Mexico City, Mexico- More than 100 years ago Cuba had a baseball player playing in the american league who won the title. With the triumph of Adolfo Luque together with the Cincinnati Reds, the successful transit of those born on the island in the most important league in the world began. according to the blog Full Swing More than 200 Cubans have gone through the Major Leagues from the 19th century to date.
Of these, 21 have taken the title home, though some have repeated the feat multiple times. Orlando “El Duque” Hernández, for example, keeps four rings out of five finals he played. Another notable Cuban was Dagoberto Campaneris, the first in history to play all nine positions in the same game, he kept three World Series rings.
Cubanet, as a tribute to the Cuban legacy in the professional baseballproposes ten memorable facts that players born on the island have starred in.
1. The first Latino to play in a professional league in the United States was Esteban Enrique Bellán from Havana. He debuted in June 1871 with the Troy Haymakers. Bellán played three consecutive series.
2. The shortest performance by a Cuban in the American League was just two days. We are talking about Chick Pedroes who debuted on August 21, 1902 and his last game was on the 22nd of that month.
His numbers: zero hits in six at-bats and he was retired twice via strikeout.
3. The first black player for the Chicago White Sox was Cuban Saturino Orestes Armas Miñoso. Orestes Miñoso, as he was known, lived through a time when racial segregation was voracious and not all players agreed to share the field with a black man. “Minnie” received 192 balls in his long career of 17 seasons. Chance? But that didn’t stop him and he was awarded the gold glove in 1957.
Four. Baldomero Pedro “Merito” Acosta Fernandez He started in the Major Leagues at just 17 years old and played five seasons for the Philadelphia Athletics Y the Washington Senators.
Mérito Acosta, natural pitcher from Bauta, was the youngest player (17 years old) in the 1913 season, wearing the uniform of the Washington Senators
5. Although the pitcher Adolfo Luque triumphed in two World Series (the first in 1919) he only had a ring in his hands after the victory of the New York Giants in 1933. Before 1922 they did not deliver the emblematic jewel.
6. Tany Pérez and Orlando “El Duque” Hernández are the Cuban players with the most participation in the World Series. “Tany” is considered by several experts as the most complete Cuban baseball player who has gone through the highest category of world baseball. While the legendary Industriales pitcher is one of the Latinos with the most rings at home. He was also an Olympic champion with Cuba and a three-time world champion.
7. In 1967, 30 players from the largest of the Antilles played in the Major Leagues. Record amount that was matched in 2016 and 2019. In 2021 that mark was broken and a new one was established: 31.
8. José Abreu: It is no secret to anyone that, since his debut in 2014, Pito has been the most productive Cuban hitter in MLB.
9. Yuli Gurriel became the first Latino in history with a batting title at age 37. How many Cuban-born in MLB history have managed to average over 300 in a season at age 37 or older? Only one: Yuli Gurriel.
10. The last Cubans to take home the coveted ring were precisely Yulieski Gourriel (for the second time), Yordan Álvarez, and Aledmys Díaz who triumphed with the Huston team.
Receive information from CubaNet on your cell phone through WhatsApp. Send us a message with the word “CUBA” on the phone +525545038831, You can also subscribe to our electronic newsletter by giving click here.
