The American Series (, "American Season") was the name given to the exhibition baseball games played between Cuban and American teams in Cuba. Before the Cuban Revolution, American teams would regularly travel to Cuba and play various professional, all-star and/or amateur Cuban teams throughout the country. The series usually took place either in the fall, after the end of the American season, or during spring training before the season began. The first American Series took place in , with then minor league Worcester team going 2–0 against its Cuban opponents.
Various major, minor and Negro league teams took part in the American Series, including the Cincinnati Reds, Lincoln Giants and Boston Red Sox. In , the Brooklyn Superbas and the New York Giants became the first major league teams to play in the series, with the two teams facing off against each other and with Brooklyn also playing four games against local Cuban League teams and generally overwhelming them.Figueredo 2003, p. 39. Eight years later, the Cincinnati Reds came to Cuba and found stronger competition there, as they went 6–6 against the Cuban League teams and 0–1 against the Negro league Brooklyn Royal Giants. The Series against major league opponents continued every year from to , and then occasionally until .Cuban-American Major League Clubs SeriesFigueredo 2003, p. 376. In the edition, the Detroit Tigers got no-hit by Eustaquio Pedroso of Leones del HabanaThe final American Series games before the Cuban League disbanded were played from March 20 to 21, , when the Los Angeles Dodgers, featuring Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, faced the Cincinnati Reds in spring training games played in Havana.Figueredo 2003, p. 457.
After a 40-year hiatus, a Major League Baseball team returned to Cuba in , when the Baltimore Orioles played a two-game series (one game in Havana, the other in Baltimore) against the Cuban national baseball team.
Many well-known names played in American Series, including Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Josh Gibson, Sam Crawford, Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams and Christy Mathewson.
Early series
1879 Series In December 1879, the Worcester team of the National Association became the first professional baseball team to visit Cuba. The team was promoted in Cuba as the "Hop Bitters", which was actually the name of the Rochester franchise. The trip was a financial failure, as they were only able to play two games against Cuban teams. The following season, Worcester achieved major-league status when it was admitted to the National League.
1891 Series A team known as the "All-Americans", which included John McGraw playing shortstop, played a series of five games against Cuban League teams, winning all of them by lopsided scores.Figueredo 2003, p. 26.
Series between Major League and Cuban League teams
1900 MLB Series Brooklyn Superbas (Major League Baseball) Cubano club (Cuban League) Habana (Cuban League) San Francsico club (Cuban League)
The major league Brooklyn Superbas played four games in Havana against Cuban teams from November 5 through 25, winning all four games by lopsided scores. Brooklyn beat Cubano 12–2 and 10–2, Habana 13–1, and San Francisco 14–6.
1908 MLB Series Almendares (Cuban League) Brooklyn Royal Giants (Negro league baseball) Cincinnati Reds (Major League Baseball) Habana (Cuban League)
The 1908 series saw two Cuban League teams, one Negro league team, and one Major League team compete. The Cincinnati Reds played 14 games, playing seven against Almendares, six against Habana, and one against the Brooklyn Royal Giants. The Almendares won five games and lost only one, with one tie; Cincinnati won six and lost seven, also with a tie; Habana won one and lost five, and Brooklyn won its only game.1908 Cuban-American Major League Clubs Series
The series is best known for the pitching performance of José Méndez of Almendares, who had just gone 9–0 in his rookie Cuban League season. In three appearances, Méndez held the Reds scoreless for 25 consecutive innings. In his first start, he pitched a one-hitter and struck out nine. His next appearance came in relief, where he held the Reds to two hits in seven innings. He concluded the series with another shutout.Figueredo 2003, pp. 76–77. Overall, he struck out 24, walked three, and gave up eight hits in 25 scoreless innings.
1909 MLB Series Habana (Cuban League) Almendares (Cuban League) All-Stars (Major League Baseball) Detroit Tigers (Major League Baseball)
In the 1909 series, Habana went 6-3 in nine games to finish with the best winning percentage. Almendares went 5–3, and Detroit, the American League pennant winner, went 4–8.1909 Cuban-American Major League Clubs Series Detroit star Ty Cobb did not participate in the series.Figueredo 2003, p. 82. A major league all-star team, featuring Addie Joss, Mordecai Brown, Sherry Magee, and Fred Merkle played five games against the Cuban teams and went 2–3.Figueredo 2003, p. 84.
The series featured an 11-inning no-hitter pitched by Eustaquio Pedroso of Almendares against Bill Lelivelt of the Tigers. The game went to extra innings with the score tied 1–1, as Almendares had allowed an unearned run in the seventh inning on a throwing error. In the eleventh inning, a well-executed squeeze bunt by Armando Cabañas gave Almendares a 2–1 victory.Figueredo 2003, pp. 82–83.
