Industriales is a

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

team in the

Cuban National Series The Cuban National Series (, SNB) is the primary domestic professional baseball competition in Cuba. Formed after the dissolution of the Cuban League in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, the Series is a part of the Cuban baseball league system. ...

. Located in Cerro, La Habana, it is known as the only team representing the country’s capital,

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

. Industriales is historically the most successful team in the National Series, although they have played under other names throughout their history. The Super Classic of Cuban National Series takes place six times per season between Industriales and

Santiago de Cuba Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest city in Cuba and the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province. It lies in the southeastern area of the island, some southeast of the Cuban capital of Havana. The municipality extends over , and contains ...

, the Cuban equivalent of the New York Yankees–

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...

rivalry A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant ...

. The matchup also represents the rivalry between the two cities (La Habana and Santiago de Cuba), dating back to the era when Cuba was a colony of Spain more than two centuries ago. They are known as the Lions (''los leones''), "The Blues" (''los azules'') or "The Blue Lions" (los Leones Azules).

Royal blue Royal blue is a deep and vivid shade of blue. It is said to have been created by clothiers in Rode, Somerset, a consortium of whom won a competition to make a dress for Queen Charlotte, consort of King George III. Brightness The ''Oxford E ...

is their color, though teams like Camagüey and Ciego de Ávila also have blue uniforms (

navy blue Navy blue is a very dark shade of the color blue. Navy blue got its name from the dark blue (contrasted with naval white) worn by officers in the Royal Navy since 1748 and subsequently adopted by other navies around the world. When this color ...

and

sky blue Sky blue is a shade of light blue comparable to that of a clear daytime sky. The term (as "sky blew") is attested from 1681. A 1585 translation of Nicolas de Nicolay's 1576 ''Les navigations, peregrinations et voyages faicts en la Turquie'' i ...

, respectively.)

History

The team was founded in 1962, as representatives of all the workers from all the industries of Cuba. Industriales is the perceived successor to the Almendares baseball team from the professional

Cuban League The Cuban League was one of the earliest and longest lasting professional baseball leagues outside the United States, operating in Cuba from 1878 to 1961. The schedule usually operated during the winter months, so the league was sometimes known a ...

. They won the Cuban National Series in

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Co ...

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarc ...

, 1965, 1966,

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: ...

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 **Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal enter ...

, 1992, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2010. Today the team holds the record of victories in a season (96 games in Cuba) with 66 games and more National Series won in a row with 4 straight national championships (1963-1966).

Current roster

Season 2017-2018 *Catchers: Frank C. Morejón, Lázaro Ponce, Roberto Loredo, Randy Montenegro *Infielders: Alexander Malleta, Yordanis Samón, Juan C. Torriente, Wilfredo Aroche, Yolbert Sánchez, Joel Mestre, Osmel Cordero, Jorge L. Barcelán, Andrés Hernández, Edwin Y. Caballero, Walter Pacheco *Outfielders: Víctor V. Mesa, Stayler Hernández, Yohandri Urgellés, Yoasán Guillén, Javier Camero, Jorge Tartabull, Asnier Fonseca *Pitchers:

Frank Montieth Frank Andy Montieth Herrera (born 11 January 1985) is a Cuban baseball pitcher. He pitches for the Industriales of the Cuban National Series. He has also competed extensively for the Cuban national baseball team, winning a gold medal at the 2 ...

, Noelvis Entenza, Ian Rendón, Alexander Rodríguez, Dairon Durán, Adrián Sosa, José A. Pérez, Yoel D. Paula, Michel Reinoso, Julio R. Montesinos, David Mena, Pavel Hernández, Eddy A. García, Andy Valdés, Javier del Pino, Denis Castillo, Raymond Figueredo, Yasmany Robert,

National Series MVPs

The following Industriales players have been named the National Series' most valuable player. *1965 Urbano González *1967 Pedro Chávez *1971 Antonio Jiménez *1972 Agustín Marquetti *1986

Lázaro Vargas Lázaro Vargas Álvarez (born January 18, 1964) is a Cuban baseball player and Olympic gold medalist. Vargas is a two time gold medalist for baseball, winning at the 1992 Summer Olympics and the 1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olymp ...

*1987 Javier Méndez *1996 Jorge Fumero *2003 Javier Méndez *2020 Lisbán Correa

Other notable players

* Rey Vicente Anglada ( second base) * Juan Carlos Barrutia (

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

) * Armando Capiró (

outfield The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area. In cricket, baseball a ...

) * Gerardo Concepción (

) * José Modesto Darcourt (

) * Ángel Leocadio Díaz (pitcher) * Yasser Gomez (outfielder) * Antonio González (baseball) (

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists wh ...

