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Havana Hardball: Spring Training, Jackie Robinson, and The Cuban League
“An in-depth look at a pivotal time in baseball history.”—Lou Hernández, author of Baseball’s Great Hispanic Pitchers
“Set against the backdrop of Old Havana, Cesar Brioso has given us an insightful, often loving ode to a memorable season when baseball’s past and future came together.”—Tim Wendel, author of Summer of ‘68: The Season That Changed Baseball, and America, Forever
“Long before the true Gold Age of Cuban baseball marked by the most recent quarter-century, there was also an era of pre-revolutionary professional winter league action housed in Havana. Brioso brings much of that lost ?other’ Cuban baseball back to life.”—Peter C. Bjarkman, author of A History of Cuban Baseball, 1864–2006
“A must read for baseball enthusiasts. Recounts the travels of Cuban ballplayers, the particular plight of black Cubans and African Americans, and the triumphs and travails of Cuba’s professional leagues.”—Adrian Burgos Jr., author of Cuban How One Negro-League Owner Changed the Face of Baseball
In February 1947, the most memorable season in the history of the Cuban League finished with a dramatic series win by Almendares against its rival, Habana. As the celebration spread through the streets of Havana and across Cuba, the Brooklyn Dodgers were beginning spring training on the island. One of the Dodgers’ minor league players was Jackie Robinson.
He was on the verge of making his major-league debut in the United States, an event that would fundamentally change sports—and America. To avoid harassment from the white crowds in Florida during this critical preseason, the Dodgers relocated their spring training to Cuba, where black and white teammates had played side by side since 1900.
It was also during this time that Major League Baseball was trying its hardest to bring the “outlaw” Cuban League under the control of organized baseball. As the Cubans fought to stay independent, Robinson worked to earn a roster spot on the Dodgers in the face of discrimination from his future teammates.
Havana Hardball captures the excitement of the Cuban League’s greatest pennant race and the anticipation of the looming challenge to MLB’s color barrier. Illuminating one of the sport’s most pivotal seasons, veteran journalist César Brioso brings together a rich mix of worlds as the heyday of Latino baseball converged with one of the most socially meaningful events in U.S. history.
“Set against the backdrop of Old Havana, Cesar Brioso has given us an insightful, often loving ode to a memorable season when baseball’s past and future came together.”—Tim Wendel, author of Summer of ‘68: The Season That Changed Baseball, and America, Forever
“Long before the true Gold Age of Cuban baseball marked by the most recent quarter-century, there was also an era of pre-revolutionary professional winter league action housed in Havana. Brioso brings much of that lost ?other’ Cuban baseball back to life.”—Peter C. Bjarkman, author of A History of Cuban Baseball, 1864–2006
“A must read for baseball enthusiasts. Recounts the travels of Cuban ballplayers, the particular plight of black Cubans and African Americans, and the triumphs and travails of Cuba’s professional leagues.”—Adrian Burgos Jr., author of Cuban How One Negro-League Owner Changed the Face of Baseball
In February 1947, the most memorable season in the history of the Cuban League finished with a dramatic series win by Almendares against its rival, Habana. As the celebration spread through the streets of Havana and across Cuba, the Brooklyn Dodgers were beginning spring training on the island. One of the Dodgers’ minor league players was Jackie Robinson.
He was on the verge of making his major-league debut in the United States, an event that would fundamentally change sports—and America. To avoid harassment from the white crowds in Florida during this critical preseason, the Dodgers relocated their spring training to Cuba, where black and white teammates had played side by side since 1900.
It was also during this time that Major League Baseball was trying its hardest to bring the “outlaw” Cuban League under the control of organized baseball. As the Cubans fought to stay independent, Robinson worked to earn a roster spot on the Dodgers in the face of discrimination from his future teammates.
Havana Hardball captures the excitement of the Cuban League’s greatest pennant race and the anticipation of the looming challenge to MLB’s color barrier. Illuminating one of the sport’s most pivotal seasons, veteran journalist César Brioso brings together a rich mix of worlds as the heyday of Latino baseball converged with one of the most socially meaningful events in U.S. history.