1910 MLB Series Detroit Tigers (Major League Baseball) Habana (Cuban League) Almendares (Cuban League) Philadelphia Athletics (Major League Baseball)
After two consecutive series in which Cuban teams had best winning percentage, in 1910 the American team finished with the best winning percentage, as the Detroit Tigers went 7–4 in 12 games.1910 Cuban-American Major League Clubs Series
1911 MLB Series New York Giants (Major League Baseball) Philadelphia Phillies (Major League Baseball) Almendares Park (Cuban League) Havana Park (Cuban League)
The New York Giants, featuring Baseball Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson, won 9 of their 12 games. The Phillies went 5–4, Almendares went 4–6, and the Havana Park club finished 3–8.1911 Cuban-American Major League Clubs Series
1912 MLB Series Philadelphia Athletics (Major League Baseball) Almendares (Cuban League) Habana (Cuban League)
Only three teams competed in the 1912 Cuban-American series, with the Philadelphia Athletics winning 10 of their 12 games. Philadelphia's Eddie Collins batted .417, and pitcher Jack Coombs won all five of his games.1912 Philadelphia Athletics at the Cuban-American series
Habana went winless in six games.1912 Cuban-American Major League Clubs Series
1913 MLB Series Brooklyn Dodgers (Major League Baseball) Habana (Cuban League) Almendares (Cuban League)
The Brooklyn Dodgers went 10-5. Habana won three of their 7 games, and Almendares finished the series 2–6.1913 Cuban-American Major League Clubs Series
1915 MLB Series St. Louis Terriers (Federal League – Major League Baseball)
The St. Louis Terriers, featuring pitcher Eddie Plank and Cuban center fielder Armando Marsans, went 7–2.Figueredo 2003, pp. 115–116.
1919 MLB Series Pittsburgh Pirates (Major League Baseball) Habana (Cuban League) Almendares (Cuban League)
A record crowd of 10,619 turned out to see the first game of the series, a pitching duel between Pittsburgh's Hal Carlson and Habana's Oscar Tuero that Pittsburgh won 1–0. The Pirates went 10–6, while Habana was 4–4 and Almendares was 2–6.Figueredo 2003, p. 130.
1920 MLB Series New York Giants (Major League Baseball) Habana (Cuban League) Almendares (Cuban League) All-Cubans (a Cuban League all-star team)
Babe Ruth was reportedly paid between $1,000 and $2,000 per game to join the Giants in the last half of the series. By the time he hit his first home run in his fifth game, Cuban slugger Cristóbal Torriente had already stolen his thunder by hitting three home runs in one game (one of them off Ruth, who briefly pitched in the game). Almendares beat the Giants 4–2 (with two tied games), while the Giants won the series against Habana 6–1 (with one tie). A game against a Cuban all-star team also ended in a tie.Figueredo 2003, pp. 134–136.
1921 MLB Series Brooklyn Dodgers (Major League Baseball) Habana (Cuban League) Almendares (Cuban League) Cuban All-Stars
In games against Habana and Almendares, the Dodgers went 10–5. Those series were followed by a five-game series between the Dodgers and a Cuban all-star team; the Cubans won 3–2.Figueredo 2003, pp. 140–141.
1936 MLB Series St. Louis Cardinals (Major League Baseball) Habana (Cuban League) Almendares (Cuban League)
As part of their spring training, the St. Louis Cardinals played four games in Havana against Habana and Almendares. Habana won both of their matches against the Cardinals, while the Cardinals swept both games from Almendares.Figueredo 2003, p. 211.
1937 MLB Series New York Giants (Major League Baseball) Habana (Cuban League) Almendares (Cuban League) Fortuna (amateur) Armed Forces (amateur)
Almendares beat the Giants in both games they played, 6–1 and 4–0, and Habana won their game 9–1. The Giants managed a 1–1 tie in a game against a Cuban all-star team, and beat Fortuna, an amateur team, 7–2. An armed forces team also won a game against the Giants, 7–4. The St. Louis Cardinals also came to Havana to play two games against the Giants, which they split.Figueredo 2003, pp. 217–218.
1940 MLB Series Cincinnati Reds (Major League Baseball) Cubans (a Cuban League all-star team)
During their 1940 spring training, the National League champion Cincinnati Reds played three games in Havana against a Cuban League all-star team. The Cubans won the first game 11–7, while the Reds won the second 6–1 behind the pitching of Bucky Walters. The third game ended in a 4–4 tie.Figueredo 2003, pp. 235–236.
1941 MLB Series Brooklyn Dodgers (Major League Baseball) Cubans (a Cuban League all-star team) Boston Red Sox (Major League Baseball) All-Stars (a Cuban amateur all-star team)
The Brooklyn Dodgers conducted their spring training in Havana. That spring the Dodgers played a five-game series against a Cuban League all-star team, going 2–2 with one tied game. The Dodgers also played series in Havana against the New York Giants and the Cleveland Indians. Another series was played in Havana between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox also agreed to play one game against a Cuban amateur all-star team. The Cuban amateurs won, 2–1.Figueredo 2003, pp. 241–242.
1942 MLB Series Brooklyn Dodgers (Major League Baseball) Cubans (a Cuban League all-star team)
The Dodgers again used Havana as their spring training site and played series there against a Cuban all-star team and against the New York Giants. The Dodgers lost the series with the Cubans three games to two.Figueredo 2003, pp. 245–246.
1946 MLB Series Washington Senators (Major League Baseball) Cubans (a Cuban League all-star team) National League All-Stars (Major League Baseball)
The Washington Senators opened their spring training in Havana. They swept all five games that they played against a Cuban all-star team. They also played a series against the Boston Red Sox in Havana.
In October, a National League "all-star" team managed by Chuck Dressen played against a Cuban all-star team. The major league team won the series 5–4.Figueredo 2003, pp. 274–275.
1947 MLB Series New York Yankees Brooklyn Dodgers (Major League Baseball) Cubans (a Cuban League all-star team) Havana Cubans (Florida International League)
In 1947, the Brooklyn Dodgers were preparing to promote Jackie Robinson and integrate the major leagues. Brooklyn team president, Branch Rickey, decided to hold their spring training to avoid southern segregation.Tygiel 1983, pp. 164–165.