New member cuban cards

[GeoPoto]

Julio Moreno González was a Cuban-born right-handed pitcher in North American professional baseball. Nicknamed "Jiquí" (after a hardwood tree) and "the Cuban Bob Feller" for his blazing fastball, Moreno was a star in Cuban amateur baseball circles before he turned professional in 1947 and his mound career would extend into 1966, when he was 45 years of age. 18 wins and 2 saves in 4 MLB seasons. Moreno appeared in 73 games for the Washington Senators from 1950–1953.

From Moreno's SABR biography: “Jiquí” Moreno was not big (5’8” and 165 pounds) — but he threw hard. How hard is jiquí wood? In Cuba, Moreno’s native land, linemen could not sink their spurs into telephone poles made from this tree — they had to use ladders. Brick stair steps wore down, yet their jiquí binding was simply polished. That’s how tough this pitcher was in his heyday at home.

Author Roberto González Echevarría, who has also written extensively on Cuban ball, further set the scene for Moreno’s early career.

“A significant development in the thirties and forties was the emergence of players, mostly pitchers, from the provinces. . .white guajiros — country bumpkins.” He added that “the rural aristocracy of the Amateur League. . .fed on the nationalism of the period.” The foremost of these “revered amateurs and later professionals” was Conrado Marrero, El Guajiro del Laberinto, but Moreno was a distinguished runner-up. The pair met in some renowned duels as amateurs. They would later pitch together in the U.S. with the Senators, as did Sandalio “Potrerillo” Consuegra (known as “Sandy” in the U.S.) and Rogelio “Limonar” Martínez. In their amateur days, all four “often appeared in magazines, sometimes even on the covers.” One such picture of Moreno shows him with the pencil mustache he then sported, as did many Hollywood stars of the time.

According to a capsule biography on the Círculo Güinero de Los Ángeles website, young Moreno started to play baseball in Güines with a team known as Estrellas de Pancho (Pancho’s Stars). He started to attract wider attention in 1938. In his obituary of Moreno, Fausto Miranda told the story of how he first saw the pitcher. Julio, then just 17, was facing a visiting team called Películas Cubanas (Cuban Movies), organized by two famous comedians and baseball enthusiasts named Alberto Garrido and Federico Piñero. The smiling youth was very fast. . .and very wild. After watching a batter hit the deck, Garrido said, “Careful, that skinny boy’s going to kill someone here today!” Miranda said, “We all came back to Havana talking about the terrifying speed of this kid who barely weighed 135 pounds.”

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[Roland 49]

George, good publication of yours, you mention the comic artists Garrido and Piñero, "the Galician and the Black" were among the great actors of radio, television and cinema, I show a photo of them in a tv program. from the 50s.

[ElCabron]

Rolando, Feliz Navidad, mi amigo! I am glad to see you posting here and sharing your knowledge, as well as images of great Cuban cards and photos. Many of the items you have shown are still in my collection to this day. I hope to visit again soon, but thank you for welcoming me into your home. It's been 15 years since I've seen you, but hopefully not 15 more until I see you again!

-Ryan

[GeoPoto]

For three years at the turn of the last century Nick Altrock was arguably the best left-handed pitcher in the game. His talent, pitching smarts, and extraordinary fielding ability helped him win 62 games for the Chicago White Sox from 1904 through 1906 and beat Mordecai Brown in Game One of the 1906 World Series. However, Altrock’s baseball prowess was overshadowed by his second career as one of the most-popular and longest-working baseball clowns of all time. At his clowning peak, Altrock enjoyed a salary that rivaled Babe Ruth‘s.

Altrock's SABR biography explains how he got started: Nick took his release from Kansas City in stride because he already had an offer from manager Clark Griffith to join the Washington Senators as a “comedy coacher.” The Senators already enjoyed the services of Germany Schaefer, one of the most colorful eccentrics ever to play baseball. However, in his first few days with the club Nick was buried deep on the bench. Then one day the Senators were losing to a strong Cleveland pitcher named Vean Gregg. Griffith turned to his rubber-faced acquisition and said, “What good are you?”

Nick said seriously, “I’m the king’s jester.” Then he asked, “Do you really want to win this game?”

Griffith said, “With your pitching I suppose?”

Altrock said, “No. With my coaching.” Altrock talked Griffith into sending him to the first base coaching box. The next time Griffith looked out to the field he saw Nick in a heap on the ground finishing a pantomime of a man who spiked himself with his own shoe. Gregg was laughing so hard he started heaving the ball over the middle and the Senators starting hitting. Altrock morphed the routine into a full wrestling pantomime, pinning himself for a victory. Finally, home plate umpire Silk O’Loughlin, himself doubled over with laughter, ordered him to stop.

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[Roland 49]

Merry Christmas, I wish everyone who reads my publications, I show you a greeting card from the 50s that was sent to the supporters of the professional Cuban Baseball teams, there are many different models that are printed every year.

[GeoPoto]

Merry Christmas Rolando! Thank you for letting me play rhythm to your lead.

[Roland 49]

George Merry Christmas to you and your family, you with your good publications in my threads give them a good rhythm, keep doing it, best regards