The nation of Cuba has a long, rich baseball history, with no-hitters dating back to Carlos Maciá’s gem in 1887. There were a total of eight Cuban League no-hitters thrown prior to armed rebels’ ouster of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista on New Year’s Day 1959.
A new major league called the Cuban National Series formed under the Fidel Castro regime in 1962, and play in that league continues today. There have been nearly 70 no-hitters in the Cuban National Series, including back-to-back no-nos a la Johnny Vander Meer by the Centrales’ Aquino Abreu in 1966.
Oh, and the Mets apparently have better no-hit luck in Cuba. On Saturday, December 10, 1988, in the Havana Metropolitanos’ 14th season, Metropolitanos southpaw Osvaldo Fernández Guerra tossed a 6-0 no-no over the Citricultores at Havana’s Estadio Latinoamericano. Much like my beloved team, the Metropolitanos played second fiddle in Havana to the much more successful Industriales. The Metropolitanos folded in early 2012, just months before their New York counterpart notched their first no-hitter.
Pre-revolution Cuban League no-hitters:
| 1 | Carlos Maciá |
|---|---|
| Almendares | |
| Sunday, February 13, 1887 Almendares 38, Carmelita 0 Almendares Park (Havana) |
|
| 2 | Eugenio de Rosas |
| Cárdenas | |
| Sunday, July 14, 1889 Progreso 8, Cárdenas 0 Palmar de Junco (Matanzas) Progreso did commit seven errors in this game |
|
| 3 | Oscar Lewis |
| Havana | |
| Saturday, October 11, 1924 Havana 1, Almendares 0 |
|
| 4 | Raymond Brown |
| Santa Clara | |
| Saturday, November 7, 1936 Santa Clara 7, Havana 0 Terrenos de Santa Clara (Santa Clara) (Brown, a Negro Leagues star who played for the Dayton Marcos, the Indianapolis ABCs, the Detroit Wolves and the Homestead Grays, got the start for the West in the 1935 East-West All Star Game) |
|
| 5 | Manuel Garcia |
| Havana | |
| Saturday, December 11, 1943 Havana 5, Marianao 0 Estadio La Tropical (Havana) |
|
| 6 | Tomás de la Cruz |
| Almendares | |
| Thursday, January 4, 1945 Almendares 7, Havana 0 Estadio La Tropical (Havana) |
|
| 7 | Rogelio Martínez |
| Marianao | |
| Monday, February 6, 1950 Marianao 6, Almendares 0 Gran Stadium del Cerro (Havana) |
|
| 8 | Antonio Díaz |
| Cienfuegos | |
| Saturday, November 23, 1957 Cienfuegos 2, Havana 0 Gran Stadium del Cerro (Havana) |
Cuban National Series no-hitters
| 1 | Aquino Abreu |
|---|---|
| Centrales | |
| Sunday, January 16, 1966 (first game of doubleheader) Centrales 11, Occidentales 0 Estadio Augusto César Sandino (Santa Clara) |
|
| 2 | Aquino Abreu |
| Centrales | |
| Tuesday, January 25, 1966 Centrales 7, Industriales de La Habana 0 Latin American Stadium (Havana) Only back-to-back no-hitters in Cuban baseball history |
|
| 3 | Manuel Alarcón |
| Orientales | |
| Tuesday, January 24, 1967 Orientales 2, Las Villas 1 Ciudad Deportiva (Santiago de Cuba) |
|
| 4 | Roberto Valdés |
| Orientales | |
| Tuesday, February 14, 1967 Orientales 12, Granjeros 0 Ciudad Deportiva (Santiago de Cuba) |
|
| 5 | Leopoldo Valdés |
