Baseball was brought to Cuba in 1866 by a group of Cuban students who had studied in American universities, the first team was called "Habana." Leopoldo de Sola was the first league president, Antonio P. Utrera, secretary, and Alfredo Maruri, treasurer. The first official championship was held in 1878 between the teams "Habana," "Almendares" and "Matanzas;." "Habana" won the first championship game on December 29 over Almendares and went on to win the championship.

The Spanish government decided to prohibit the game, saying that the gatherings served as a vehicle to plan conspiracies.Meanwhile Cuban exiles took the game to the Dominican Republic and Central America.Only after independence was the game reinstated in Cuba. The first teams in the Cuban Republic were "Fe," "Proceso," and "Cardenas." Later "Habana," "Almendares" and "Matanzas" became the most popular ones. The championships became longer.

By the 1930s Black and white American teams were coming to Cuba in the winter to play an extra season there. The lighter-skinned Cuban stars began to be recruited by American teams. Players who joined the American major leagues included Armando Marsans, Mérito Acosta, Rafael Almeida, José Acosta, Josito Rodríguez, Adolfo Luque, Mike González, Manolo Cueto, Paito Herrera, Roberto Estalella, Roberto Ortiz, and Rene Monteagudo.

During the 1950s a single team, the Havana "Sugar Kings," sent thirty players to U.S. major league teams in just four years. Under the direction of the National Office of Sports, created in 1938, a management system and Hall of Fame were created.

The first players to be instated into the Hall of Fame were Luis Bustamante, José Méndez, Antonio M. García, Gervasio González, Armando Marsans, Valentín González, Rafael Almeida, Cristóbal Torriente, Adolfo Luján and Carlos Royer. Baseball remains as the most popular sport in the island.

The leading teams of the 1990s are Industriales (national series champion in 1996) and Villa Clara (champion in 1993, 1994 and 1995). Consult: Cuba en la mano, 1176-1177.

Internet Source: http://cuba.iccas.miami.edu/cubadocs/C01079.PDF

Box scores for games between Detroit and Almendares, and between Philadelphia and Havana, held in Cuba in 1910. In: Spalding's Official Base Ball Guide. Spanish-American edition. New York: American Sports Publishing Co., 1911, p. 79. (Library of Congress, General Collections.)