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JUNE 1866 | | | | |  |
| | | | | Caribbean baseball apparently born when sailors from American naval ship, anchored at port in Matanzas Bay, demonstrated diamond play for crowd of Cuban dock hands employed loading sugar cane onto North American vessels. Cubans reportedly joke that American instructors seemed highly motivated by desire to sell baseball equipment to their raw diamond recruits. One competing account of baseball's Cuban origins suggests it was actually Nemesio Guillot, an upperclass youth educated in the United States, who first introduced equipment and demonstrations of this popular Yankee sport upon his return in 1864 to his native Havana.
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APRIL 1871 | | | | | |
| Cuban Esteban "Steve" Belln mans third base, second base, and outfield for Troy Haymakers during inaugural season of National Association, baseball's first recognized big-league circuit. Belln, who acquired his diamond skills while studying at Fordham University and was a fancy fielder if light hitter over three professional seasons, thus becomes first official Latin American major-league ballplayer.
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DECEMBER 27, 1874 | | | | | |
| | | | | Only eight years after game's reported introduction in Matanzas, city known as "Athens of Cuba" hosts Havana in first recorded organized ballgame between native Cuban teams. Playing for Club Havana are two early giants of Cuban baseball, ex-big-leaguer Steve Belln and patriot Emilio Sabourn, later the organizing genius behind Cuba's own professional league. Belln plays third base and Sabourn scores eight runs for Havana during 51-9 rout of talent-thin Matanzas ballclub.
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DECEMBER 29, 1878 | | | | | |
| Professional Baseball League of Cuba begins play in Havana, making Cuban League world's second oldest professional baseball organization, trailing North America's National League in seniority by only two seasons. Havana wins first game 21-20 over Almendares in contest featuring ten men to a side (extra position was "right short"). Inaugural Cuban championship consist of only three clubs - Havana, Matanzas, Almendares - and Havana wins trophy with 4-0-1 record behind leadership of manager and captain Steve Belln.
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NOVEMBER 23, 1879 | | | | | |
| | | | | American George McCullar, catcher for Coln, hits first Cuban League home run in 13-8 victory over Havana.
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DECEMBER 25, 1879 | | | | | |
| Pitcher Carlos Maci of Almendares is credited with first attempt to bunt not for sacrifice but for base hit. Maci's unique play comes full dozen seasons before same strategy introduced in U.S. with John McGraw and Baltimore Orioles.
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JANUARY 21, 1882 | | | | | |
| | | | | First switch-hitter recorded in Cuban baseball is Jos Mara Teuma of Club F, who played all nine positions, posting 4-3 pitching record and .225 batting mark over seven (then brief) seasons. Same winter witnesses apparent single-game world record of sixty errors committed in Cuban semi-pro contest between Club Caridad (39 miscues) and Club Ultimatum (21). It seems safe to assume ballplayers at the sloppy Havana spectacle wore no fielding gloves during their crude rag-tag match.
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FEBRUARY 2, 1886 | | | | | |
| Carlos Maci, Almendares pitcher, blanks Club F 16-0 in first recorded Cuban League shutout. Maci allowed three base hits.
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1886 | | | | | |
| | | | | Official statistics kept for the first time in Cuban League and Wenceslao Glvez is first batting champion (.345). Glvez three years later publishes El Baseball en Cuba, Cuban baseball's first known history.
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1886-1887 | | | | | |
| Cuban Giants appear as first salaried all-Negro team, but popular touring ballclub ironically contains on its roster not a single native-born Cuban. Club is formed by Frank P. Thompson, head waiter at Hotel Argyle in Babylon, New York, who recruited pro players from Philadelphia Keystones to work as waiters and entertain guests with ballplaying. More ballplayers were added from Philadelphia
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1890-1891 | | | | | |
| | | | | Cubans introduced baseball in Mexico and Puerto Rico, as well as in Dominican Republic. For efforts in spreading game Cubans deserve designation as "the apostles of baseball."
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OCTOBER 1891 | | | | | |
| First touring big leaguers visit Cuba for winter exhibitions (October 25-November 8). John McGraw is among group of barnstormers called All-American, who post a 5-0 record, but only with help of Cuban reinforcements provided by local promoter Eduardo Laborde to fill out Americans' short roster.
