1893- The Cuban Giants Come to Town

The Cuban Giants was the first professional black baseball team in the nation. They made their living traveling across the country playing anyone that would play them, and on May 9th of 1893, they came to Middlebury College. The game drew a crowd of 400 people, a pretty significant number considering only 85 people were enrolled at the College at that point. The Middlebury Nine lost 17-8, and then were beaten twice the following year. The Cuban Giants made a total of four appearances at the college, defeating Middlebury all four times. Despite its unsuccessful contests against the Cuban Giants, the College enjoyed hosting some of the best baseball players in the nation.