| Havana | |
| Sunday, January 7, 1968 Havana 5, Pinar del RÍo 0 Estadio Latinoamericano (Havana) With Pérez’s no-no below, first time no-hitters were thrown on same day |
|
| 6 | Jesús Pérez |
| Industriales de La Habana | |
| Sunday, January 7, 1968 Industriales de La Habana 5, Vegueros 0 Estadio 26 de Julio (Artemisa) With Valdés’ no-no above, first time no-hitters were thrown on same day |
|
| 7 | Douglas Sorriba |
| Granjeros | |
| Tuesday, January 9, 1968 Granjeros 4, Henequeneros 1 Estadio Cándido González (Camagüey) |
|
| 8 | José Antonio Huelga |
| Azucareros | |
| Sunday, January 14, 1968 Azucareros 1, Granjeros 0 Estadio Augusto César Sandino (Santa Clara) |
|
| 9 | Douglas Sorriba |
| Granjeros | |
| Tuesday, January 16, 1968 Granjeros 4, Vegueros 1 Estadio Cándido González (Camagüey) |
|
| 10 | Orlando Figueredo |
| Oriente | |
| Thursday, January 25 ,1968 Oriente 1, Azucareros 0 Ciudad Deportiva (Santiago de Cuba) |
|
| 11 | Florentino Alfonso |
| Granjeros | |
| Saturday, March 16, 1968 Camagüey 1, Granjeros 0 (A Granjeros loss) Estadio Cándido González (Camagüey) Only no-hitter for a loss in Cuban history |
|
| 12 | Florentino González |
| Camagüey | |
| Thursday, April 4, 1968 Camagüey 1, Matanzas 0 Estadio Cándido González (Camagüey) |
|
| 13 | Raúl Álvarez |
| Pinar del RÍo | |
| Tuesday, December 10, 1968 Pinar del RÍo 9, Camagüey 0 Estadio CVD Bauta (Bauta) |
|
| 14 | Andrés Liaño |
| Industriales de La Habana | |
| Tuesday, February 4, 1969 Industriales de La Habana 8, Pinar del RÍo 0 Estadio Latinoamericano (Havana) With Fombona’s no-no below, second time no-hitters were thrown on same day |
|
| 15 | Yoire Fombona |
| Camagüey | |
| Tuesday, February 4, 1969 Camagüey 6, Oriente 1 Estadio Cándido González (Camagüey) With Liaño’s no-no above, second time no-hitters were thrown on same day |
|
| 16 | Alfredo GarcÍa |
| Henequeneros | |
| Sunday, April 6, 1969 Henequeneros 1, Azucareros 0 Estadio Augusto César Sandino (Santa Clara) |
|
| 17 | Rigoberto Betancourt |
| Industriales de La Habana | |
| Wednesday, January 7, 1970 Industriales de La Habana 1, Oriente 0 Estadio Latinoamericano (Havana) |
|
| 18 | Walfrido Ruiz Elpidio Paez |
| Havana | |
| Saturday, January 16, 1971 Havana 10, Camagüey 0 Estadio Cándido González (Camagüey) First multiple pitcher no-hitter in Cuban history |
|
| 19 | Aniceto Montes de Oca |
| Azucareros | |
| Thursday, January 21 ,1971 Azucareros 5, Pinar del RÍo 0 Estadio Capitán San Luis (Pinar del Río) |
|
| 20 | Juan Pérez Pérez |
| Camagüey | |
| Thursday, February 22, 1973 Camagüey 7, Serranos 0 Estadio Cándido González (Camagüey) |
|
| 21 | Juan Pérez Pérez |
| Camagüey | |
| Thursday, April 25, 1974 Camagüey 1, Oriente 0 Estadio Guillermón Moncada (Santiago de Cuba) |
|
| 22 | Juan Pérez Pérez |
| Ganaderos | |
| Sunday, January 19, 1975 Ganaderos de Camagǔey 2, Citricultores de Matanzas 0 Estadio Cándido González (Camagüey) Pérez becomes first pitcher with three no-hitters |
|
| 23 | Oscar Romero |
| Camagüeyanos | |
