Havana Cubans: The first club from another country, other than Canada, to join organized baseball, was part of the the Florida International League from 1946 to 1953. Owned by Cuban baseball legend Merito Acosta, super scout Joe Cambria, and George Foster, who sold his shares to Clark Griffith, provided many players to the Washington Senators. The Florida International League was Class C until moving up to Class B in 1949 and had teams also playing in Miami, Miami Beach, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Key West. The team began play in 1946 at the La Tropical Stadium in Havana. Bobby Maduro later bought the team and moved it to the Gran Stadium. In 1947 the team won its first of two straight Florida International League titles. Affiliated with the Washington Senators the team had on its roster several future Major Leaguers like Conrado Marrero, Julio Moreno and Sandy Consuegra. Marrero would have spectacular seasons winning 70 games in three seasons (1947-49) and pitching a no-hitter against Tampa in 1947.
Year
Manager
Record
Position
Playoffs
Attendance
1946
Oscar Rodriguez
76-41
1
Lost
202825
1947
Oscar Rodriguez
105-45
1
Won
264813
1948
Oscar Rodriguez
97-57
1
Won
205967
1949
Oscar Rodriguez
95-57
1
Lost
226293
1950
Oscar Rodriguez
101-49
1
Lost
168419
1951
Adolfo Luque
68-71
5
83051
1952
Fermin Guerra
76-77
5
81468
1953
Armando Marsans
63-69
4
Lost
23460
Cuban Sugar Kings: Bobby Maduro moved the team to the Triple-A International League in 1954. The league featured teams in Toronto, Montreal, Buffalo, Rochester and Richmond. The team became affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds and several of its players made the leap to the majors: Tony Gonzalez, Cookie Rojas, Leo Cardenas and Mike Cuellar. The Sugar Kings reached the playoffs in 1955 and would win the Minor League World Series in 1959. Because of political turmoil in Cuba the team was moved to New Jersey in 1960.
Havana Cubans: The first club from another country, other than Canada, to join organized baseball, was part of the the Florida International League from 1946 to 1953. Owned by Cuban baseball legend Merito Acosta, super scout Joe Cambria, and George Foster, who sold his shares to Clark Griffith, provided many players to the Washington Senators. The Florida International League was Class C until moving up to Class B in 1949 and had teams also playing in Miami, Miami Beach, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Key West. The team began play in 1946 at the La Tropical Stadium in Havana. Bobby Maduro later bought the team and moved it to the Gran Stadium. In 1947 the team won its first of two straight Florida International League titles. Affiliated with the Washington Senators the team had on its roster several future Major Leaguers like Conrado Marrero, Julio Moreno and Sandy Consuegra. Marrero would have spectacular seasons winning 70 games in three seasons (1947-49) and pitching a no-hitter against Tampa in 1947.
Cuban Sugar Kings: Bobby Maduro moved the team to the Triple-A International League in 1954. The league featured teams in Toronto, Montreal, Buffalo, Rochester and Richmond. The team became affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds and several of its players made the leap to the majors: Tony Gonzalez, Cookie Rojas, Leo Cardenas and Mike Cuellar. The Sugar Kings reached the playoffs in 1955 and would win the Minor League World Series in 1959. Because of political turmoil in Cuba the team was moved to New Jersey in 1960.