- GenresBaseball
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 13, 2025
In February of 1947, major league baseball and the Cuban League intersected in a historical way. The main Cuban League rivalry, Almendares vs Habana was the capper to the most dramatic season in the history of the Cuban Leagues. As the streets of Havana celebrated, The Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson came to town to play their Spring Training games there as Jackie and guys like Don Newcombe and Roy Campanella were on the precipice of breaking the color barrier, political issues, as well as tampering by a rogue Mexican League team owner made it the most important season of Cuban baseball, which dates back into the 1830's.
Prior to the current minor league system and off-season training programs, Cuba was a destination for major leaguers to play in the off-season, Babe Ruth and Bob Feller both played there. It was also a huge training ground for the Negro League players who were trying to get noticed. Cuba had no color barrier at that time.
You can tell that the author is passionate about the subject matter, it is well written and very factual, almost too much so as he doesn't factor in his opinions much at all. It also is really repetitive as it seems only 15 or so players really stood out because he only mentions them, which he does pretty much every chapter. He also has too many game by game descriptions included and spends way too much time and energy on the whole Brooklyn Dodger circus.
It's a "C" literally right in the middle. Not bad, but not as good as it could have been. He mentions only in passing that Havana was on the radar as a major league expansion city and it may have gotten a franchise instead of Montreal had it not been for a promising young pitcher named Fidel Castro, who went into politics. Imagine how history would have changed had he not hurt his arm.... this would have made a better book in my opinion.
Prior to the current minor league system and off-season training programs, Cuba was a destination for major leaguers to play in the off-season, Babe Ruth and Bob Feller both played there. It was also a huge training ground for the Negro League players who were trying to get noticed. Cuba had no color barrier at that time.
You can tell that the author is passionate about the subject matter, it is well written and very factual, almost too much so as he doesn't factor in his opinions much at all. It also is really repetitive as it seems only 15 or so players really stood out because he only mentions them, which he does pretty much every chapter. He also has too many game by game descriptions included and spends way too much time and energy on the whole Brooklyn Dodger circus.
It's a "C" literally right in the middle. Not bad, but not as good as it could have been. He mentions only in passing that Havana was on the radar as a major league expansion city and it may have gotten a franchise instead of Montreal had it not been for a promising young pitcher named Fidel Castro, who went into politics. Imagine how history would have changed had he not hurt his arm.... this would have made a better book in my opinion.
April 15, 2020
This book is well-researched, but I found it to be somewhat tedious and repetitive. I think the format chosen by the author, back and forth entries that cover a span of over 60 years, makes it difficult to follow at times. A more linear presentation probably would have worked better, at least for the reader who knows very little about baseball in Cuba. That said, you will learn a lot from this book about Cuban Baseball history since that is its primary focus.
April 4, 2022
Episode 283: “Havana Hardball” BASEBALL BY THE BOOK Podcast NOV 30, 2020 ⋅ 46:39 In February 1947, as the Cuban League pennant race culminated in a dramatic showdown between bitter rivals Almendares and Habana, Brooklyn Dodgers minor leaguer Jackie Robinson arrived on the island with his teammates for spring training. César Brioso joins us to discuss the remarkable confluence of historic events in baseball-mad Old Havana.
May 27, 2016
This book weaves stories of Organized baseball, Cuban baseball, Negro Leagues, and Mexican baseball into one narrative of Pan-American baseball during the first half of the 20th century. What the writer demonstrates is how slow Organized baseball came to realize that all of the Americas had interracial leagues that produced solid players. Even Major league players played on interracial teams in Cuba, Mexico, and in other leagues in Latin America. Brioso places Jackie Robinson in a new context: the context of Pan-American leagues that were interracial. Robinson's breaking of the color barrier was an exclusively American phenomenon that had Pan-American significance as African descended ball players from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican could now play in the Major leagues. This is worthy of reading over and over.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews