Leopardos de Santa Clara | |
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Information | |
League | Cuban League |
Location | Santa Clara, Cuba |
Ballpark | La Boulanger Park |
Founded | 1922 |
League championships | 1923/24, 1935/36, 1937/38, 1938/39 |
The Leopardos de Santa Clara (Spanish, 'Santa Clara Leopards') were a Cuban professional baseball team based in Santa Clara, Cuba. Founded in 1922, they played in the Cuban League from 1922 to 1925, from 1929 to 1930, and from 1935 to 1941. Although they competed for only 11 seasons, they won league championships in four regular seasons and in one "special season." According to Cuban League historian Jorge S. Figueredo, the 1923/24 team, which went 36–11 and won the championship by 11+1⁄2 games, is "considered as the most dominant team in the history of Cuban baseball."[1]
During their existence, the Leopardos featured several of the biggest stars of Negro league baseball, including Oscar Charleston, Satchel Paige, and Josh Gibson.[2] In addition, the team featured outstanding performances from Cuba's own baseball stars including Alejandro Oms and Martín Dihigo.[3]