The Cuban League was one of the oldest and longest-lasting baseball leagues outside the United States and from 1878 to 1961 in Cuba. The schedule generally worked during the winter months, so the league was sometimes known as the Cuban Winter League. It has always been a small league, usually 3 to 5 teams, and was centered in Havana, although it has sometimes included teams from isolated cities like Matanzas or Santa Clara. The league was racially integrated in 1900, and in the first half of the 20th century, the Cuban League was a prime location for black and white players. Many great black players from North America showed up in Cuba, with black and white Cuban stars like José Méndez, Cristébal Torriente, Adolfo Luque and Martin Dihigo. After 1947, the Cuban League signed a contract with Major League Baseball and was used for player development. After the Cuban revolution in 1959, tensions increased with the new communist government, and in March 1961, the government ordered the abolition of professional baseball. Major League Baseball players are allowed to compete in the winter leagues this season, after a Major League Baseball and Players Association agreement on restrictions limiting pitcher participation, but easing restrictions for position players, sources with knowledge of the deal said Yahoo Sports said. The California Winter League will begin its twelfth season on January 18, 2021. The league will have to deal during the month-long season with MLB Scout Days and live games ending February 14 with the CWL Championship. Players interested in CWL can sign up for CaliforniaWinterLeague.com and find more information on Twitter (@CalWinterLeague), Instagram (@CaliforniaWinterLeague) or Facebook.
The year 1900 brought a fundamental change in the Cuban league. After the Cuban War of Independence and the Spanish-American War, the pressure on the League`s racial integration increased. Led by promoters and entrepreneurs such as Abel Linares and Tinti Molina, the League was integrated in 1900 with the admission of an all-black club, San Francisco, and the admission of non-white players to some other clubs.