'El Score' featured articles about baseball in the United States as well as Cuba

El Score from Sept. 23, 1911 with Joe Tinker of Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance fame on the cover.

This was up for auction at Lelands in 2006.

According to the description, the interior features box scores of Negro League teams, such as the Cuban Stars, Chicago American Giants and Brooklyn Royal Giants, which barnstormed through Cuba.

It also includes box score of the Amateur Championship Game between Marianao and Vedado, featuring a young Adolfo Luque, and a section dedicated to coverage of Armando Marsans and Rafael Almeida, who made their major-league debuts 100 years ago.

Rafael Almeida played for Habana, Almendares in 17 Cuban winters

July 30: On this day in 1887, Cuban baseball pioneer Rafael Almeida was born in Habana, Cuba.

Almeida, along with Armando Marsans, made their major-league debuts 100 years ago on July 4, 1911 with the Cincinnati Reds, becoming the first Cuban-born major-league players of the modern era (Esteban Bellan had played for the Troy Haymakers of the National Association in 1871).

Elected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939, Almeida played for Habana and Almendares in 17 Cuban League seasons between 1904-25.

In the majors, Almeida (shown in this 1909 Cabañas card) played three seasons for the Reds from 1911-13, compiling a .270 batting average in 102 games.

100 years ago today: Armando Marsans, Rafael Almeida made their major-league debuts for Reds

One hundred years ago today, as America celebrated Independence Day, Cuban-born Armando Marsans and Rafael Almeida made their major-league debuts for the Cincinnati Reds.

Although Esteban Bellan had played for the Troy Haymakers of the National Association in 1871, Marsans and Almeida were the first Cuban-born players to play in the majors during the modern era.

According to Retrosheet, Marsans (shown above with the Reds in this 1913 photo found at the Library of Congress) played right field and went 1-for-2. Almeida (shown below in this 1912 T207 card) also went 1-for-2 at third base.

NPR did an interesting report Monday, entitled Light-Skinned Cubans Cross Baseball's Color Line.

Marsans would go on to play for the Reds, St. Louis Terriers, St. Louis Browns and Yankees during eight major-league seasons from 1911-18.


Elected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939, Marsans played for Almendares, Habana, Orientals and Cuba during 21 winters from 1905-28 and ranks first in Cuban League history in stolen bases (135), according to Who's Who in Cuban Baseball, 1878-1961.

He also managed nine seasons in the Cuban League with Almendares, Orientals, Cuba and Marianao, winning a pennant in 1917 with Orientals.
Almeida, who was elected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939, only played three major-league seasons with the Reds from 1911-13.

But in the Cuban League, he played 17 seasons for Habana and Almendares from 1904-35.

Cabañas cigarette set from 1909: 'Holy Grail of Cuban cards'

Eight Cabañas cigarette cards from 1909, the "Holy Grail of Cuban cards," as described by Leland's.

Clockwise from top left, the players are Almendares' Rafael Almeida, "Pajaro" Cabrera, "Mamelo" Garcia, Armando Marsans, "Chino" Cabañas, Esteban Prats and Carlos Royer and Habana's Emilio Palomio. All are in the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame.

These cards brought a $2,259.08 winning bid in June of 2005.

Chapman likely to start in minors; Reds have history of Cuban debuts

Looks like the back injury Aroldis Chapman sustained this spring will force him to start the season in the minors, delaying the 22-year-old Cuban defector's debut with the Cincinnati Reds.

As potentially important as Chapman's debut could be for the 2010 Reds, the team was involved in a more historically significant debut ... in 1911.

That was the season Armando Marsans (top row, second from left) and Rafael Almeida (bottom row, first from left) debuted in the major leagues, playing their first games on July 4 for the Reds.

Marsans and Almeida (shown with the 1913 Reds in this Library of Congress photo) were the first Cuban-born players to play in the majors during the modern era (Esteban Bellan first played for the Troy Haymakers of the National Association in 1871).

The debut of Marsans and Almeida, of course, was before Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier in 1947. But despite their light skin, the Reds had to assuage doubts about the pair's racial heritage, insisting that Marsans and Almeida were "two of the purest bars of Castilian soap ever floated to these shores."

Marsans and Almeida aren't the Reds' only Cuban connection. Among them:

• Cuban Baseball Hall of Famer Adolfo Luque, whose 194 victories ranks second behind Luis Tiant among Cuban-born major league pitchers, played for the Reds from 1918-29 during his 20-year career.


• The International League's Havana Sugar Kings were the Reds' Triple-A affiliate from 1955-60.


• Hall of Fame first baseman Tony Perez was a key cog in The Big Red Machine teams that won the World Series in 1975 and 1976.