MIAMI, United States. — May 9, 1871 debuted in the Major Leaguess the infielder Esteban Enrique Bellán, who was only 21 years old at the time.
Born in Havana in 1849, into a wealthy family, he studied at the Saint John’s College from the Bronx, in New York. At that time, it was common for Cuban parents with a good economic position to send their children to study in the United States or Europe, seeking to remove them from the climate of rebellion against Spain that was raging on the island.
Esteban Bellán quickly adapted to life in the United States, where he studied until 1868. The baseball fever that engulfed the city attracted the young man, who learned to play and managed to join the school team, the Rose Hill Baseball Clubwhere Bellán held the position of catcher and leadoff hitter.
Despite being a team made up of college students, the Rose Hill Baseball Club he frequently bumped into New York’s most experienced teams. In one of those meetings, the club Morrisania Unions he recruited Bellán, who became part of the elite of baseball fans, playing third base.
He stayed with that team for a season, and then joined the Lansinburgh Unionswhich in 1871 became the Troy Haymakers and joined the National Association of Professional Baseball Players. With this leap into the professional world, Esteban Bellán became the first Latin American to play in the Major Leagues.
His performance under this new status was low-key. He had good numbers defensively, but as a hitter he was below average. He kept up with haymakers until they disintegrated, in 1872, and he finished his time in the Major Leagues with the New York Mutuals.
Starting in 1878, after the Ten Years’ War ended, Bellán participated in the development of Cuban baseball. Four years earlier he had taken part in the first official meeting, held on the grounds of Palmar del Junco, in the province of Matanzas. That December 27, 1874, Bellán played his part for the Club Habana team as catcher and fourth bat, although they were swept by the Matanzas roster with a score of 51 runs to nine. Thanks to the experience acquired during his time in the Major Leagues, Esteban Bellán hit three home runs and finished as the best scorer of the game.
In December 1878 he participated in the inaugural game of the Cuban Professional League as director and player of the Leones de La Habana, against the Almendares team. He won three titles, in the 1878-1879, 1879-1880 and 1882-1883 seasons.
