Havana Sugar Kings
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Havana Sugar Kings | |
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Minor league affiliations | |
Previous classes |
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League | International League (1954–1960) |
Previous leagues | Florida International League (1946–1953) |
Major league affiliations | |
Previous teams |
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Minor league titles | |
League titles | IL: 1 (1959) FIL: 2 (1947, 1948) |
Team data | |
Previous names | Havana Sugar Kings (1954–1960)
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Previous parks | Gran Stadium |
The Havana Sugar Kings (Spanish: Reyes del Azúcar) were a
History
The Sugar Kings began life in 1946 as the Havana Cubans, founded by
Led by manager Oscar Rodriguez, the Cubans experienced tremendous success both on and off the field. Havana finished first in Class C (later Class B) Florida International League in each of their first five seasons of play, winning over 100 games twice and compiling a record of 474-249 in five years under Rodriguez. The overall record would be even better had Havana not been stripped of 17 wins in 1946 for having too many experienced players for their class.[2] Nonetheless, the Cubans still had the league's top record even without the victories.
Havana then won consecutive FIL championships in 1947 and 1948. The 1947 Cubans were recognized as one of the 100 greatest minor league teams of all time.[3] The team was also successful at the box office, leading the league in attendance each year from 1946-50. In their first three seasons, Havana led all Class C teams in attendance, including a mark of 264,813 in 1947 that is still the highest total ever recorded by a Class C franchise.
During the 1953 season, Roberto "Bobby" Maduro bought the team and immediately had aspirations of bringing Major League Baseball to Havana. After the 1953 season, the
In their inaugural season at the Triple-A level, the Sugar Kings drew 295,453 fans despite a fifth-place finish, second behind only pennant-winning Toronto. The next season, Havana won 87 games, their most in IL play, and drew a franchise-record 313,232 fans, again second to Toronto. However, the Sugar Kings were eliminated by the Maple Leafs in the Governors' Cup playoffs.
The next three seasons were less successful, as Havana finished with identical 72-82 records in 1956-57, finishing in sixth place both years. In 1957, attendance cratered to 84,320, less than half that of any other IL club. However, despite a franchise-worse 65-88 record and last-place finish in 1958, attendance rebounded to 178,000.
1959 championship
In 1959, led by future
However, the Sugar Kings were allowed to finish out their schedule and returned to the postseason. In the playoffs, Havana swept the
On their home turf, the Sugar Kings took the series the distance, rallying to walk off in Game 7 to take the series 4-3. The five games in Havana drew 100,000 people.[5]
Nationalization and departure from Cuba
In 1960, Castro nationalized all U.S.-owned enterprises in Cuba, and on July 8,
In February 1987, the Miami City Commission voted unanimously in favor of the renaming Miami Stadium in honor of Bobby Maduro, who had migrated to USA. The ballpark became known officially as Bobby Maduro Miami Stadium one month later.