| Sunday, May 4, 1975 Camagüeyanos 4, Industriales de La Habana 0 Estadio Latinoamericano (Havana) First no-hitter in Series Selectivas |
|
| 24 | Porfirio Pérez |
| Forestales de Pinar del Río | |
| Tuesday, December 27, 1977 Forestales de Pinar del Río 3, Vaqueros de La Habana 0 Estadio Capitán San Luis (Pinar del Río) |
|
| 25 | Juan R. Gómez Pablo Castro José Brizuela |
| Ganaderos de Camagüey | |
| Sunday, February 18, 1979 Ganaderos de Camagüey 14, Tigres de Ciego de Ávila 0 Estadio Mártires de Barbados (Bayamo) |
|
| 26 | Nivaldo Pérez |
| Las Villas | |
| Wednesday, March 28, 1979 Las Villas 4, Camagüeyanos 0 Estadio Augusto César Sandino (Santa Clara) |
|
| 27 | Omar Carrero |
| Ciego de Ávila | |
| Tuesday, January 27, 1981 Tigres de Ciego de Ávila 13, Leñadores de Las Tunas 0 Estadio José R. Cepero (Ciego de Ávila) |
|
| 28 | Ángel Leocadio DÍaz |
| Industriales de La Habana | |
| Saturday, January 16, 1982 Industriales de La Habana 2, Sabuesos de HolguÍn 0 Estadio Latinoamericano (Havana) |
|
| 29 | Carlos Mesa |
| Citricultores de Matanzas | |
| Thursday, February 11, 1982 Citricultores de Matanzas 6, Vaqueros de La Habana 0 Estadio Victoria de Girón (Matanzas) |
|
| 30 | José Manuel Pedroso |
| Vaqueros de La Habana | |
| Tuesday, May 18, 1982 Vaqueros de La Habana 1, Camagüeyanos 0 Estadio Latinoamericano (Havana) |
|
| 31 | Mario Véliz |
| Naranjas de Villa Clara | |
| Thursday, December 30, 1982 Naranjas de Villa Clara 3, Citricultores de Matanzas 0 Estadio Augusto César Sandino (Santa Clara) |
|
| 32 | Julio Romero |
| Vegueros de Pinar del RÍo | |
| Wednesday, March 9, 1983 Vegueros de Pinar del RÍo 2, Camagüeyanos 0 Estadio Cándido González (Camagüey) |
|
| 33 | Jorge Luis Valdés |
| Henequeneros de Matanzas | |
| Tuesday, January 31, 1984 Henequeneros de Matanzas 1, Naranjas de Villa Clara 0 Estadio Augusto César Sandino (Santa Clara) First no-hitter in finals |
|
| 34 | Rogelio GarcÍa |
| Vegueros de Pinar del RÍo | |
| Sunday, March 1, 1987 Vegueros de Pinar del RÍo 10, Camagüeyanos 0 (7 innings) Estadio Cándido González (Camagüey) |
|
| 35 | Rogelio GarcÍa |
| Vegueros de Pinar del RÍo | |
| Sunday, March 22, 1987 Vegueros de Pinar del RÍo 3, Serranos de Santiago 0 Estadio Hermanos Saíz (Pinar) |
|
| 36 | Osvaldo Fernández Guerra |
| Metropolitanos de Habana | |
| Saturday, December 10, 1988 Metropolitanos de Habana 6, Citricultores de Matanzas 0 Estadio Latinoamericano (Havana) |
|
| 37 | Héctor DomÍnguez |
| Citricultores de Matanzas | |
| Wednesday, December 13, 1989 Citricultores de Matanzas 2, Pirates de Isla de la Juventud 0 Estadio Cerro Pelado (Jovellanos) |
|
| 38 | Orlando “El Duque” Hernández |
| Vaqueros de La Habana | |
| Saturday, April 7, 1990 Vaqueros de La Habana 11, Henequeneros de Matanzas 0 (7 innings) Estadio Victoria de Girón (Matanzas) |
|
| 39 | Faustino Corrales |
| Vegueros de Pinar del Río | |
| Tuesday, November 19, 1991 Vegueros de Pinar del Río 7, Pirates de Isla de la Juventud 0 Estadio Cristóbal Labra (Nueva Gerona) |
|
| 40 | Osvaldo Fernández RodrÍguez |
