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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.
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