1959 Almendares wins their last Championship (1958-59). One of their top Pitchers was Tommy Lasorda (8-3)...On July 25, in a game between the Sugar Kings and the Rochester Red Wings held at Gran Stadium, a revolutionary crowd celebrated by firing shots into the air. In the twelfth inning shots were fired and Red Wings coach Frank Verdi and Sugar Kings shortstop Leo Cardenas were graced by bullets...The Cuban Sugar Kings win the Minor League "Junior" World Series...Juan "Panchon" Herrera wins the International League triple crown (.329, 37 hr, 129 rbi)...Camilo Pascual leads American League in strike outs and appears in All-Star game...Mike Cuellar, Rodolfo Arias and Zoilo Versalles have their debut...Regino Otero is named coach of the Cincinnati Reds (1959-65). Aldo Salvent ties for Mexican league lead in HR (29).

1960 Camilo Pascual wins two games to help Cienfuegos win the Carribean Championship. He then goes on to strike out 15 batters in the AL opener in Washington...With turmoil in Cuba many Cuban Players made their move to the major Leagues: Rogelio "Borrego" Alvarez, Jose Azcue, Ed Bauta, Leo Cardenas, Miguel de la Hoz, Tony Gonzalez, Hector Maestri and Leo Posada...The Cuban Sugar Kings move to New Jersey...Senators pitcher Pedro Ramos, first baseman Julio Becquer and shortstop Jose Valdivielso combine for the only all Cuban triple play in Major League history...Orestes "Minnie" Miñoso leads the Major Leagues in hits with 184...Mike Fornieles is named Relief Pitcher of the Year...Luis Tiant, Jr. leads Mexican league pitchers (17-7 .708) while Silvio Castellanos leads in ERA (3.24) and Ks (122). Mexican League hitting leaders: Juan Delis 2B (43), Pedro Cardenal 3B (14), Aldo Salvent HR (36) and Luis Zayas SB (30).

1961 Cienfuegos wins the last Cuban Professional League Championship (1960-61)...Team Cuba wins Amateur World Series...Dagoberto Cueto and Manny Montejo debut this year...Camilo Pascual leads American League in strike outs...Leo Cardenas makes a World Series appearance playing for the Reds...Tony Oliva won the Silver Louisville Slugger award as the top hitter in professional baseball when he hit .410 playing for Wytheville in the Appalachian League...Santos Amaro leads Veracruz to the Mexican league championship. Julio Moreno leads Mexican league in ERA (3.01) and Juan Peidra in Ks (171). Mexican League hitting leaders: Pedro Cardenal H (175), Witty Quintana HR (23) and RBI (89), and Luis Zayas SB (28).

1962 New Amateur Cuban League is held and Occidentales wins...With the end of professional play in Cuba many players head to the United States: Hector Martinez, Marty Martinez, Orlando McFarlane, Pedro "Tony" Oliva, Cookie Rojas, Diego Segui and Jose Tartabull...Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame elections are transferred to Miami by Cuban exiles...On August 13, Bert Campaneris, of Daytona Beach, pitches ambidextrously in relief appearance...Camilo Pascual leads American League in strike outs, wins 20 games and appears in All-Star game...Clemente "Sungo" Carrera manages the Monterey team to the Mexican League Championship. Mike Cuellar leads Mexican league in Ks (144) and Juan Delis in 2B (37)...Regino Otero becomes a manager of legend in Venezuela when he leads the Caracas Leones to the Championship (1961-62). Regino had already won 3 Venezuelan Championships with the Industriales de Valencia and would win 3 (63/64, 66/67 and 67/68) more with the Leones. Otero starts a Cuban invasion, known as the "Cubanizacion", by bringing over players such as Jose Azcue, Aurelio Monteagudo, Hilario Valdespino, Orlando Pena, Cookie Rojas, Diego Segui and Luis Tiant...Miguel de la Hoz leads Purto Rican league in Batting (.354).

1963 Cubans Jose Cardenal, Marcelino Lopez, Tony Martinez, and Aurelio Monteagudo make their MLB debut...OF Tony Gonzalez ends his streak of 205 straight errorless games...Camilo Pascual wins 21 games...Shortstop Zoilo Versalles wins Gold Glove...Team Cuba wins gold at the Pan American Games...On October 12 the first and only Hispanic-American Major League All-star game is played. Minnie Miñoso, Tony Oliva, Zoilo Versalles and Pedro Ramos are among Cubans to play in the game...Cookie Rojas leads Purto Rican league in Hits (95)...Antonio Castano manages Pueblo to the Mexican league championship. Mexican League leaders: Luis Zayas SB (30).

