This Alexei Bell 2008 José Huelga Tournament jersey is a center piece of Bjarkman's collection
Yosvany Peraza's WBC 2009 Home Club Jersey (Mexico and San Diego)
During a dozen-plus years of travels on the Cuban League baseball scene, Pete Bjarkman has amassed the largest and most unique collection of game-worn Cuban national team and league jerseys (including Olympic and WBC jerseys), all destined for eventual donation to a planned Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in Matanzas, Cuba.
Jerseys of Omar Linares and Osmani Urrutia, the Greatest Batsmen in Cuban League History
Like authentic game-worn uniform jerseys from major league baseball, Cuban League and Cuban national team jerseys provide a prime collectible and valid historical documentation of the sport's ongoing history. I began acquiring post-revolution Cuban baseball jerseys in 1997 and have now amassed a collection that numbers over 100 samples and constitutes the largest of its kind in existence. This collection, now temporarily housed in Havana and compiled with the knowledge and support of the Cuban Baseball Federation, is intended for eventual donation to a legitimate and secure Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, currently in the earliest planning stages and likely located in the port city of Matanzas, the Cuban version of Cooperstown and Hoboken and site of the "mythical" 1874 first documented Cuban baseball contest.
Included in the current Bjarkman collection are flannels from Cuban League play of the 1960s and 1970s, plus more recent Cuban League jerseys from such notable players as Freddie Cepeda (Beijing Olympics), Yulieski Gourriel (Sancti Spíritus), Osmani Urrutia (Las Tunas), José Ariel Contreras (Pinar del Río), and Kendry Morales (2002 Cuban League All-Star Game). Featured as well are national team jerseys from the late 1990s and early 2000s, including uniforms from the Sydney and Atlanta Olympics, 2001 Taipei World Cup, 2003 Havana World Cup, and 2005 Rotterdam World Cup, and 2006 Havana Olympic Qualifier Tournament. Players included are Omar Linares, Orestes Kindelán, Juan Padilla, Luis Ulacia, Norge Vera, Ariel Pestano, Victor Mesa, Yulieski Gourriel and Alexei Ramírez, among others. The showcase items of this collection are 14game-worn shirts from Cuba's greatest-ever baseball triumphs at the 2006 World Baseball Classic in San Juan and San Diego. These jerseys include those of Pedro Luis Lazo, Federich Cepeda, Vichyohandri Odelín and Ormari Romero. Recent additions are the 2006 Olympic Qualifier Tournament jerseys of Frank Montieth (MVP) and Alex Mayeta, worn in the final game loss versus Team USA, as well as the prized 2008 Beijing Olympic jerseys of Yoandry Urgellés and Freddie Cepeda.
Jerseys of Sancti Spíritus Favorites, Freddie Cepeda and Yulieski Gourriel
CURRENT INVENTORY OF BJARKMAN'S CUBAN LEAGUE COLLECTION
List Updated on May 20, 2010
BASEBALL WORLD CUP XXXIX (Europe 2009)
Freddie Cepeda (#24 Red Cuba)
Freddie Cepeda (#24 White Cuba)
Yosvany Peraza (#41 Red Cuba)
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC II (MLB's WBC 2009)
Yosvany Peraza (#46 White Cuba)
Frederich Cepeda (#24 Red Batting Practice)
Ismel Jiménez (#59 Red Batting Practice)
Rudy Reyes (#11 Red Cuba *not on final 24-man roster)
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC I (MLB's WBC 2006)
Pedro Luis Lazo (#99 Red Cuba)
