List of Cuban baseball champions

Habana, pictured in its title-winning 1928–29 season, won 30 championships over the course of its existence.

The Cuban baseball champions are the winners of the highest division in the Cuban baseball league system. Organized baseball in Cuba originated with the Cuban League in 1878, which was dissolved during the Cuban Revolution and replaced by the Cuban National Series in 1961. Since 2022, the National Series has been supplanted as the island's top division by the Cuban Elite League.

Early organized Cuban baseball was dominated by teams from the Havana metropolitan area.[1] The most successful teams were Club Habana (which won a record 30 championships, including the first tournament in 1879) and Almendares. In the modern-era of Cuban baseball, starting with the establishment of the National Series in 1961, teams from other parts of the country have enjoyed more success, although Industriales of Havana still hold the most titles (12).

For the entire history of the Cuban League and National Series up to 1985, the champion was determined by win-loss record.[a] The 1985–86 season was the first to incorporate a postseason, in the form of a double round-robin system between four teams; this system has been maintained, with slight changes, up to the present day.

List of champions

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Key
† Champions also won the Caribbean Series that season

Cuban League (1878–1961)

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Miguel González won 14 Cuban League titles as manager of Habana
Adolfo Luque won the second-most titles (9), mainly with Almendares
Season Champions Record Manager
1878–79 Habana (1) 4–0–1 Esteban Bellán
1879–80 Habana (2) 5–2 Esteban Bellán
1880–81 Not held
1881–82 Not completed
1882–83 Habana (3) 5–1 Esteban Bellán
1883–84 Not held
1884–85 Habana (4) 4–3 Ricardo Mora
1885–86 Habana (5) 6–0 Francisco Saavedra
1886–87 Habana (6) 10–2 Francisco Saavedra
1887–88 Fé (1) 12–3 Antonio Utrera
1888–89 Habana (7) 16–4–1 Emilio Sabourín
1889–90 Habana (8) 14–3 Emilio Sabourín
1890–91 Fé (2) 12–6 Luis Almoina
1891–92 Habana (9) 13–7 Emilio Sabourín
1892–93 Mantanzas (1) 14–9 Luis Almoina
1893–94 Almendares (1) 17–7–1 Ramón Gutiérrez
1894–98 Not held due to the Cuban War of Independence
1898–99 Habanista (10) 9–3 Alberto Azoy
1900 San Francisco (1) 17–10–2 Patricio Silveiro
1901 Habana (11) 16–3–1 Alberto Azoy
1902 Habana (12) 17–0–2 Alberto Azoy
1903 Habana (13) 21–13 Alberto Azoy
1904 Habana (14) 16–4 Alberto Azoy
1905 Almendares (2) 19–11–2 Abel Linares
1906 Fé (3) 15–9 Alberto Azoy
1907 Almendares (3) 17–13–1 Eugenio Santa Cruz
1908 Almendares (4) 37–8–1 Juan Sánchez
1908–09 Habana (15) 29–13–1 Luis Someillan
1910 Almendares (5) 13–3–1 Juan Sánchez
1910–11 Almendares (6) 21–6–3 Juan Sánchez
1912 Habana (16) 22–12–1 Eduardo Laborde
1913 Fé (4) 21–11 Tinti Molina
1913–14 Almendares (7) 22–11–1 Eugenio Santa Cruz
1914–15 Habana (17) 23–11 Miguel Angel González
1915–16 Almendares (8) 30–12–3 Alfredo Cabrera
1917 Orientales (1) 8–6–1 Armando Marsans
1918–19 Habana (18) 29–19 Miguel Angel González
1919–20 Almendares (9) 22–5–2 Adolfo Luque
1920–21 Habana (19) 23–10–5 Miguel Angel González
1921 Habana (20) 4–1 Miguel Angel González
1922–23 Marianao (1) 35–19–1 Merito Acosta
1923–24 Santa Clara (1) 36–11–1 Tinti Molina
1924–25 Almendares (10) 33–16–1 Joseíto Rodríguez
1925–26 Almendares (11) 34–13–2 Joseíto Rodríguez
1926–27 Habana (21) 20–11 Miguel Angel González
1926–27 [b] Alacranes (12) 22–15 Adolfo Luque
1927–28 Habana (22) 24–13 Miguel Angel González
1928–29 Habana (23) 43–12–1 Miguel Angel González
1929–30 Cienfuegos 33–19–2 Pelayo Chacón
1930–31 [c] Almendarista (13) 9–4–1 Joseíto Rodríguez
1931–32 Almendares (14) 21–9–4 Joseíto Rodríguez
1932–33 Almendares (15) 13–9 Adolfo Luque
Habana (24) Miguel Angel González
1934–35 Almendares (16) 18–9–1 Adolfo Luque
1935–36 Santa Clara (2) 34–14–1 Martín Dihigo
1936–37 Marianao (2) 38–31–3 Martín Dihigo
1937–38 Santa Clara (3) 44–18–4 Lázaro Salazar
1938–39 Santa Clara (2) 34–20–2 Lázaro Salazar
1939–40 Almendares (17) 28–23–1 Adolfo Luque
1940–41 Habana (25) 31–18–5 Miguel Angel González
1941–42 Almendares (18) 25–19–4 Adolfo Luque
1942–43 Almendares (19) 28–20–1 Adolfo Luque
1943–44 Habana (26) 32–16 Miguel Angel González
1944–45 Almendares (20) 32–16–6 Reinaldo Cordeiro
1945–46 Cienfuegos (2) 37–23–4 Adolfo Luque
1946–47 Almendares (21) 42–24–2 Adolfo Luque
1947–48 Habana (27) 39–33–9 Miguel Angel González
1948–49 Almendares (22) † 47–25 Fermín Guerra
1949–50 Almendares (23) 38–34–4 Fermín Guerra
1950–51 Habana (28) 41–32–1 Miguel Angel González
1951–52 Habana (29) † 41–30–1 Miguel Angel González
1952–53 Habana (30) 43–29–1 Miguel Angel González
1953–54 Almendares (24) 44–28–1 Bobby Bragan
1954–55 Almendares (25) 44–25–2 Bobby Bragan
1955–56 Cienfuegos (3) † 37–23–4 Oscar Rodríguez
1956–57 Tigres de Marianao (3) † 40–28–1 Napoleon Reyes
1957–58 Tigres de Marianao (4) † 43–32–2 Napoleon Reyes
1958–59 Almendares (26) † 44–25–2 Clemente Carreras
1959–60 Cienfuegos (4) † 46–26–6 Antonio Castaño
1960–61 Cienfuegos (5) 35–31–1 Antonio Castaño