1964 On February 5th, in the 7th game and final game, Orlando Pena defeats Luis Tiant 2-1 in 10 innings to win the Venezualan Championship...On May 20th, Cuban pitcher Jose Ramon Lopez records a 16 strikeout game in Mexico. Lopez leads the league in Ks (213)...Tony Oliva wins the batting title, with a .323 average and 217 hits, and is named Rookie of the Year...Bert Campaneris, Tony Perez, Luis Tiant and Chico Ruiz begin their Major League careers. In his first game Bert Campaneris hits two home runs...On September 21st, Chico Ruiz stuns the Phillies and the baseball world by stealing home with Frank Robinson at the plate...Orlando McFarlane leads Dominican League in home runs two seasons in a row (1963-64 and 1964-65)...Tony Oliva leads the Puerto Rican league in Batting (.365) and Jose Cardenal leads in HRs (16). Mexican League pitching leaders: Andres Ayon (16-5 .762) and Joase Ramon Lopez Ks (213).

1965 This was the year of the American League Champion Minnesota Twins which included Cubans Tony Oliva, Batting Champion, Zoilo Versalles, American League MVP, Camilo Pascual and Sandy Valdespino. Tony Oliva was also named The Sporting News Player of the Year...On September 8th, Bert Campaneris becomes first player in Major League history to play all 9 positions. He also led the American League in stolen bases, something he would do 5 more times...Paul Casanova, Tito Fuentes, Jackie Hernandez and Hilario "Sandy" Valdespino join the Major Leagues...Shortstops Leo Cardenas and Zoilo Versalles rack up both NL and AL Gold Glove awards...Preston Gomez is named coach for L.A. Dodgers (1965-68)...Mike Cuellar ties for lead of Puerto Rican league in Wins (12)...Jose ramon Lopez leads Mexican league in Ks (201) and Minnie Miñoso leads in 2B (35).

1966 Jose Ramon Lopez and Minnie Rojas make their MLB debut. Jose Ramon Lopez sets single season strikeout standard for Mexico with 309 to lead league...Tony Pacheco leads La Guaira to the Venezuelan league championship...On June 9, Minnesota Twins hit 5 HRs in a inning (first time in ML history) with Tony Oliva and Zoilo Versalles hitting one each...Outfielder Tony Oliva wins Gold Glove...Team Cuba wins first place in the Central American and Caribbean games. They will repeat in 1970, 1974 and 1978.

1967 Tony Perez wins All-Star game by hitting home run in the 15th inning...Enrique Izquierdo and Jorge Lauzerique join Major League teams...Cuban Jose Tartabull plays his part in the Boston Red Sox dream season...Minnie Rojas is named Relief Pitcher of the Year...Tony Perez leads Puerto Rican league in Batting (.333) and Hits (87)...Mexican League pitching leader: Andres Ayon (25-6 .806)...Adolfo Luque was elected to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.

1968 Diego Segui leads the Venezuelan League in Wins and Strikeouts. We would also win the final game of the Championship for the Leones...Luis Tiant, jr. led the Venezuelan League in ERA (1.34) and then had one of the best seasons of any pitcher in Major League baseball. He bested the league with a 1.60 ERA, 9 Shut outs, 264 Strike outs and had 21 wins...Cubans Jose Arcia and Larry "Chico" Fernandez join the rosters of big league teams...Jose Cardenal becomes fourth OF in history with two unassisted double plays in one season...Tony Taylor leads uerto Rican league in Batting (.344).

1969 Pedro "Preston" Gomez becomes the first Cuban and Latin American to be the regular Manager of a Major League team when he is hired to be the skipper of the San Diego Padres...Mike Cuellar becomes the first Cuban and Latin American to win the Cy Young award with a 23-11 mark and 2.38 ERA...Jose Martinez is the only Cuban to make his debut...Five Cubans play in the first Championship Series and Mike Cuellar pitches for Baltimore in their World Series loss to the Amazing Mets...Wilfredo Calvino leads La Guaira to the Venezuelan league championship...Team Cuba wins Amateur World Series and begins a streak of five straight victories (1969 to 1973)...Daniel Morejon leads Mexican League in 2B (29).

