Long Branch Cubans

[Jason19th]

For the past about year I have been very slowing assembling a collection of cards and photos of players that played for the Long Branch/Newark Cubans. The Long Branch Cuban have to be one of the strangest teams in baseball history. Organized by a Colombian doctor in 1913 they played with a team of all Cuban players in the New York- New Jersey League (Class D Minor League) and pretty much ran away with the league winning the pennant by 18.5 games with a 65 and 29 record. After two years in the league, the league disbanded and the Cubans decided to basically become a negro league team with many of the same players that it has while in Organized Ball. It has to be the only team that made the switch this switch. In addition to crossing the color line the team has more then its share of great players. Adolfo Luque would win nearly 200 games in the majors, Mike Gonzales would play almost twenty years in the majors and become the first Latin to Manage in the big leagues. At least three other players would gets cups of coffee in the majors (Angel Aragon Yankees, Jose Acosta Washington, and Ramon Herrea Boston) Possible there best player Luis Padron would never get a shot because he was just a bit to dark. Below in order are Luque , Mike Gonzales,Ramon Herrera, Jose Acosta, Angel Aragon, Jack Calvo, and Juan Viola.
Google the team - would love to see anything from any other players with team conections