New York Cubans

baseball team

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July 16, 2026

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The New York Cubans were a professional baseball team that played in the Negro leagues from 1935 to the early 1950s. Despite their name, the team was composed of Black Latin American players, not exclusively Cubans.1

The Negro leagues were formed in response to racial segregation in Major League Baseball, which prevented Black players from participating. Teams like the New York Cubans provided an important platform for talented Black athletes to showcase their skills. The team won a championship in 1947, the same year Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Notable players for the New York Cubans included future Hall of Famer Martín Dihigo and Luis Tiant Sr.. The Negro leagues eventually declined as outstanding players began to move to formerly all-white teams after World War II.21

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Latin Americans in Major League Baseball Through the First Years of the 21st Century
The 1930s through World War II
One such team was the New York Cubans (a team of black Latins, and not just Cubans). The Cubans played in the Negro leagues from 1935 to the early 1950s and won the championship in that pivotal year of 1947, when Jackie Robinson broke the colour barrier. Players included future…
Read More
One such team was the New York Cubans (a team of black Latins, and not just Cubans). The Cubans played in the Negro leagues from 1935 to the early 1950s and won the championship in that pivotal year of 1947, when Jackie Robinson broke the colour barrier. Players included future…
Read More