Frederich Cepeda (#24 White Cuba)
Rudy Reyes (#11 White Cuba)
Ormari Romero (#19 Red Cuba)
Norberto González (#32 White Cuba)
Vicyohandri Odelín (#23 Red Cuba)
Juan Carlos Pedroso (#14 Red Cuba)
Leslie Anderson (#54 Red Cuba)
Carlos Tabares (#56 Red Cuba)
Juan Carlos Moreno (#42 White Cuba)
Yulieski González (#48 White Cuba)
Yadier Pedroso (#62 White Cuba)
Yosvani Pérez (#81 White Cuba)
Roger Machado (#61 White Cuba)
OLYMPIC GAMES CUBA JERSEYS
Frederich Cepeda (#24 Red, 2008 Olympics, Beijing)
Frederich Cepeda (#24 White, 2008 Olympics, Beijing)
Alexei Bell (#88 Red, 2008 Olympics, Beijing)
Yoandry Urgellés (#14 White, 2008 Olympics, Beijing)
Juan Padilla (#7 Red, 2000 Olympics, Sydney)
NATIONAL TEAM JERSEYS (General)
Alexei Bell (#88 Red, from José Huelga Memorial Tournament 2008)
Héctor Olivera (#28 Blue, from José Huelga Memorial Tournament 2008)
Yosvany Peraza (#41 Blue, from José Huelga Memorial Tournament 2008)
José Ariel Contreras (#52 Red, from 2003 Exhibition Series in Mexico)
Frederich Cepeda (#24 White, from 2005 World Cup XXXVI in Holland)
Frederich Cepeda (#24 Red, Pre-WBC Mexico Exhibition Series, 2009)
Frederich Cepeda (#24 Red, specific year unknown)
Frederich Cepeda (#24 Red, specific year unknown)
Yulieski Gourriel (#10 Red, specific year unknown)
Osmani Urrutia (#46 White, specific year unknown)
Omar Linares (#10 White, specific year unknown)
Orestes Kindelán (Red #46, specific year unknown)
Eduardo Paret (#2 Red, Pre-WBC Mexico Exhibition Series, 2009)
Eduardo Paret (#2 Red, specific year unknown)
Norge Luis Vera (#20 Red, specific year unknown)
Michel Enríquez (#12 White, specific year unknown)
Ariel Pestano (#8 Red, specific year unknown)
*Yasser Gómez (#5 Red, specific year unknown) (*Signed)
Alexei Ramírez (#21 Red, specific year unknown)
Eriel Sánchez (#5 Red, from World Cup XXXVIII, Taiwan)
Yosvany Peraza (#41 White, from Rotterdam 2007 World Port Tournament)
Carlos Tabares (#56 White, from Rotterdam 2007 World Port Tournament)
*Carlos Tabares (#56 Red, from World Cup XXXIII, Italy) (*Signed)
Victor Mesa (#32 Red, from Rotterdam 2007 World Port Tournament)
Victor Mesa (#32 Red, specific year unknown)
Yovani Aragón (#35 White, from Rotterdam 2007 World Port Tournament)
Yovani Aragón (#35 Red, from Rotterdam 2007 World Port Tournament)
Osvaldo Arias (#40 White, from Rotterdam 2007 World Port Tournament)
Joan Carlos Pedroso (#14 Red, specific year unknown)
Norberto González (#32 White, from World Cup XXXVI, Holland)
Norberto González (#32 Red, specific year unknown)
Kendry Morales (#8 White, from World Cup XXXV, Havana)
Yadel Martí (#90 White, from World Cup XXXV, Havana)
Alex Malleta (#65 White, from 2006 Olympic Qualifier, Havana)
Frank Montieth (#28 White, from 2006 Olympic Qualifier, Havana)
Servio Borges (#39 White, from World Cup XIX, Havana)
Antonio González (#10 White Flannel, from World Cup XVII, Santo Domingo)
Luis Ulacia (#1 Red, specific year unknown)
SUPER LEAGUE and Miscellaneous Uniforms
Kendry Morales (#8 Blue/Satin Occidentales, 2000 All-Star Series in Mexico)
Lázaro Vargas (#20 Blue Industriales, unknown tournament in Mexico)
Norberto González (#32 Orange Centrales, Super League 2005)
Andy Morales (#10 Red Cuba, questionable authenticity)
Pedro Luis Lazo (#99 Blue Cuba, unknow national team exhibition)
Yobal Dueñas (#24 Blue Cuba, unknown national team exhibition)