2021 Miami Marlins alternate uniform
On May 17, 2021, The Miami Marlins unveiled a new alternate uniform which pays homage to the old Sugar Kings uniform.[9]
Season-by-season record
Season | PDC | League | Finish | Wins
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Losses
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Win% | Postseason | Manager | Attendance | |
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Havana Cubans | ||||||||||
1946 | WAS
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Florida International | 1st | 76 | 41 | .650 | Lost semifinals vs. West Palm Beach 3-2 | Oscar Rodriguez | 202,875 | |
1947 | WAS | Florida International | 1st | 105 | 45 | .700 | Won semifinals vs. Miami 3-2 4-0
Won finals vs. Tampa |
Oscar Rodriguez | 264,813 | |
1948 | WAS | Florida International | 1st | 97 | 57 | .630 | Won semifinals vs. Lakeland 3-0 Won finals vs. Tampa 4-3 |
Oscar Rodriguez | 205,967 | |
Havana Cubanos | ||||||||||
1949 | WAS | Florida International | 1st | 95 | 57 | .625 | Won semifinals vs. Miami Beach 3-2 Lost finals vs. Tampa 4-0 |
Oscar Rodriguez | 226,293 | |
1950 | WAS | Florida International | 1st | 101 | 49 | .673 | Won semifinals vs. Tampa 3-0 Lost finals vs. Miami 4-1 |
Oscar Rodriguez | 168,419 | |
1951 | WAS | Florida International | 5th | 68 | 71 | .489 | — | Dolf Luque | 83,051 | |
1952 | WAS | Florida International | 5th | 76 | 77 | .497 | — | Mike Guerra | 81,463 | |
1953 | — | Florida International | 4th | 63 | 69 | .477 | Lost semifinals vs. Fort Lauderdale | Armando Marsans | 23,460 | |
Havana Sugar Kings | ||||||||||
1954 | — | International | 4th | 78 | 77 | .503 | — | Reggie Otero | 295,453 | |
1955 | CIN | International | 3rd | 87 | 66 | .569 | Lost semifinal vs. Toronto | Reggie Otero | 313,232 | |
1956 | CIN | International | 6th | 72 | 82 | .468 | — | Reggie Otero/Nap Reyes | 220,357 | |
1957 | CIN | International | 6th | 72 | 82 | .468 | — | Nap Reyes | 84,320 | |
1958 | CIN | International | 8th | 65 | 88 | .425 | — | Nap Reyes/Tony Pacheco | 178,340 | |
1959 | CIN | International | 3rd | 80 | 73 | .523 | Won semifinals vs. 4-3 | Preston Gomez
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200,094 | |
Havana Sugar Kings/Jersey City Jerseys | ||||||||||
1960 | CIN | International | 5th | 76 | 77 | .497 | — | Tony Castano /Nap Reyes
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121,755 |
Regular season champion | League champions |
Interamerican Series record
Year | Venue | Finish | Wins | Losses | Win% | Manager |
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1946 | Caracas | 2nd | 6 | 6 | .500 | Oscar Rodriguez |
Total | 6 | 6 | .500 |
Notable alumni
- Luis Arroyo (1959–60) MLB All-Star
- Sandy Consuegra (1949) MLB All-Star
- Mike Cuellar (1957–60) MLB All-Star
- Bobby Estalella (1950)
- Mike Fornieles (1952) MLB All-Star
- Preston Gomez(1959, MGR)
- Tony Gonzalez (baseball)(1958–59)
- Mike Guerra (1952, MGR)
- Connie Marrero (1947-1949) MLB All-Star, 2015 Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame inductee
- Armando Marsans (1953, MGR)
- Orlando Pena(1957–58, '60) 2000 Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame inductee
- Nap Reyes (1956–58, '60, MGR) 2015 Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame inductee
- Cookie Rojas (1959–60) MLB All-Star
See also
References
- ^ "Venezuela Series Opens". The Sporting News. Oct 30, 1946.
- ^ Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Baseball America. p. 350.
- ^ "Top 100 Teams". MiLB.com. 2001. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ Swide, Joe. "The Wild Ride of the Havana Sugar Kings". Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ Harris, John; Burbridge, John J. "The Short but Exciting Life of the Havana Sugar Kings". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ "Last U.S. baseball team to play in Havana before embargo had bullets rain down on them". Fox News. (sports). December 26, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
- ^ "Havana franchise will be moved". Free Lance-Star. (Fredericksburg, Virginia). Associated Press. July 8, 1960. p. 8.
- ^ "Jersey City to get Havana, Castro 'speaks'". Free Lance-Star. (Fredericksburg, Virginia). Associated Press. July 9, 1960. p. 6.
- ^ "Miami Marlins' uniforms to honor former Cuban Triple-A team the Sugar Kings".
External links
- SABR.org Archived 2018-07-03 at the Wayback Machine – The Short but Exciting Life of the Havana Sugar Kings