1920 CUBAN BASEBALL TEAM RPPC WITH ALEJANDRO OMS (CUBAN HOF).
Item Description
Presented here is a unique 3.5x5-3/8" real photo postcard produced in Cuba c. 1920 that depicts 14 ballplayers in full uniform along w/batboy/mascot posed on baseball field. Seated at far right is a very young Cuban/Negro League baseball great, Alejandro Oms. Noted Cuban baseball expert, Steve Peissig, has assisted us in identifying a few more of the Cuban ballplayers pictured here, including - Pelayo Chacon, Julian Fabelo, Joseito Rodriguez, Manuel Rigal and Cheo Ramos. Additionally, the individual standing in the back row, far right and towering over everyone else, bears some resemblance to HOF pitching great Smokey Joe Williams, who did play three seasons in Cuba during the 1910s. Due to the lack of more concrete information and the image not being crystal clear, we are unable to confirm the identification of Smokey Joe.
Alejandro Oms would surely be at the top of any short list of future Baseball HOF candidates, being the centerpiece for the great outfield trio representing the Eastern Colored League's Cuban Stars of the 1920s. Oms played a total of 15 winter ball seasons in Cuba, amassing a lifetime batting average of .351, leading the league in batting three times, w/averages of .393, .432 and .380. A proven winner, Oms was a key player for a total of four Cuban League championship teams during his lengthy Cuban career, culminating w/his election to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1944.
While we may never know for certain, it appears that this ball club may have been based out of the Villa Clara province in Cuba, which would account for the "V" on the players' caps/uniforms. At least a couple of the known ballplayers pictured here had baseball ties to the city of Santa Clara, which is located inside the province of Villa Clara. Also, based on the start of the playing careers for those pictured, we believe this photo would have been taken around 1920, which is consistent with the dating of 1908-24 via the stamp box on the back of the postcard.
Postcard is evenly aged and shows moderate corner foxing (more moderate at left corners) w/scattered dust soiling and some moisture spotting on front. Back shows heavy wear, w/much remnants from previous mounting and some heavy surface paper lifts. One such lift breaks through onto front in a curved .5" line, between leftmost two players standing in back row of photo. Second player has tiny spot of surface paper loss to shoulder and edge of face. Player at center of photo has 1/8x3/8" strip of surface paper lift. Image of Oms remains complete and unaffected. Just Good overall, but image clarity remains distinct and photo area on front of postcard still display nicely.
With this being the only known example, don't pass up the opportunity to acquire an important piece of Cuban baseball history. From the Richard Merkin Collection and comes with Hake's COA.
