First Cuban Baseball Player in U.S.Esteban Enrique Bellán was born October 1,1850 and died August 8, 1932). Bellán, also known as Esteban, or Steve Bellan (bel-lyahn), was credited as having been the first Latin American professional baseball player to play in the United States.
The Havana-born Bellan also became one of Cuba’s first great baseball player-managers, having learned how to play the game while he was a student at Fordham University from 1863-1868. As was common among wealthy Cuban-Catholic families, Bellan and his brother Domingo were sent to the United States to study at Fordham, a Jesuit institution. During his time at Fordham, he played for the newly created Fordham Rose Hill Baseball Club. Founded in the late 1850′s, the Rose Hill’s played the first ever nine-man team college baseball game in the United States against St. Francis Xavier College on November 3, 1859.
After being graduated in 1868, Bellan played for the Unions of Morrisania, who originated baseball in the Bronx and called themselves the “Champions of the World” around 1866. Morrisania played near the spot where the old Melrose station of the Harlem Railroad was located (Yankee Stadium was built in 1923 almost in the same place).
More than a half-century before Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier, the Troy Haymakers employed Bellan, a Latino player in a league which otherwise was entirely lily-white. Nicknamed “The Cuban Sylph” for his elegant and stylistic play at third base, Bellan played for the Haymakers from 1869-1872. The Haymakers in 1871 joined the nascent National Association, which was the forerunner of the National League in 1876. Later the Haymakers became the New York Gothams (1883-1884) and New York Giants (1885-1957), now the San Francisco Giants since 1958.
After his time with the Haymakers, Bellan played with the New York Mutuals in 1873, and then returned to his homeland. He compiled a personal record of a .252 batting average, with 69 hits, 52 runs scored, 42 runs batted in, 9 doubles, 3 triples and 5 stolen bases in 60 played.
Esteban Enrique Bellán (Steve)
Born 1850 in Cuba
Debut May 9, 1871
Died August 8, 1932 in Havana, Cuba
Height 5′ 6″, Weight 154 lb.
Batting Record
Year Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG TB
1871 TRO NA 29 128 26 32 3 3 0 23 9 2 4 4 .250 .299 .320 41
1872 TRO NA 23 114 22 30 4 0 0 16 0 0 1 0 .263 .263 .298 34
1873 NYU NA 8 32 4 7 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 .219 .265 .281 9
Total 60 274 52 69 9 3 0 42 11 2 5 4 .252 .281 .307 84
Fielding Record
Year Team POS G PO A E DP AVG
1871 TRO NA 3B 28 48 49 39 4 .713
1871 TRO NA SS 1 1 4 0 0 1.000
1872 TRO NA SS 9 12 21 16 0 .673
1872 TRO NA 3B 8 14 15 11 1 .725
1872 TRO NA OF 6 10 2 3 0 .800
1873 NYU NA 3B 7 13 8 22 3 .488
1873 NYU NA 2B 3 0 1 0 0 1.000
Total 3B 43 75 72 72 8 .671
Total SS 10 13 25 16 0 .704
Total OF 6 10 2 3 0 .800
Total 2B 3 0 1 0 0 1.000
Total 62 98 100 91 8 .685
From 1878-1886 Bellan served as both a player and manager for the recently founded Habana baseball team, playing in the first organized baseball game in Cuba on December 27, 1874. Club Habana defeated Club Matanzas, 51 to 9, in nine innings. Bellan led Habana to three Cuban baseball championships (1878-79, 1979-80, 1882-83). He was also inducted into the Fordham University Hall of Fame (1989-90).
Steve Bellan died on August 8, 1932 in Havana, Cuba. He was 82 years old.
Sources: Wiki/CubanPlayers/InternetPhotos/TheCubanHistory.com