|
Estevan Enrique "Steve" Bellán ((:beˈʎan); October 1, 1849 – August 8, 1932), also known as ''Esteban'', was a Cuban professional baseball player who played as a third baseman for six seasons in the United States (USA), three in the National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) from 1868 to , and three in the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NAPBBP) from to . He is credited as the first Latin American born individual to play professional baseball in the USA. The Havana-born Bellán studied at St. John's College in New York City from 1866 to 1868, now known as Fordham University. He joined the school's baseball team, already having learned the game before coming to New York, when American sailors brought the game to Cuba. After graduating in 1868, at age 18, Bellán played one season for the Union of Morrisania, a member of the NABBP, and was part of their national championship team in 1868. He joined the Troy Haymakers in , and continued playing for the team when they joined the NAPBBP when it was formed in 1871 to replace the NABBP ceased operations. After leaving the Mutuals in 1873, he moved back to Cuba to play in the their newly formed baseball leagues. His team, Club Habana, defeated Club Matanzas, 51 to 9 on December 27, 1874, in the first organized baseball game ever played in Cuba. He later became the club's player-manager, from 1878 to 1886, and led them to three Cuban League championships. He has been called the true "father" of Cuban baseball, for his role organizing the first Cuban baseball game, his success as a player and manager, as well as his continued influence on the game after his career had ended. ==Early life== Born as Estevan Enrique "Steve" Bellán on October 1, 1849 in Havana, Cuba, he was sent, along with his brother, to New York City in 1866 to study at St. John's College, known today as Fordham University, which was common among Cuba's wealthy Catholic families.〔Regalado, p. 10〕 Having learned the game in Cuba when American sailors brought the game to island, he soon joined the school's team, the ''Fordham Rose Hill Baseball Club''.〔Regalado, p. 10〕 After graduating in 1868, at the age of 18, he joined the Union of Morrisania, a member of the NABBP that was based in New York City, in the area know known as The Bronx.〔 He played in one season for the Unions, and helped them claim the national championship for the 1868 season.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Steve Bellán」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|