De la Cruz was a brand of baseball cards produced in Cuba from the 1930s through the 1960s. The cards featured Cuban baseball players and were highly popular among collectors in Cuba during a golden age for the sport in the country. While information on the earliest De la Cruz cards can be scarce, they helped drive the growth of baseball card collecting as a hobby in Cuba.
The company behind the De la Cruz cards was Fábrica de Cartón y Papel De la Cruz, a paper and cardboard factory located in Havana. The factory began producing the cards sometime in the late 1930s or early 1940s, capitalizing on the rising popularity of Cuban winter league baseball. Winter league ball drew many American major leaguers to Cuba each offseason, exposing Cuban fans to top talent from both countries. Stars like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron all got their start in Cuban winter ball.
Some of the earliest known De la Cruz cards date to the 1940-41 and 1941-42 winter league seasons. These cards featured individual Cuban players on a plain white background. Information included the player’s name, position, team and sometimes statistics. The photos were simple headshots. Production quality was basic but the cards helped promote the stars of Cuban baseball. Notable early players featured included Alejandro “Cookie” Rojas, Martin Dihigo and Minnie Miñoso, who would go on to have Hall of Fame careers in the Negro Leagues and Major Leagues.
In the late 1940s, De la Cruz card design evolved as production techniques advanced. Cards from the 1947-48 and 1948-49 seasons added team logos and colorful graphics behind the player photos. Statistics blocks provided more detailed stats. Sets from these years are some of the most iconic De la Cruz designs among collectors today. Stars of this era included pitcher Conrado “Pupi” Marrero, who won over 200 games in the Cuban leagues, as well as future MLB All-Stars Jose “Cheo” Cruz and Orestes “Minnie” Miñoso.
The 1950s marked the peak years for De la Cruz cards and Cuban baseball popularity. The island nation was producing top talent that was now being signed by Major League clubs. In 1951, Miñoso became the first black Latin player in the American League. Other Cuban stars of this era included Jose “Cheo” Cruz, Sandy Amoros, Camilo Pascual and Luis Tiant Sr. De la Cruz cards reflected the excitement, using action shots and colorful graphics. Complete sets from seasons in the early-to-mid 1950s are the most valuable to collectors today.
In addition to multi-player sets, De la Cruz also produced smaller series spotlighting individual Cuban league stars. Examples include a 9-card set from 1952-53 focusing on Jose “Cheo” Cruz of the Almendares club. Cruz was one of Cuba’s most popular players of the era. Other individual stars to receive their own mini-series included Pascual, Tiant and various “Cuba’s Best” collections that profiled top players season by season. While rarer than the larger checklists, these specialized sets provide a unique view of legendary Cuban careers.
The late 1950s saw the Castro revolution gain momentum in Cuba. As political tensions rose, the flow of major league talent to the island began to slow. The Cuban Winter League soldiered on through 1960, but the changing times were reflected in De la Cruz cards of the period. Designs became simpler and production quality dipped compared to the lush 1950s issues. The cards also began promoting Cuban nationalism more heavily. The 1960-61 season proved to be the last for De la Cruz, as Fidel Castro took power in 1959.
While De la Cruz cards vanished along with free enterprise in Cuba, their legacy endured among collectors abroad. Exiles and tourists helped small but valuable stocks find their way overseas. Prices climbed steadily as the cards became more elusive. Among the most prized today are high-grade examples from the golden era of the late 1940s through mid-1950s. Complete sets can sell for thousands when they surface, with individual stars like Miñoso, Pascual or Tiant fetching hundreds in top condition. Though production was short-lived, De la Cruz cards preserved an important slice of Cuban baseball history that is still treasured by collectors worldwide. They remain icons representing the island’s rich baseball past.
In summary, De la Cruz baseball cards were produced in Cuba from the late 1930s through the early 1960s. They helped drive the growth of baseball card collecting on the island during a golden age for the sport, spotlighting Cuban winter league stars. Considered some of the most iconic Cuban sports collectibles, De la Cruz cards chronicled the rise of Cuban players in the major leagues and the changing political times, before production ceased after Fidel Castro’s revolution. Though short-lived, the cards preserve an important part of baseball history that is still treasured by collectors today.
