All Cubans baseball team begins U.S. barnstorming tour

Background. The All Cubans were a team of Cuban professional baseball players that toured the United States during 1899. They were the first Latin American professional baseball team to tour the United States. The team consisted of Cuban criollos and mestizos, playing against white semiprofessional and Negro league teams. The American sponsor of the 1899 tour was former baseball player and entrepreneur Alfred Lawson.

Tour Start. The team's first recorded game was on July 28, 1899, against a white semi-pro team in Weehawken, New Jersey. The All Cubans won this match 12–4. This event marked the beginning of their barnstorming tour, which included games against both white and black teams, highlighting the team's role in bridging racial divides in baseball.

Sponsorship. The American sponsor of the 1899 tour was former baseball player and entrepreneur Alfred Lawson. He recalled arriving in New York in June 1899 with $25 and 12 players.