1927-28 CUBA BASEBALL CLUB CABINET PHOTO WITH HOF'ERS OSCAR CHARLESTON, WILLIE FOSTER & JUDY JOHNSON
Item Description
Presented here is one of the most sought-after images in the long and illustrious history of baseball in Cuba, an original team photo of the 1927-28 Cuba baseball club. 8x10" original cardboard mount w/ornate border design around the original 5x7" glossy photo. Highlighting this historical relic is the inclusion of three future National Baseball Hall of Fame members: Oscar Charleston (back row, 4th from right), Willie "Bill" Foster (front row, 2nd from right) and Judy Johnson (back row, 3rd from right). In addition, we have also been able to identify former Negro League greats, Larry Brown (back row, 2nd from left), Cando Lopez (back row, 3rd from left), Pelayo Chacon (front row, far right) and former Major League Baseball player, Armando Marsans (back row, 4th from left).
Although baseball flourished in Cuba during the first two decades of the 20th century and well into the 1920s, by the end of the decade, the National Cuban Baseball League was struggling to keep four ball clubs intact in order to make for a legitimate baseball season. As the 1927-28 season was coming up fast, a ball club was assembled to take the place of previously withdrawn Santa Clara. Although it was not a national team in any way, the squad was named Cuba, with the logic being that everyone would root for a team named after their own country. With Armando Marsans at the helm and Charleston, Foster, Johnson and Brown on the field the club would finish a strong second to the erstwhile Habana team led by HOF'er, Martin Dihigo. Following their initial season, Cuba would only continue to operate for one more year, when Dolph Luque would take over at the helm with Marsans moving over to manage the Almendares ball club. Following the 1928-29 season, the Cuba squad disbanded, and Cienfuegos became the new entry into the Cuban League.
Although their time there was relatively brief, the participation of Oscar Charleston, Willie Foster and Judy Johnson in Cuba revitalized the local interest in baseball that had been starting to wane. Charleston was best known for his five-tool abilities as a dominant centerfielder for the Indianapolis ABC's and Homestead Grays and was elected to Cooperstown in 1976. Foster excelled for many years on the mound in Chicago for the American Giants, being selected for the Hall of Fame in 1996. Judy Johnson was long regarded as the best third baseman in Negro League history, with only Ray Dandridge being close competition. Judy starred for both the Pittsburgh Crawfords and Homestead Grays throughout the 1920s and 1930s. He was inducted in the Hall Of Fame in 1975.
Moderate margin wear to the mount. Photo has trace of aging but much only seen in reflected light. There is one tiny 1/8" emulsion flake on the chest of Charleston, only seen upon close inspection. Some additional tiny emulsion nicks here and there but nothing that detracts or impacts this exceptional image, which remains sharp and distinct. Overall Fine.
To the best of our knowledge this is one of only two surviving examples of this image. Don't pass up this opportunity to own one of the most important artifacts in Cuban baseball history. The Black Ball Collection.