1970 Minnie Mendosa is the only Cuban to make his debut...Diego Segui leads the A.L. with a 2.56 ERA...Mike Cuellar wins 21 games...Mike Cuellar and Marcelino Lopez pitch for the World Champion Orioles...Tony Oliva records his second 200 hit season (204)...Carlos "Patato" Pascual manages Club Magallanes to a Venezuelan Championship and a victory in the Caribbean Series. George Lauzerique leads Venezuelan league in Wins (12)...Enrique Izquierdo manages Veracruz to the Mexican league chamionship. Frank Campos leads the league in Batting (.358). Andres Ayon leads Mexican League in ERA (1.22).

1971 Jackie Hernandez plays shortstop for the World Series winning Pirates team...Tony Oliva wins his third batting title and is named The Sporting News Player of the Year...Mike Cuellar wins 21 games again...Team Cuba wins gold at the Pan American Games beginning a streak of seven victories in a row (1971, 1975, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1991 & 1997).

1972 Bert Campaneris plays the part of spark plug for the Oakland A's team that would win three World Championships in a row...Tony Perez and the Big Red machine make their World Series debut...Luis Tiant leads the AL with a 1.91 ERA and is named Comeback Player of the Year...On 6/30 Andres Ayon pitched perfect game for Saltillo (9-0) vs. Monterrey (Mexican League). Mexican League pitching leader: Andres Ayon (22-3 .880).

1973 Luis Tiant wins 23 games and next season he would win 25...Tito Fuentes ties ML record by being hit by 3 pitches in one game..Tony Auferio named coach of the St. Louis Cardinals.

1974 Cuban Armando Rodriguez becomes the first Latin-American Major League Umpire...Oscar Zamora is the only Cuban to make his MLB debut...Mike Cuellar wins 20 games...Tony Pacheco is named coach of the Cleveland Indians...Luis Tiant is co-winner of the Roberto Clemente Latin American Day Trophy...Aurelio Monteagudo leads Mexican league pitchers (12-0).

1975 Tony Perez (3 HR for the Cincinnati Reds) and Luis Tiant (2 Wins for the Boston Red Sox) star in the Greatest World Series ever.

1976 On September 12, 53 year old, Minnie Miñoso becomes the oldest player to record a hit...Minnie Miñoso is the winner of the Roberto Clemente Latin American Day Trophy...Orlando Gonzalez is the only Cuban to make his MLB debut...Tony Perez and the Reds win their second World Championship in a row...Tony Pacheco is named coach of the Houston Astros (1976-82). Tony Oliva is named coach of the Minnesota Twins (1976-91). Minnie Miñoso is named coach of the Chicago White Sox (1976-81).

1977 Martin Dihigo becomes the first Cuban elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Cuban, Mexican and Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fames...Tony Taylor is named coach of the Phillies (1977-79).

1978 Roberto "Bobby" Ramos is the only Cuban to make his MLB debut...Team Cuba wins Amateur World Series and begins a new streak of three straight victories (1978 to 1980)...Tony Pacheco is named coach of the Minnesota Twins (1978-80). Cookie Rojas is named coach of the Chicago Cubs (1978-81)...Aurelio Monteagudo leads Mexican league in Ks (222)...On 6/21 Diego Segui pitched perfect game for Cordoba (5-0) vs. Laredo (Mexican League).

1979 Team Cuba wins first place in the Intercontinental Cup and will win again in 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1995...Orlando Gonzalez leads Venezuelan league in Batting (.355).

1980 Minnie Miñoso appears in a couple of games for the Chicago White Sox. He becomes the second player to appear in 5 different decades...Leo Sutherland is the only Cuban to make his MLB debut...Jose Cardenal plays for the Royals who would lose the World Series...Tony Perez receives the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award...On June 15th Jorge Orta goes 6 for 6 tying the AL record for most hits in a 9 inning game... Jose Martinez is named coach of the K.C. Royals (1980-87).

1981 Fourteen year old Omar Linares, the best Amateur baseball player in the world, makes his International competitions debut representing Cuba in the World Junior Championships... Miami-Dade Community College South Jaguars win the National Junior College Championship behind the slugging of Nelson Santovenia...Leo Cardenas was elected to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.

1982 Tony Perez is co-winner of the Roberto Clemente Latin American Day Trophy...Mike Cuellar was elected to the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame.

1983 Tony Perez makes his last World Series appearance...The Chicago Whitesox retire Minnie Miñoso's uniform number "9".