| Sabuesos de HolguÍn | |
| Sunday, November 29, 1992 Sabuesos de HolguÍn 10, Metropolitanos de Habana 0 (7 innings) Estadio Latinoamericano (Havana) |
|
| 41 | Ernesto Guevara Ramos |
| Alazanes de Granma | |
| Tuesday, December 8, 1992 Alazanes de Granma 2, Industriales de La Habana 0 Estadio Mártires de Barbados (Bayamo) |
|
| 42 | Modesto Luis |
| Leñadores de Las Tunas | |
| Tuesday, November 18, 1997 Leñadores de Las Tunas 7, Alazanes de Granma 0 Estadio Julio Antonio Mella (Las Tunas) |
|
| 43 | Geovanis Castañeda |
| Indios de Guantánamo | |
| Saturday, November 22, 1997 Indios de Guantánamo 8, Leñadores de Las Tunas 0 Estadio Nguyen Van Troi (Guantánamo) |
|
| 44 | José Miguel Báez |
| Leñadores de Las Tunas | |
| Tuesday, November 17, 1998 Leñadores de Las Tunas 6, Metropolitanos de Habana 0 Estadio Latinoamericano (Havana) |
|
| 45 | Maels RodrÍguez |
| Gallos de Sancti SpÍritus | |
 Wednesday, December 22, 1999Gallos de Sancti SpÍritus 1, Leñadores de Las Tunas 0 Estadio José Antonio Huelga (Sancti SpÍritus) Only Cuban perfect game |
|
| 46 | Adiel Palma |
| Elefantes de Cienfuegos | |
| Saturday, December 25, 1999 Elefantes de Cienfuegos 4, Leñadores de Las Tunas 0 Estadio 5 de Septiembre (Cienfuegos) |
|
| 47 | Carlos A. Yanes |
| Pirates de Isla de la Juventud | |
| Sunday, March 5, 2000 Pirates de Isla de la Juventud 6, Naranjas de Villa Clara 0 Estadio Cristóbal Labra (Nueva Gerona) |
|
| 48 | Norge Luis Vera |
| Avispas de Santiago de Cuba | |
| Sunday, January 21, 2001 Avispas de Santiago de Cuba 3, Vaqueros de La Habana 0 Estadio Nelson Fernández (San José de las Lajas) |
|
| 49 | Michel Pérez |
| Naranjas de Villa Clara | |
| Wednesday, February 7, 2001 Naranjas de Villa Clara 10, Leñadores de Las Tunas 0 Estadio Mártires de Quemados (Quemado de Güines) |
|
| 50 | Maels RodrÍguez |
| Centrales (Súper Liga) | |
| Wednesday, August 21, 2002 Centrales 1, Habaneros 0 Estadio Latinoamericano (Havana) Only Súper Liga no-hitter |
|
| 51 | Fernando Tejeda Glez |
| Toros de Camagüey | |
| Thursday, January 22, 2004 Toros de Camagüey 1, Industriales de La Habana 0 Estadio Latinoamericano (Havana) |
|
| 52 | José A. Barroso |
| Tigres de Ciego de Ávila | |
| Saturday, February 12, 2005 Tigres de Ciego de Ávila 10, Elefantes de Cienfuegos 0 (7 innings) Estadio Paquito Espinosa (Ciego de Ávila) |
|
| 53 | Damichel González |
| Leñadores de Las Tunas | |
| Saturday, March 5, 2005 Leñadores de Las Tunas 4, Toros de Camagüey 0 Estadio de Najasa (Najasa) |
|
| 54 | Jonder MartÍnez |
| Vaqueros de La Habana | |
| Thursday, March 6, 2008 Vaqueros de La Habana 7, Tigres de Ciego de Ávila 0 Estadio José Ramón Cepero (Ciego de Ávila) |
|
| 55 | Jorge MartÍnez Roque |
| Cocodrilos de Matanzas | |
| Thursday, January 29, 2009 Cocodrilos de Matanzas 3, Toros de Camagüey 0 Estadio Latinoamericano (Havana) Only base runner, Serguei Perez, reached base on a hit batsman in second inning. He was retired on a double-play. |
|
| 56 | Vladimir Baños Chacon |
| Vegueros de Pinar del RÍo | |
