How Latin America Revolutionized Baseball

The increase of Latino players in the league in the 1950s allowed the MLB to expand.

Baseball in the United States is known as a National Pastime. However, just south of the border, it was a full-time passion for many in Latin America. In fact, by 1864 there were leagues in Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.

The first Latino to play professional baseball in the U.S was Cuban star, Esteban Enrique Bellán, who was white-passing. Howev…