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1894 | | | | | |
| | | | | Almendares, under manager Ramn Gutirrez, wins its first league championship with 17-7-1 record. With arrival of Almendares as legitimate challenger to Club Havana, greatest rivalry in Cuban baseball is born.
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NOVEMBER 1908 | | | | | |
| Matanzas-born black Cuban hurler of Jos Mndez - later immortalized by New York Giant manager John McGraw as "Cuba's Black Diamond" - records string of impressive performances against touring Cincinnati Reds. Wiry 20-year-old phenom first posts 1-0 one-hit victory over stunned National Leaguers; two weeks later Mndez throws seven innings of shutout relief plus second nine-inning scoreless performance as starter - a total of 25 scoreless innings against befuddled big-league visitors. Competing against Negro league stars during U.S. tour the following fall, Mndez again distinguishes himself with outstanding 44-2 mound record.
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NOVEMBER 1911 | | | | | |
| | | | | New York Giants with John McGraw are one of three professional North American teams which renew wintertime ballplaying visits to Cuba. Cuban ace of Jos Mndez beats Philadelphia twice but also loses once to Phillies and twice to Giants (including head-to-head with Christy Mathewson).
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OCTOBER 1923 | | | | | |
| At season's end, Cincinnati hurler Dolf Luque owns major-league-leading won-lost record of 27-8 and ERA mark of 1.93, still top single-season record ever posted by Latin American big-league pitcher.
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JANUARY 2, 1929 | | | | | |
| | | | | Outfielder James "Cool Papa" Bell, U.S. Negro leaguer playing for Cienfuegos, becomes the first slugger to connect for three homers in single game during Cuban professional play. Bell's feat occurs at Aida Park in 15-11 slugfest victory over Havana.
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MARCH 1931 | | | | | |
| Brooklyn Dodgers make brief spring training exhibition appearance in Havana, playing five games in La Tropical Stadium. Dolf Luque is on Brooklyn roster and hurls all three Dodgers victories.
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SEPTEMBER 16, 1936 | | | | | |
| | | | | Black Cuban Hall of Famer Martn Dihigo pitches first professional no-hit, no-run game on Mexican soil, a 4-0 victory over Nogales in Veracruz.
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AUGUST 1939 | | | | | |
| Havana host second-ever world amateur championships and defeats Nicaraguan and U.S. teams for country's first world title. Cuba also hosts three of next four events and captures three of those championships.
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OCTOBER 9, 1946 | | | | | |
| | | | | Team of National League All-Stars begins a seven-game exhibition schedule against the Cuban National All-Star team in Havana. NL team, featuring Buddy Kerr and Sid Gordon of New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers Eddie Stanky and Ralph Branca, wins opening game of tour, 3-2.
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OCTOBER 26, 1946 | | | | | |
| Record 31,000 fans (estimated) attend inaugural game at new Gran Estadio del Cerro in Havana, watching Almendares defeat Cienfuegos 9-1. At the time, this was the largest crowed ever to witness a professional baseball game in Cuba.
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AUGUST 21, 1948 | | | | | |
| | | | | Representatives of Cuba, Panama, Puerto Rico and Venezuela, meeting in Havana, agree to stage four-country round-robin twelve-game tournament to be known as "Serie del Caribe" (Caribbean Series) and launched in Cuba during February 1949. This series, the highlight of winter-league play, will continue uninterrupted through 1960 (Series XII), later be reinstituted (1970), and survive to the present. In addition to the four founding countries, the Dominican Republic (replacing Cuba) and Mexico (replacing Panama) also later participate on regular basis.
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FEBRUARY 6, 1950 | | | | | |
| Seventh no-hitter of Cuban baseball history is pitched by Rogelio "Limonar" Martnez in 3-0 Marianao victory over Almendares.
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OCTOBER 1951 | | | | | |
| | | | | Minnie Mioso of Chicago White Sox wins The Sporting News American League Rookie of the Year award.
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JULY 25, 1959 | | | | | |
| Fidel Castro supporters, enjoying raucous "July 26th Celebration" in Havana's El Gran Estadio del Cerro (El Cerro Stadium), halt International League contest between Rochester Red Wings and Havana Sugar Kings with several random gunshots from grandstands. Rochester third bas coach Frank Verdi and Havana shortstop Leo Crdenas both suffer minor flesh wounds during infamous incident, causing Red Wings manager Cot Deal to pull his team from field and retreat to downtown hotel. International League officials promptly cancel remainder of Sugar Kings' homestand and will eventually relocate franchise to Jersey City during middle of 1960 season.