| Thursday, December 23, 2010 Vegueros de Pinar del RÍo 5, Cocodrilos de Matanzas 0 Estadio Hermanos Saíz (Pinar) |
|
| 57 | Raimar Navarro (9 inn.) Pablo Fernández (1 inn.) |
| Sabuesos de HolguÍn | |
| Tuesday, March 13, 2012 Sabuesos de HolguÍn 1, Toros de Camagüey 0 (10 innings) Estadio Cándido González (Camagüey) First extra-inning no-hitter in Cuba; first no-hitter in a game involving the Schiller Rule tiebreaker |
|
| 58 | Freddy Asiel Álvarez |
| Naranjas de Villa Clara | |
| Tuesday, November 19, 2013 Naranjas de Villa Clara 1, Gallos de Sancti Spíritus 0 Estadio Augusto César Sandino (Santa Clara) |
|
| 59 | David Mena |
| Industriales de La Habana | |
| Tuesday, September 19, 2017 Industriales de La Habana 2, Naranjas de Villa Clara 0 (5 innings due to rain) Estadio Augusto César Sandino (Santa Clara) |
|
| 60 | Ricardo Martínez |
| Cazadores de Artemisa | |
| Tuesday, August 14, 2018 Cazadores de Artemisa 15, Elefantes de Cienfuegos 0 (5 innings) Estadio Latinoamericano (Havana) |
|
| 61 | Geonel Gutiérrez |
| Cazadores de Artemisa | |
| Friday, September 7, 2018 Cazadores de Artemisa 10, Avispas de Santiago de Cuba 0 (7 innings) Estadio Guillermón Moncada (Santiago) |
|
| 62 | Freddy Asiel Álvarez |
| Naranjas de Villa Clara | |
| Tuesday, August 20, 2019 Naranjas de Villa Clara 3, Indios de Guantánamo 0 Estadio Latinoamericano (Havana) |
|
| 63 | Arnaldo Rodríguez |
| Tigres de Ciego de Ávila | |
| Thursday, October 29, 2020 Tigres de Ciego de Ávila 3, Vegueros de Pinar del Río 0 Estadio Cándido González (Camagüey) |
|
| 64 | Noelvis Entenza |
| Cocodrilos de Matanzas | |
| Wednesday, November 4, 2020 Cocodrilos de Matanzas 3, Los Alazanes de Granma 0 (7 innings) Estadoio Mártires de Barbados (Bayamo) |
|
| 65 | Luis Alberto Marrero |
| Tigres de Ciego de Ávila | |
| Thursday, November 26, 2020 Tigres de Ciego de Ávila 15, Cazadores de Artemisa 0 (5 innings) José Ramón Cepero Stadium (Ciego de Ávila) |
|
| 66 | Erluis Blanco |
| Los Alazanes de Granma | |
| Sunday, March 27, 2022 Los Alazanes de Granma 15, Elefantes de Cienfuegos 0 (5 innings) Estadio 5 de Septiembre (Cienfuegos) |
|
| 67 | Geonel Gutiérrez |
| Cazadores de Artemisa | |
| Monday, April 17, 2023 Cazadores de Artemisa 16, Gallos de Sancti Spíritus 0 (5 innings) Estadio 26 de Julio (Artemisa) Shortened perfect game |
|
| 68 | Renner Rivero |
| Cocodrilos de Matanzas | |
| Monday, May 8, 2023 Cocodrilos de Matanzas 6, Vegueros de Pinar del Rio 0 Estadio Victoria de Girón (Matanzas) |
|
| 68 | Osdany Rodríguez |
| Leopardos de Santa Clara | |
| Monday, May 29, 2023 Leopardos de Santa Clara 7, Gallos de Sancti Spíritus 0 Estadio Augusto César Sandino (Santa Clara) |
Serie del Caribe (Carribean Series) no-hitter:
| Tommy Fine | |
|---|---|
| Leones del Habana | |
| Thursday, February 21, 1952 Leones del Habana 1, Cerveceria Caracas (Venezuela) Olympic Park (Panama City, Panama) |
Sources: Desde Mi Palco de Fanatico, Zona de Strike, HavanaTimes.org, Baseball-Reference.com
Title photo: swing by vcheregati under license CC BY-SA 2.0