Lou Klein, record holder for most homers in a Cuban League season

Oct. 22:On this date in 1918, Habana infielder Lou Klein was born.

Shown in this 1945-46 Caramelo Deportivo por Felices card, Klein was elected into the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998. Between 1945-54, Klein played four seasons with Habana and one with Leones (1947-48).

According to Who's Who in Cuban Baseball: 1878-1961, Klein holds the Cuban League record for most home runs in a season -- 16 during the 1952-53 season -- and led the league in batting (.330) in 1946-47.

Klein, who died on June 20, 1876, played five major league seasons between 1943-51, including four with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Regino Otero: Best fielding first baseman of his era

Oct. 21:On this day in 1988, long-time Cienfuegos first baseman Regino Otero died.

Elected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983, Otero was considered the finest defensive first baseman of his era in the Cuban League, a fact confirmed to me by my father.

He played 11 of his 14 seasons from 1936-53 with Cienfuegos, compiling a .244 career batting average.

According to Who's Who in Cuban Baseball: 1878-1961, never hit a home run in 2,202 career at-bats in Cuba.

Otero also managed Cienfuegos (1964) and Almendares (1961) in the Cuban League, Venezuela's entry in the Caribbean Series in 1956 and '58 and the Cuban Sugar Kings from 1954-56.

I went to school with Otero's son in South Florida in the early 1980s.

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.

Martin Dihigo managed, pitched, batted Marianao to '36-37 title

Hall of Famer Martin Dihigo arguing with umpire Raul "Chino" Atan while playing for Marianao in 1937, according to the information with the photo at Robert Edwards Auctions.

If it was the 1936-37 season, Dihigo, the only player enshrined in Halls of Fame in four countries -- the United States, Cuba, Venezuela and Mexico -- went 14-11 as Marianao won the Cuban League by one game over Santa Clara. He also batted .323, according to Who's Who In Cuban Baseball: 1878-1961. And by the way, he also was the team's manager.

Atan, who played with Almendares in 1926-27, was elected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame as an umpire in 1997.

This photo sold for $517.50 at Robert Edwards Auction in 2004.

Salvador Hernandez managed Leones to title in 1947-48

Habana jersey worn by Salvador Hernandez that brought a winning bid of $1,827 at Leland's in May of 2002.

The auction website says the jersey came directly from Hernandez's family and lists it as being from the 1944 Cuban League season.

But the design indicates it's actually from the 1947-48 Players Federation, a short-lived circuit that operated outside Organized Baseball at Stadium La Tropical.

That season, Hernandez, who was elected into the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997, served as manager and catcher for the Leones de la Habana team. He batted .232 but managed the team to a first-place finish.

Marrero, Moreno were dominant for 1947 Havana Cubans

Havana Cubans program from the 1947 Florida International League season.

The 1947 Cubans won the then-Class C league championship, beating the Tampa Smokers by two games in the standings.

Havana included pitchers Connie Marrero and Julio Moreno. Marrero went 25-6 with a 1.66 ERA. Moreno went 19-4 with a 2.143 ERA.

Silvio Garcia might have had role in breaking baseball's color barrier

Oct. 11: On this date in 1914, Silvio Garcia was born in Limonar, Matanzas, Cuba.

Garcia, elected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983, played for Habana, Marianao, Almendares, Santa Clara, Matanzas and Cienfuegos (10 seasons) from 1931-54.

On April 9, 1952, Garcia -- along with Havana Cubans teammate Angel Scull and George Handy of the Miami Beach Flamingos -- broke the color barrier in the Florida International League, according to Who's Who in Cuban Baseball: 1878-1961.

Legend has it Garcia, shown in this 1949-50 Carteles magazine premium, was being considered by Branch Rickey to become the player who would break the major league color barrier. That was until Garcia, when asked by Rickey how he would react to a racial slur, responded, "I would kill him."