Fidel Castro’s politics and his decision to shut down professional teams in Cuba sent some of the great baseball players from two generations fleeing to the U.S.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, chronicles the history of the game and honors those who have made the greatest contributions to Major League Baseball and the Negro Leagues.
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There are 312 members who have been chosen by a panel of voters and inducted in yearly ceremonies that draw an average of 15,000 people.
Four Hall of Famers are Cuban.
Tony Pérez, inducted 2000
Primary team: Cincinnati Reds
Position: First base
Won two World Series
Seven-time All-Star
Career .279 hitter with 379 home runs and 1,652 RBIs
Martin Dihigo, inducted 1977
Primary team: Cuban Stars
Position: Pitcher
Split career between Negro Leagues and Mexican League
In 1938 threw first no-hitter in Mexican League history
Jose Mendez, inducted 2006
Primary team: Cuban Stars
Position: Pitcher
Led Kansas City Monarchs to 1924 Negro Leagues championship
Struck out twice as many batters as he walked in 19 seasons that included playing in Cuba
Cristobal Torriente, inducted 2006
Primary team: Chicago American Giants
Position: Center field
Nicknamed “The Black Babe Ruth”
Won two batting titles in both Cuba and Negro leagues
Career .347 hitter with 65 home runs
Three other Cuban players are up for election by a special Hall of Fame committee in 2017
Minnie Minoso, retired 1980
Primary team: Chicago White Sox
First black Cuban player in Major League Baseball
Seven-time All-Star with three Gold Gloves
Career .298 hitter with 186 home runs and 1,023 RBIs
Luis Tiant, retired 1982
Primary team: Boston Red Sox
Pitched 19 seasons with a 229-172 record
Amassed 2,416 strikeouts
Three-time All-Star
Tony Oliva, retired 1976
Primary team: Minnesota Twins
1964 Rookie of the Year
Eight-time All-Star
Career .304 hitter with 220 home runs and 947 RBIs
Sources: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Baseball-Reference.com
