Women in Cuban Baseball

 Women were involved with Cuban baseball from the very beginning. First as fans and later as participants in women's teams. In the first years of Cuban baseball women would be seen in the  stands and took part in the after game activities. Later women began to form teams and women's baseball leagues. Like the men many Cuban women excelled in the art of baseball. Many Cuban  women have been honored for their outstanding contribution to the sport. Pictured here is the El Credito BBC that won their leagues championship in 1926.

 Western Bloomer Girls: During the heyday of barnstorming the  Western Bloomer Girls, a team made up of 8 women and 3 men, visited Cuba. The team from Chicago played a few exhibition games at Almendares Park against men's Amateur Cuban teams at the end of February 1926. They lost their first game against the Policia squad 11 to 2 but rebounded against C.A.C winning 14 to 6.

1947 All-American Girls Baseball League: All eight teams (The Peaches, Belles, Daisies, etc.) held 2 weeks of spring training in Habana. The girls drew larger crowds at exhibition games than did the Dodgers, in town with Jackie Robinson. Several Cuban girls  went on to play in the AAGPBL: Isabel Alvarez (1949-54), Luisa Gallegos (1948-49), Migdalia Perez (1948-54), Isora del Castillo (1949-51), Mirtha Marrero (1948-53) and Gloria Ruiz (1948).
 

Cubanas: During the late 1940's a professional baseball team of  Cuban girls played several exhibition games in Habana and in other Latin countries.

Isora del Castillo a member of the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame and part of the group of All American Girls Baseball League players honored at The National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown on November 5, 1988.

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