Limonar Martinez tossed no-hitter for Marianao, starred with Havana Cubans

Nov. 5: On this day in 1918, Cuban League star Rogelio "Limonar" Martinez was born in Cidra, Matanzas, Cuba.

Martinez, who pitched for Almendares, Matanzas, Santiago, Alacranes, Marianao and Habana during eight Cuban winters between 1945-53, threw a no-hitter for Marianao during the 1949-50 Cuban League season.

Shown in this 1949-50 Alerta premium that's posted on Doug Goodman's Flickr photostream, Martinez only played one major-league season -- 1950 for the Washington Senators -- but he was a star for the minor-league Havana Cubans, compiling a 38-17 record with a 1.83 ERA in three seasons from 1947-50.

Carlos Macia threw the first of seven Cuban League no-hitters

Feb. 13: On this day in 1887, Carlos Macia pitches the first no-hitter in Cuban League history as Almendares defeats Carmelita 38-0.

Macia (right) was elected to the Cuban baseball Hall of Fame in 1944. A pitcher and outfielders, Macia played four seasons with Almendares and one with Cardenas between 1885-91.

Marcia's no-hitter was the first of seven in Cuban League History. The others were:

Oct. 11, 1924 — Panamanian-born Oscar Levis throws the first 20th century no-hitter in Cuban League history as Habana beats Almendares 1-0.

Nov. 7, 1936 — Negro leagues star Raymond "Jabao" Brown no-hits Habana in a 7-0 victory for Santa Clara.

Dec. 11, 1943 — Manuel “Cocaina” Garcia throws the first no-hitter at La Tropical Stadium, beating Marianao 5-0.

Jan. 4, 1945 — Tomas de la Cruz no-hits Habana as Almendares wins 7-0.

Feb. 6, 1950 — Rogelio "Limonar" Martinez throws the first no-hitter at El Gran Stadium as Marianao beats Almendares 3-0.

Other no-hitters in Cuba or by Cuban teams:

Nov. 18, 1909— Eustaquio "Bombin" Pedroso no-hits the visiting American League champion Detroit Tigers (sans Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford) in a 2-1 victory. Pedroso held the Tigers hitless for 11 innings although they scored an unearned run in the seventh inning.

Feb. 21, 1952— Pitching for Habana in the Caribbean Series, Thomas Fine no-hits Venezuela's Cerveceria Caracas in a 1-0 victory in Panama.

July 12, 1947 — Conrado Marrero pitches a no-hitter for the Havana Cubans against Tampa at El Gran Stadium. Marrero allowed a baserunning in the first inning on a hit batsman then retired the next 25 batters.

Source: Smoke: The Romance and Lore of Cuban Baseball and Cuban Baseball: A Statistical History, 1878-1961.

Limonar Martinez's no-hitter was the 7th in Cuban League history

Feb. 6: On this day in 1950, Rogelio “Limonar” Martinez threw the seventh no-hitter in Cuban League history.

According to Smoke: The Romance and Lore of Cuban Baseball, Martinez and Marianao blanked Almendares 3-0.

It was the first no-hitter at El Gran Stadium, according to Cuban Baseball: A Statistical History, 1878-1961.

Martinez retired the first 21 batters he faced, losing his bid for a perfect game when he hit Roberto Ortiz with a pitch to lead off the eighth inning.

Martinez received $1,000 check from Bohemia magazine for his feat.

Tomas de la Cruz threw no-hitter during 1944-45 season

Jan. 4: On this day in 1945, Tomas de La Cruz threw the sixth no-hitter in Cuban League history.

De la Cruz (shown in this 1943-44 La Campaña Cubana postcard) threw his gem as as Almendares defeated Habana 7-0.

De la Cruz, who pitched for Marianao, Habana and Almendares in 13 Cuban League seasons between 1934-47, was elected into the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1961.

Cuban no-hit hurler, 'Limonar' Martinez dies at age 91

The author of the first no-hitter thrown at El Gran Stadium de la Habana has died.

Rogelio "Limonar" Martinez died Monday after a fall at his home in Connecticut. He was 91. Here's the Spanish-language story that ran in Miami's El Nuevo Herald.

A star of Cuba's amateur ranks, Martinez pitched for Almendares, Matanzas, Marianao (left) and Habana in the professional Cuban League.

With Marianao, Martinez threw a no-hitter against Almendares on Feb. 15, 1950. According to Jorge Figueredo's Cuban Baseball: A Statistical History, 1878-1961, Martinez retired the first 21 batters he faced, but he lost the perfect game when he hit Roberto Ortiz with a pitch to open the eighth inning.

For the accomplishment, Bohemia magazine gave Martinez a $1,500 check.

Aside from the amateur ranks, Martinez's greatest success came with the Florida International Leagues' Havana Cubans, with whom he went 9-4 with a 1.90 ERA (1957), 19-9 with a 1.86 ERA (1949) and 10-4 with a 1.72 ERA (1950).

He also pitched one season with the Washington Senators in 1950.