Cuban National Series (1961–2022)

[edit]
For the National Series champions since 2022, see Cuban National Series.

Single-table era (1961–1985)

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Season Champions Record Manager
1961–62 Occidentales (1) 18–9 Fermín Guerra
1962–63 Industriales (1) 16–14 Ramón Carneado
1963–64 Industriales (2) 22–13 Ramón Carneado
1964–65 Industriales (3) 25–14 Ramón Carneado
1965–66 Industriales (4) 40–25 Ramón Carneado
1966–67 Orientales (1) 36–29 Roberto Ledo
1967–68 Habana (1) 74–25 Juan "Coco" Gómez
1968–69 Azucareros (1) 69–30 Servio Borges
1969–70 Henequeros (1) 50–16 Miguel Ángel Domínguez
1970–71 Azucareros (2) 49–16 Pedro Pérez Delgado
1971–72 Azucareros (3) 52–14 Servio Borges
1972–73 Azucareros (3) 52–14 Servio Borges
1973–74 Industriales (2) 53–25 Pedro Chávez
1974–75 Agricultores (1) 24–15 Orlando Leroux
1975–76 Ganaderos (1) 29–9 Carlos Gómez
1976–77 Citricultores (1) 26–12 Juan Bregio
1977–78 Vegueros (1) 36–14 José Miguel Pineda
1978–79 Sancti Spíritus (1) 36–14 Candido Andrade
1979–80 Santiago de Cuba (1) 36–14 Manuel Miyar
1980–81 Vegueros (2) 36–15 José Miguel Pineda
1981–82 Vegueros (3) 36–14 Jorge Fuentes
1982–83 Villa Clara (4) 41–8 Eduardo Luis Martín
1983–84 Citricultores (2) 52–23 Tomás Soto
1984–85 Vegueros (4) 57–18 Jorge Fuentes

Postseason era (1986-present)

