque
1946/1947
(National)
Matanzas N/A Silvio García
1946/1947 Almendares 42 - 24 - 2 (0.636) Adolfo Luque
1947/1948 Habana 39 - 33 - 9 (0.542) Miguel A. González
1947/1948
(Players)
Leones N/A Salvador Hernández
1948/1949 Almendares 47 - 25 (0.553) Fermín Guerra
1949/1950 Almendares 38 - 34 - 4 (0.528) Fermín Guerra
1950/1951 Habana 41 - 32 - 1 (0.562) Miguel A. González
1951/1952 Habana 41 - 30 - 1 (0.577) Miguel A. González
1952/1953 Habana 43 - 29 - 1 (0.597) Miguel A. González
1953/1954 Almendares 44 - 28 - 1 (0.611) Bobby Bragan
1954/1955 Almendares 44 - 25 - 2 (0.638) Bobby Bragan
1955/1956 Cienfuegos 40 - 29 - 1 (0.580) Oscar Rodríguez
1956/1957 Marianao Tigers 40 - 28 - 1 (0.588) Napoleón Reyes
1957/1958 Marianao Tigers 43 - 32 - 1 (0.597) Napoleón Reyes
1958/1959 Almendares 46 - 26 - 6 (0.639) Oscar Rodríguez or Clemente Carrera
1959/1960 Cienfuegos 48 - 24 (0.667) Antonio Castaño
1960/1961 Cienfuegos 35 - 31 - 1 (0.530) Antonio Castaño
1 The Campeonato Unico was an alternate season that was arranged after regular championship was suspended.

MVPs[edit]

Further Reading[edit]

  • Peter C. Bjarkman and Bill Nowlin, eds.: Cuban Baseball Legends: Baseball's Alternative Universe, SABR, Phoenix, AZ, 2016. ISBN 978-1-943816-24-8
  • César Brioso: Havana Hardball: Spring Training, Jackie Robinson, and the Cuban League, University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 2015. ISBN 978-0-8130-6116-0

Related Sites[edit]