) * Orlando "El Duque" Hernández (pitcher) * Ricardo Lazo (

catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the ca ...

) * Raúl López (pitcher) * Reinaldo Linares (outfield) * Agustin Marqueti (first baseman) *

Yadel Martí Yadel Martí Carrillo (born July 22, 1979) is a Cuban right-handed pitcher. Career Martí was 1-0 with two saves and no earned runs at the 2006 World Baseball Classic, helping Cuba to a second-place finish. He was named to the all-tourname ...

(pitcher) * Santiago "Changa Mederos" Mederos (pitcher) *

Pedro Medina Pedro Luis Medina (October 5, 1957 – March 25, 1997) was a Cuban refugee who was executed in Florida for the murder of a 52-year-old woman in Orlando. The circumstances of his execution elevated objections to the use of electrocution as a me ...

(catcher) * Javier Mendez (outfielder) *

Germán Mesa Germán Mesa Fresneda (born May 12, 1967 in Havana) is a Cuban retired shortstop who played for the Industriales of the Cuban National Series and for the Cuban national baseball team The Cuba national baseball team (Spanish: ''Selección de ...

(shortstop) *

Kendrys Morales Kendrys Morales Rodríguez (born June 20, 1983) is a Cuban-Dominican former professional baseball designated hitter and first baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota ...

(pitcher-outfielder-infielder) * Eulogio Osorio (outfield) * Juan Padilla (second base) * Rodolfo Puente (shortstop) *

Amauri Sanit Amauri Sanit Sabouren (born July 4, 1979) is a Cuban former professional baseball pitcher. Sanit played for the Industriales of the Cuban National Series before defecting from Cuba in 2006. He pitched in Major League Baseball for the New York Y ...

(pitcher) * Carlos Tabares (centerfielder) * Lázaro de la Torre (pitcher) * Yoandry Urgelles (outfielder) * Lázaro Valle (pitcher)

Emigrants

A number of Industriales players have

defected In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state in exchange for allegiance to another, changing sides in a way which is considered illegitimate by the first state. More broadly, defection involves abandoning a person, ca ...

from Cuba, often to pursue professional baseball in other countries. These include the following: * Jesus Ametller * Ivan Alvarez * Luis Alvarez Estrada * Juan Chavez Álvarez * Leonardo Fariñas * René Arocha * Evel Bastida * Bárbaro Cañizares * Alexis Cabrejas * Roberto Colina * Gerardo Concepción *

Yunel Escobar Yunel Escobar Almenares (born November 2, 1982) is a Cuban-born American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, Washington Na ...

* Osvaldo Fernandez Guerra *

Bárbaro Garbey Bárbaro Garbey ( ; born December 4, 1956) is a former Major League Baseball utility player and minor league coach. Garbey played in the outfield, at first and third bases, and also served as designated hitter. Playing Career Garbey defected fr ...

* Mario González * Yamel Guevara * Adrian Hernández * Michel Hernández *

Orlando Hernández Orlando Hernández Pedroso (born October 11, 1965), nicknamed "El Duque" (Spanish for "The Duke"), is a Cuban-born right-handed former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Industriales of the Cuban National Series, the New York Ya ...

* Manuel Hurtado * Yoan Limonta-Zayas * Donell Linares * Agustin Marquetti, Jr.. * Ángel Leocadio Díaz *

* Vladimir Núñez *

Rey Ordóñez Reynaldo Ordóñez Pereira (born January 11, 1971) is a former professional baseball shortstop. He played nine seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Chicago Cubs. Early life Ordóñez defected from ...

* William Ortega * Hassan Peña * Rolando Pastor * Mayque Quintero *

Euclides Rojas Euclides Rojas (born August 25, 1967) is a Cuban-born coach and player development official in Major League Baseball. He was most recently the bullpen coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Career Rojas was a right-handed relief pitcher in his play ...

* Rolando Viera * Omar Yapur *

* Yasser Gomez * Odrisamer Despaigne * Yulieski Gurriel *

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Lourdes Yunielki Gurriel Castillo Jr. (born October 10, 1993) is a Cuban professional baseball left fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays where he debuted ...

* Andy Rodríguez * Bryan Chi

Television broadcasts

Beginning 2016-2017, alongside the nationally aired games on Tele Rebelde, several Industriales games at home are aired currently on local TV channel Canal Habana.

External links

Official Site * {{Cuban National Series Baseball teams in Cuba, Industriales (Havana) Sport in Havana Baseball teams established in 1962 1962 establishments in Cuba