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JULY 13, 1960 | | | | | |
| | | | | Havana Sugar Kings franchise is shifted by International League to new home as Jersey City Reds, ending professional organized baseball in Cuba. Ballclub is playing in Miami at time and all 11 native Cuban players (Ral Snchez, Orlando Pea, Andrs Ayn, Mile Cullar, Borrego Alvarez, Leo Crdenas, Joaqun Azcue, Daniel Morejn, Cookie Rojas, Orlando Tanner, and Enrique Izquierdo) decide to remain with team in its new home. Manager Tony Castaos returns to Cuba and is replaced by fellow Cuban Nap Reyes.
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1962 | | | | | |
| First season of new Cuban League (amateur) is held with Occidentals (18-9) as champion. Erwin Walter (.367) wins first batting title and Rolando Valds (3) is home run leader.
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MAY 20, 1964 | | | | | |
| | | | | Cuban pitcher Jos Ramn Lpez (Monterrey) records 16 strikeouts, nine in succession in 5-2 victory over Mexico City Red Devils, tying short-lived Mexican League record set in 1959 by Dominican Diomedes "Guayubn" Olivo (Poza Rica).
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FEBRUARY 21, 1965 | | | | | |
| Cuban Leaguer Inocente Miranda (Azucareros) plays entire game at first base without touching ball, an event that has occurred only five times in major-league history.
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JAN. 16 AND 25, 1966 | | | | | |
| | | | | Most overlooked performance in international baseball history occurs in Cuban League when righthander Aquino Abreu (Azucareros) hurls back-to-back no-hitters (versus Occidentals and Industriales) to match Johnny Vander Meer's more famed big-league feat.
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AUGUST 13, 1966 | | | | | |
| Cuban League strikeout king Jos Ramn Lpez establishes all-time standard of 309 strikeouts for single season, reaching 309 in game against Reynosa. Lpez, while striking out a dozen batters, loses contest by 2-0 score.
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AUGUST 8, 1977 | | | | | |
| | | | | Black Cuban star Martn Dihigo, considered by most as greatest all-round Negro leagues performer, is voted into Cooperstown by BWAA Veterans Committee. Dihigo thus becomes second Latin hall of famer and first player ever enshrined in three different halls (Cuba, Mexico, U.S.).
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APRIL 12, 1980 | | | | | |
| For only time in Cuban League history, two players from same team smack grand slams in same innings. Rey Vicente Anglada and Jorge Beltrn (Habana) accomplish feat on same day that Don Money and Cecil Cooper (Milwaukee Brewers) also pull it off in major leagues.
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JANUARY 31, 1984 | | | | | |
| | | | | Cuban League enjoys game with fewest-ever hits when lefty Jorge Lus Valds (Henequeneros) throws no-hitter against Villa Clara, while opposing moundsman Reynaldo Santana allows only two safeties in 1-0 loss.
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1985 | | | | | |
| Lzaro Vargas (Industriales) sets Cuban League consecutive-game hitting streak standard with base hits in 31 straight games.
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DECEMBER 9, 1986 | | | | | |
| | | | | Batters for Las Villas in Cuban League bash ten consecutive singles against pitchers from Agropecuarios, matching feat not performed in major leagues since June 2, 1901.
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FEBRUARY 11, 1987 | | | | | |
| Outfielder Lus Ulacia (Camagueyanos) becomes first and only Cuban League player to smack home runs from both side of plate in same game.
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AUGUST 22, 1987 | | | | | |
| | | | | Cuba rebounds from early-round loss to USA to defeat Americans 13-9 in dramatic come-from-behind championship match of Pan American Games at Indianapolis.
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MARCH 3, 1988 | | | | | |
| Rare event occurs in Cuban League when Camaguey defeats Las Villas three times in same day. First loss for Las Villas results from previous night's contest which extends past midnight, while other two come in afternoon doubleheader.
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AUGUST 22, 1989 | | | | | |
| | | | | Righthander Lzaro Valle hurls eight-inning perfect game (11-0) against South Korea while striking out 13 of 24 batters.
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1990 | | | | | |
| Omar Linares bats better than .400 for third time in Cuban League play to win his third batting title. Linares is already widely considered in amateur baseball circles and among professional scouts as "the best third baseman on the planet."
