Dodgers were one of five MLB teams to play in Cuba in 1941

Two Brooklyn Dodgers players getting their spikes shined in Cuba, where the team held spring training in 1941.

This photo was up for auction at CubanBaseballCards in September, 2010, and according to description by Cesar Lopez, the creator of the Cuban Ball website, a sticker on the back of the photos reads "Property of Pee Wee Reese Library" and lists an address and phone number.
According to the description:

We tried to call this number just to make sure this photo was not stolen and then sold on the secondary market, but it was a wrong number. We've asked numerous industry experts if they know anything about this "Library" but none had heard of it. The lack of any information about a "Pee Wee Reese Library" leads us to believe that it was likely part of Pee Wee Reese's personal collection and was sold at some point after his death in 1999.

Reese was with the Dodgers when they went to Cuba in 1941, when five major-league teams came to play at La Tropical Stadium: the Dodgers, New York Giants, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox.

The Dodgers swept a pair of three-game series against the Giants and Indians, according to Cuban Baseball: A Statistical History, 1878-1961. But Brooklyn split a five-game series (there was a 7-7 tie) against a Cuban squad put together by manager Joseito Rodriguez. Gilberto Torres and Adrian Zabala were the winning pitchers for the Cuban team.

Brooklyn Dodgers made Cuba their spring training home in 1942

Brooklyn Dodgers shortstop Pee Wee Reese at La Tropical Stadium during the team's 1942 spring training trip to Havana, Cuba.

This is a William Vandivert photo from the Life magazine photo archive hosted by Google.

According to Who's Who in Cuban Baseball, 1878-1961, the Dodgers split a pair of games with the New York Giants, but lost a five-game series three-games-to-two against a Cuban squad.

In those three victories by the local nine, Tomas de la Cruz, Rodolfo Fernandez and Agapito Mayor held the Dodgers to a combined six runs.

Famous for catch, Al Gionfriddo helped Almendares win a pennant

March 8:On this day in 1922, former major-leaguer Al Gionfriddo was born in Dysart, Pa.

Gionfriddo, who played for the Pirates and Brooklyn Dodgers during four major-league seasons, played two winters in the Cuban League with Almendares between 1948-50.

In 1948-49, Gionfriddo (shown in this 1949-50 Alerta premium) batted .308 as Almendares won the Cuban League pennant.

His best season in the majors came with the Pirates in 1945 as he hit .284 with 42 RBI. But Gionfriddo's claim to fame was a catch that came as a member of the Dodgers during the 1947 World Series.

With the Yankees leading the Series three games to two but trailing Game 6 by an 8-5 score, the Yankees had two on with two outs in the sixth inning when Joe DiMaggio laced a drive that appeared to be headed to the bullpen in left-center.

But Gionfriddo snagged the drive at the 415-foot mark of the short outfield fence, prompting the usually stoic DiMaggio to kick the dirt in frustration as he approached second base.

Cool Papa Bell helped lead Cienfuegos to 1929-30 pennant

March 7: On this day in 1991, Negro leagues star James "Cool Papa" Bell died in St. Louis, Mo.
Enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., in 1974, Bell was elected into the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.

Between 1928-30, he played four seasons with Cienfuegos (including one independent season) and played for Almendares in 1940-41.

In this photo from Pitchblackbaseball.com, Bell is in the bottom row, far right with other members of the 1929-30 Cuban League champion Cienfuegos club.

According to Cuban Baseball: A Statistical History, 1878-1961, Bell was named the season's MVP. That same season, Bell became the first player in Cuban League history to hit three home runs -- each of which was inside the park.

Aside from Bell, the team included Harry Salmon (top row, far left), Willie Wells (top row, fourth from left) and Frank Duncan (top row, far right).

Cookie Rojas played for Cienfuegos, Habana in Cuban League

March 6: On this day in 1939, former major-league player and manager Octavio "Cookie" Rojas was born in Havana, Cuba.

Rojas, who's nickname in Cuba was "Cuqui" rather than the American version, was elected into the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.

Rojas (shown in this photo that appears in Cuban Baseball: A Statistical History, 1878-1961) played four Cuban League seasons mostly with Cienfuegos between 1957-61.

His best season came in 1960-61 when he led the league in batting (.322) playing for Cienfuegos and Habana.

Rojas, who managed the Angels in 1988 and the Marlins in 1996, was one of seven Cuban-born managers in major-league history. The others: Miguel Angel Gonzalez (1938, 1940 Cardinals), Preston Gomez (1969-72 Padres, 1974-75 Astros, 1980 Cubs), Marty Martinez (1986 Mariners), Tony Perez (1993 Reds, 2001 Marlins), Carlos Tosca (2002-04 Blue Jays) and Fredi Gonzalez (2011 Braves).

Rojas played 16 major-league seasons with the Reds, Phillies, Cardinals and Royals.

Red Sox played Reds at La Tropical in 1941 spring training series

Jimmie Foxx, left, and Bobby Doerr during the Boston Red Sox's 1941 spring training visit to Havana, Cuba for a series of exhibition games against the Cincinnati Reds.

This and seven other photos from that visit were up for auction at Cuban Baseball Cards in September, 2010.

Sarasota, as it was from 1933-42, was Boston's spring training base, but the team played three games against Cincinnati at La Tropical Stadium, according to Cuban Baseball: A Statistical History, 1878-1961. The Red Sox won the series 2 games to 1 without the services of Ted Williams, who remained back in Florida because of an ankle injury.

Jorge S. Figueredo's book also says Boston also played an all-star team of Cuban amateurs on March 17, with the local nine winning 2-1 as Juan Decall struck out the side (Doerr, Jim Tabor and Johnny Peacock) in the second inning.

Chico Fernandez starred with Cienfuegos for eight seasons

March 2: On this day in 1932, Cuban League star Humberto "Chico" Fernandez was born in Havana, Cuba.

Elected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997, Fernandez played 10 Cuban League seasons -- eight with Cienfuegos -- from 1951-61.

Fernandez led the Cuban League in doubles in 1955-56 and stolen bases in 1953-54.

Fernandez (show in Cuba with the Brooklyn Dodgers' Montreal Royals affiliate in the Class AAA International League in the 1954 photo) also played eight seasons in the majors with the Dodgers, the Phillies, Tigers and Mets from 1956-63.

His best season came in 1962 when he hit 20 home runs for the Tigers.