American Series
The first American Series took place in 1879, with then minor league Worcester team going 2–0 against its Cuban opponents.
[5][6] In the 1909 edition, the Detroit Tigers got no-hit by Eustaquio Pedroso of Leones del HabanaThe final American Series games before the Cuban League disbanded were played from March 20 to 21, 1959, when the Los Angeles Dodgers, featuring Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, faced the Cincinnati Reds in spring training games played in Havana.
Many well-known names played in American Series, including Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Josh Gibson, Sam Crawford, Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams and Christy Mathewson.
[4][11] The series is best known for the pitching performance of José Méndez of Almendares, who had just gone 9–0 in his rookie Cuban League season.
[16] The series featured an 11-inning no-hitter pitched by Eustaquio Pedroso of Almendares against Bill Lelivelt of the Tigers.
In the eleventh inning, a well-executed squeeze bunt by Armando Cabañas gave Almendares a 2–1 victory.
[18] The New York Giants, featuring Baseball Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson, won 9 of their 12 games.
Philadelphia's Eddie Collins batted .417, and pitcher Jack Coombs won all five of his games.
[22] The St. Louis Terriers, featuring pitcher Eddie Plank and Cuban center fielder Armando Marsans, went 7–2.
[24] Babe Ruth was reportedly paid between $1,000 and $2,000 per game to join the Giants in the last half of the series.
[26] As part of their spring training, the St. Louis Cardinals played four games in Havana against Habana and Almendares.
That spring the Dodgers played a five-game series against a Cuban League all-star team, going 2–2 with one tied game.
[30] The Dodgers again used Havana as their spring training site and played series there against a Cuban all-star team and against the New York Giants.
[32] In 1947, the Brooklyn Dodgers were preparing to promote Jackie Robinson and integrate the major leagues.
Brooklyn team president, Branch Rickey, decided to hold their spring training to avoid southern segregation.
The Cubans won behind the pitching of Connie Marrero, who held the Yankees to one run on four hits.
[34] Robinson was still assigned to the Montreal Royals, the Dodgers' Class AAA affiliate, which also trained in Havana.
[44] In their fourth visit to Cuba, the Cuban X-Giants, featuring Pete Hill, Harry Buckner, Bill Gatewood, and Bruce Petway, went 6–5.
[45] The Philadelphia Giants, featuring John Henry Lloyd, Home Run Johnson, Dan McClellan, and Bill Gatewood, went 10–12 in their visit to Cuba.
[46] The Brooklyn Royal Giants, featuring Bill Monroe, Home Run Johnson, Pete Hill, and Judy Gans, played sixteen games against Cuban League teams in Havana in late October and early November.
[47][48][49] The Chicago Leland Giants, featuring Home Run Johnson, Pete Hill, John Henry Lloyd, and Rube Foster, played a series against Cuban League teams in Havana in late October and early November.
[52] The Lincoln Giants of New York City, featuring John Henry Lloyd, Dick Redding, Louis Santop, and Cyclone Joe Williams, played a series against Cuban League teams in Havana in December.
[54][55] The Lincoln Stars of New York City, featuring Dizzy Dismukes, Spottswood Poles, Dick Redding, and Louis Santop, played a 14-game series against Cuban League teams in Havana from October 9 through November 2.
[56][57] The Indianapolis ABCs, featuring Oscar Charleston, Bingo DeMoss, Dick Redding, and Ben Taylor, played a 20-game series against Cuban League teams in Havana during October and November.