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JULY 1991 | | | | | |
| | | | | Catcher Jos Delgado smacks dramatic tenth-inning single to salvage 5-4 win over Japan in finals of 10th Intercontinental Cup in Barcelona, clinching Cuba's fifth straight IC championship. Lefty Omar Ajete is also tournament hero with 0.00 ERA in preliminary round, ninth-inning save in 2-1 semifinal victory over Chinese Taipei, and starting role in gold medal game.
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SEPTEMBER 1992 | | | | | |
| Cuba captures first-ever Olympic baseball gold medal competition with undefeated record (8-0) and 11-1 triumph over Chinese Taipei in finals. Pitchers Omar Ajete and Giorge Diaz and slugger Omar Linares are Cuban gold medal heroes.
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MARCH 1994 | | | | | |
| | | | | Lzaro Junco, Cuba's all-time longball slugger, wins eighth Cuban League home run Crown. Junco retires with Cuba's career longball record of 405 (later surpassed by Orestes Kindeln).
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AUGUST 31, 1995 | | | | | |
| Pedro Lus Lazo tosses no-hitter and strikes out 17 as Cuba defeats USA 5-0 in semifinals of World University Games at Fukuoka, Japan.
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JULY 1996 | | | | | |
| | | | | Cuba (9-0 for tournament) once again dominates international amateur scene by breezing to victory in Summer Olympics at Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium. Cuba defeats Japan 13-9 in gold medal game and Omar Linares (8) and Orestes Kindeln (9) perform awesome two-week display of aluminum-bat home run slugging. Kindeln blasts longest four-bagger ever witnessed in Fulton County Stadium.
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APRIL 8, 1997 | | | | | |
| Omar Linares of Pinar del Ro slugs four homers in one game at Captain San Lus Stadium, becoming only third player to accomplish feat at any level in Cuban amateur or professional baseball.
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AUGUST 10, 1997 | | | | | |
| | | | | Japan surprises Cuba 11-2 in finals of Intercontinental Cup at Barcelona, ending ten-year Cuban domination in international senior tournaments plus string of seven straight Cuban titles in Intercontinental Cup competition. Loss on heels of 1996 Olympic victory shocks Cuban fans and INDER officials and leads to changes in both the format of the Cuban League and leadership of the Cuban national team.
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OCTOBER 1997 | | | | | |
| Livan Hernndez stars in World Series for Florida Marlins and refocuses attention of U.S. fans on proud legacy of Cuban baseball. World Series MVP performance by Hernndez also creates considerable stir among fans back in Cuba.
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APRIL 1998 | | | | | |
| | | | | Jos Ibar wins 20 games on mound for Club Havana and becomes first pitcher in modern-era Cuban League with 20 victories in single season. Pinar del Ro behind slugger Omar Linares and mound ace Pedro Lus Lazo captures Cuban League championship for second straight year.
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JUNE 1998 | | | | | |
| Orlando "El Duque" Hernndez makes major-league debut with New York Yankees. Half-brother of Livan Hernndez, "El Duque" left Cuba in December 1997 and signed with New York in February after tryout session at Caribbean Series in Venezuela.
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AUGUST 1998 | | | | | |
| | | | | Cuba recaptures long-standing reputation for international domination by winning IBA World Championships in Italy, posting unbeaten 9-0 record in tournament and defeating South Korea 7-1 in finals. Cuba's stars are ageless Omar Linares, slugger Orestes Kindeln and pitcher Jos Contreras, who hurled title game five-hitter.
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MARCH 28, 1999 | | | | | |
| Major leaguers appear in Cuba for the first time in 40 years for historic meeting between Baltimore Orioles and Cuban National Team before 55,000-plus frenzied fans in Estadio Latinoamericano. Omar Linares singles home the tying run in the eighth but the major leaguers finally prevail 3-2 after 11 thrill-packed innings.
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MAY 3, 1999 | | | | | |
| | | | | Two triples by shortstop Danel Castro, a ninth-inning round-tripper and joyous dance around the basepaths by DH Andy Morales, and 6 2/3 innings of hitless relief hurling by Norge Vera highlight a stunning 12-6 romp by the Cuban national team in their rematch with the Baltimore Orioles in Camden Yards. The game - the first-ever meeting on U.S. soil between a Castro-era Cuban team and a major-league ballclub - establishes Cuban League credibility and sets off wild celebrations throughout the streets of Havana.
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