Almendares (baseball)

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The Almendares club was one of the oldest and most distinguished teams in the old Cuban League, which existed from 1878 to 1961. Almendares represented the Almendares district on the outskirts of the old city of Havana—when the league was founded it was still considered a suburban area, but later became a district within the enlarged city. Almendares was one of the most successful franchises in the Cuban League. In their early history they were known by their colors as the Blues; later they adopted the name of Alacranes or Scorpions. Throughout their existence they had a famous rivalry with Habana.

Almendares won its first championship in 1893–94, carried by pitching ace Juan Manuel Pastoriza, the first of many superb pitchers to be associated with the club.