Cuban League NSCC pickup

[GehrigFan]

I don't normally share my pickups, but I did find this little gem at the show. I didn't know what it was at first, but just liked the card. Turns out, it is a premium issued in 1947 and I ended up identifying:

(11) Negro Leaguers
(10) Major Leaguers
(15) Cuban Baseball Hall of Famers
(Of course, some players are in multiple categories)

There are still a couple players I can't find anything on. If anyone has info to fill in the gaps for my records, I'd appreciate it!

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Sol De Oro was a Cuban hair tonic.

The company produced both a Cuban baseball player set and a Cuban manager set in 1947-48: http://www.cubanball.com/Images/BBCa.../soldeoro.html

This particular set is part of a 4-card oversized team set: http://www.cubanball.com/Images/BBCa...m/solteam.html

Stamp on back of card reads:

Francisco Caulfield
Distribuidor
Brillantina
Sol De Oro
Manzanilla
Sol De Oro
5TA. No. 155
Vedado
Habana

Photo is on card stock and measures 5” x 10”. Image is in sepia tone. Card features the 1946-47 Club Almendares Team, which won the championship in what is considered the greatest playoff series in Cuban baseball history.

Card apparently comes from the estate of one of the players, due to the notation in Spanish on the back, reading (loosely): “This is something my friend saved as a child. This is when you were a star.”

It is signed by the friend who gave this to the player, and interestingly an agent of the printer of the card also signed in the bottom right, above the “Fernandez and Company, Printers” printing.

Following are the players identified on the back, as well as whether I could track down if they ever played in the Major Leagues (MLB) or Negro Leagues (NL), and if they have been inducted into the Cuban Hall of Fame (Cuban HOF) (as of 8/12/2010):

Seated (Left to Right):
Fernandez; Trainer; Cuban HOF
Max Lanier; Pitcher; MLB, Cuban HOF
George Haussmann; Second; MLB
Coty Leal; Pitcher;
Calampio Leon; Outfielder;
E. Martinez; Catcher;
Andres Flietas; Catcher; MLB, Cuban HOF
Adolfo Luque; Manager; NL, MLB, Cuban HOF
Cheo Ramos; Coach; NL, Cuban HOF
Lazaro Salazar; Pitcher; Cuban HOF
Teodoro Oxamendi; Infielder;
Jorge Comellas; Pitcher; MLB, Cuban HOF
Reinaldo Cordeiro; Administrator; Cuban HOF

Second Row:
Agapito Mayor; Pitcher; Cuban HOF
Tomas de la Cruz; Pitcher; MLB, Cuban HOF
Lefty Gaines (Gaynes); Pitcher; NL
Jess (Gentry) Jessup; Pitcher; NL
Roberto Ortiz; Utility; MLB, Cuban HOF
Homero (Mario) Ariosa; Utility; NL
Joe Williams; Utility; NL
Buck O'Neill; Infielder; NL, MLB
Santos Amaro; Outfielder; Cuban HOF
R. Gonzalez; NL

Last Row:
Zarza; Catcher
Hector Rodriguez; Infielder; NL, MLB, Cuban HOF
Avelino Cañizarez; Infielder; NL, Cuban HOF
Connie Marrero; Pitcher; MLB, Cuban HOF
Lloyd Davenport; Outfielder; NL

[triwak]

Very cool!

[Matt]

Great piece!

[joeadcock]

Amazed at how much and diverse collectibles came from Cuba. Nice piece.

Frank