Before they were the stars of the Negro Leagues--before the Negro Leagues even began--outstanding African American players like Rube Foster, Charles Grant and Pop Lloyd competed against the leading players of Cuba. In the early years of the 20th century, winners of the "colored" championship in the United States traveled to Cuba to compete against the top Cuban League teams, amateur clubs, and All-Star squads. Part of the "American Series" that brought teams from the major, minor, and Negro leagues to the island nation for more than six decades, these games are arguably the most important in...
Before they were the stars of the Negro Leagues--before the Negro Leagues even began--outstanding African American players like Rube Foster, Charles G...