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Season Winning team Manager Record Games Losing team
1985–86 Industriales (6) Pedro Chávez 37–11 6–0 Vegueros
1986–87 Vegueros (5) Jorge Fuentes 34–14 5–1 Santiago de Cuba
1987–88 Vegueros (6) Jorge Fuentes 39–9 5–1 Santiago de Cuba
1988–89 Santiago de Cuba (2) Higinio Vélez 29–19 5–1 Industriales
1989–90 Henequeros (1) Gerardo Junco 37–11 4–2 Santiago de Cuba
1990–91 Henequeros (2) Gerardo Junco 33–15 6–1 Camagüey
1991–92 Industriales (7) Jorge Trigoura 36–12 7–1 Henequeros
1992–93 Villa Clara (5) Pedro Jova 42–23 8–3 Pinar del Río
1993–94 Villa Clara (6) Pedro Jova 43–22 8–5 Industriales
1994–95 Villa Clara (7) Pedro Jova 44–18 8–2 Pinar del Río
1995–96 Industriales (8) Pedro Medina 41–22 8–2 Villa Clara
1996–97 Pinar del Río (7) Jorge Fuentes 50–15 8–0 Villa Clara
1997–98 Pinar del Río (8) Jorge Fuentes 56–34 11–5 Santiago de Cuba
1998–99 Santiago de Cuba (3) Higinio Vélez 46–44 11–7 Industriales
1999–00 Santiago de Cuba (4) Higinio Vélez 62–28 11–0 Pinar del Río
2000–01 Santiago de Cuba (5) Higinio Vélez 55–35 11–4 Pinar del Río
2001–02 Holguín (1) Héctor Hernández 55–35 11–6 Sancti Spíritus
2002–03 Industriales (9) Rey Vicente Anglada 66–23 11–2 Villa Clara
2003–04 Industriales (10) Rey Vicente Anglada 52–38 11–4 Villa Clara
2004–05 Santiago de Cuba (6) Antonio Pacheco 55–35 11–2 La Habana
2005–06 Industriales (11) Rey Vicente Anglada 56–34 11–7 Santiago de Cuba
2006–07 Santiago de Cuba (7) Antonio Pacheco 57–32 11–6 Industriales
2007–08 Santiago de Cuba (8) Antonio Pacheco 61–29 11–0 Pinar del Río
2008–09 La Habana (1) Esteban Lombillo 57–33 12–4 Villa Clara
2009–10 Industriales (12) Germán Mesa 47–43 12–6 Villa Clara
2010–11 Pinar del Río (9) Alfonso Urquiola 50–39 12–6 Ciego de Ávila
2011–12 Ciego de Ávila (1) Roger Machado 54–42 12–6 Industriales
2012–13 Villa Clara (8) Ramon Moret 24–21 8–2 Matanzas
2013–14 Pinar del Río (10) † Alfonso Urquiola 52–35 8–5 Matanzas
2014–15 Ciego de Ávila (2) Roger Machado 50–37 8–4 Isla de la Juventud
2015–16 Ciego de Ávila (3) Roger Machado 54–32 8–3 Pinar del Río
2016–17 Granma (1) Carlos Martí 50–40 8–3 Ciego de Ávila
2017–18 Granma (2) Carlos Martí 49–39 8–4 Las Tunas
2018–19 Las Tunas (1) Pablo Alberto Civil 51–39 8–2 Villa Clara
2019–20 Matanzas (1) Armando Ferrer 52–38 7–3 Las Tunas
2020–21 Granma (3) Carlos Martí 48–27 11–6 Matanzas

Cuban Elite League (2022-present)

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Season Winning team Manager Record Games Losing team
2022–23 Agricultores
(Las Tunas/Granma) 		Carlos Martí 30–19 4–3 Portuarios
(Industriales/Mayabeque)
2023–24 Matanzas (2) Armando Ferrer 25–15 4–2 Artemisa

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ In the 1962–63 Cuban National Series, Industriales defeated Oriente 2–1 in a three-game series to determine the title, though it was considered a regular-season tiebreaker rather than a championship series.
  2. ^ In the alternate Triangal League (Spanish: Serie Triangular)
  3. ^ The regular Cuban League season was suspended due to poor attendance, so a separate tournament, known as the Single Championship (Spanish: Campeonato Unico) was organized.

References

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  1. ^ Bjarkman, Peter C. (2016). "Cuban League". Society for American Baseball Research.

Further reading

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  • Figueredo, Jorge S. (2003). Cuban Baseball: A Statistical History, 1878–1961. McFarland & Company. ISBN 0-7864-1250-X.
  • Peter C. Bjarkman (2006). A History of Cuban Baseball, 1864–2006. McFarland & Company. ISBN 0-7864-2829-5.
  • Peter C. Bjarkman; Bill Nowlin, eds. (2016). Cuban Baseball Legends: Baseball's Alternative Universe. SABR. ISBN 978-1-943816-24-8.
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