Remembering the New York Cubans

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New York Cubans

This week for Black History month we’ve got the New York Cubans of the Negro Leagues. One of may favorite jerseys with classic Depression era graphics and adoption of the New York Giants cap logo. The Cubans were to the Giants as the Black Yankees were to the Bronx Bombers. And are one of the two teams the Mets throw back to, the other being the Brooklyn Royal Giants. 

The Cubans were born in 1899 as a barnstorming Hispanic team traveling cross country and playing mainly against Negro League teams. In 1905 they were invited to join organized Negro League baseball and played consistently through 1930 when they folded. Internal squabbles also led to a split between East and West traveling squads. 

The  Cubans were reborn in 1935 sharing Hinchcliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey with the Black Yankees. So for a time in the ’30’s, Paterson was at the epicenter of Black baseball. They would ultimately joint the Giants at the Polo Grounds. In 1941, Petrucho Cepeda, father of San Francisco Giant great Orlando Cepeda, became the first Puerto Rican to join the Cubans.

In 1947, with a roster with the likes of Luis Tiant Sr, Martin Dihigo and Minnie Minoso the Cubans won their only championship against the Cleveland Buckeyes. My jersey is number 17, Martin Dihigo’s number. Dihigo was nicknamed El Inmortal, the Immortal, and starred as both a hitter and a pitcher. He fled Cuba during the Batista era and returned after  the triumph of the revolution serving as Cuba’s Minister of Sport for decades. Dihigo is just one of two players to be inducted to the American, Cuban, Mexican, Dominican Republic and Venezuelan Baseball Halls of Fame.

I remember Minnie Minoso from my childhood. He was the first latino in the major leagues and the first Black player signed by the Chicago White Sox. He was to the Sox what Ernie Banks was to the Cubs and is honored by a statue at the White Sox stadium. He was the  third player to get a major league hit after age 50 and only the second to play in five decades making one last appearance in 1980. Minoso has been elected to the US, Mexican and Cuban baseball halls of fame.

So, today, hats off …and on…to the New York Cubans…