José Ariel Contreras (#52 Green Cuba, unknown national team exhibition)
Rolando Arrojo (#44 Blue Cuba, Junior national team unknown series)
Liván Hernández (#16 Blue Cuba, Junior national team unknown series)
Rey Ordóñez (#2 Blue Cuba, Junior national team unknown series)
NATIONAL SERIES JERSEYS (1970s-2000s)
Alexei Bell (#88 Red Santiago de Cuba, 2010 NS#49)
Frederic Cepeda (#24 White Sancti Spíritus, 2010 NS#49)
Frederich Cepeda (#24 Orange Sancti Spíritus, 2007 NS#46)
Osmani Urrutia (#46 Green Las Tunas, mid-2000s)
Yulieski Gourriel (#10 Blue Sancti Spíritus, 2004 NS#43)
Norge Luis Vera (#20 White Santiago de Cuba, 2007 NS#46)
Alexei Ramírez (#2 Green Pinar del Río, 2007 NS#46)
Yosvany Peraza (#41 Green Pinar del Río, 2008 NS#47)
Yoandry Urgellés (#14 White Industriales, 2007 NS#46)
Alex Malleta (#55 White Industriales, 2007 NS#46)
Rey Anglada (#36, Blue Industriales, manager, 2008 NS#47)
José Ariel Contreras (#52 Green Pinar del Río, early 2000s)
José Ariel Contreras (#52 White Pinar del Río, early 2000s)
Ciro Silvino Licea (#62 Grey Granma, 2005 NS#44)
Yovany Aragón (#35 Orange Sancti Spíritus, 2008 NS#47)
Yobal Dueñas (#24 White Pinar del Río, early 2000s)
Pavel Quesada (#7 Green Cienfuegos, 2007 NS#46)
Eduardo Leal (#5 Red Agropecuarios, mid-1980s)
Adolfo Borrell (#24 Grey Flannel Azucareros, mid-1970s)
Adolfo Borrell (#13 Green Cienfuegos, late 1980s)
Adolfo Borrell (#13 Tan Las Villas, mid-1980s)
Rolando Valdés (#38 Grey Flannel Azucareros, late-1960s)
Victor Eugelles (#15 Grey Flannel Camagüey, mid-1970s)
*Julio Romero (#23 Green Pinar del Río, coach, 1990s) (*Signed)
Alfonso Urquiola (#8 Green Pinar del Río, manager, 1990s)
Reinaldo Linares (#26 Grey Flannel Industriales, late-1960s)
Reinaldo Linares (#26 Grey Flannel Constructores, late-1960s)
Estéban Galbán (#17 Red Metropolitanos, mid-1980s)
César Valdés (#37 Grey Flannel Las Villas, mid-1970s)
Antonio Scull (#52 Blue Industriales, early 2000s)
Rolando Viera (#44 Blue Industriales, early 2000s)
Alex Villegas (#50 Green Camagüey, early 2000s)
Luis Fernández (#10 Red Henequeneros, mid-1980s)
Luis Fernández (#10 Yellow Henequeneros, mid-1980s)
Armando Dueñas (#6 White Citricultores, 1990s)
Mario Véliz (#22 Blue Habana Province, 1980s)
also various Cuban League jerseys with no player names
JAPANESE PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE JERSEY
Omar Linares (#38 White Cunichi Dragons, 2002)
PRE-REVOLUTION JERSEY (1954 Professional Winter League)
#Alejandro Crespo (#23 Cream Flannel Cienfuegos, shirt/pants) (#complete uniform)
MLB CUBAN JERSEYS
Carlos Tosca (#14 White Toronto Blue Jays, manager 2004)
Bjarkman's collection of Alfredo Manzo papier mache figures includes images of Martín Dihigo, Che (non-baseball), Fidel (Barbudos pitcher), Roberto Clemente, Conrado Marrero, Dolf Luque, Eduardo Paret, Germán Mesa, Kendry Morales, Maels Rodríguez, Omar Linares, Oscar Macías, Juan Manríque, and José Contreras, among others.
Jersey worn by Pedro Lazo to clinch the "most important win in Cuban baseball history"
FURTHER INFORMATION ON CUBAN LEAGUE UNIFORMS
I am willing to answer any questions regarding the history or anthenticity of Cuban National Series and National team jerseys. Address your inquiries to:
Peter C. Bjarkman
P.O. Box 2199
West Lafayette, IN 47996-2199
USA
or
email at bjarkman@mindspring.com
(see Contact page of this website)
