| Cienfuegos | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| League | Cuban League (1878–1961) |
| Ballpark | Estadio del Cerro (1946–1961) |
| Established | 1926 |
| Folded | 1961 |
| Nickname | Elefantes (Elephants) |
| Caribbean Series championships | 2(1956,1960) |
| League championships | 5 (1929–30, 1945–46, 1955–56, 1959–60, 1960–61) |
| Colors | Black, green and white |
Cienfuegos, also known asElefantes de Cienfuegos, was a Cuban baseball team that played in the oldCuban League, which existed from 1878 to 1961. Although representing the south coast city ofCienfuegos, the team played their home games inHavana.
Cienfuegos won five Cuban League championships (including in 1960–61, the last season of the league) and two Caribbean Series (in1956 and1960).[1]
Though Cienfuegos folded with the abolition ofprofessional baseball on the island in the wake of theCuban Revolution, its name lives on with theElefantes de Cienfuegos of theCuban National Series.
Cienfuegos first participated in theCuban Professional League championship during the 1926–27 season. Cienfuegos did not play in the 1927–28 season, contending again from 1928 to 1929 through 1930–31. After eight long years of absence, Cienfuegos reappeared in the 1939–40 tournament. In the 1949–50 season, the team was renamed as theElefantes de Cienfuegos (Cienfuegos Elephants). "The pace of the elephant is slow but crushing", exclaimed the slogan of the Cienfuegos franchise that contended until the 1960–61 season. Following the 1959Cuban Revolution, political tensions rose with theFidel Castro government. In March 1961, one month after the regular season ended, the new Cuban regime decreed the abolition ofprofessional baseball inCuba.
In 26 Championships in which Cienfuegos participated, the team won five league titles in 1929–30, 1945–46, 1955–56, 1959–60 and 1960–61, finishing second 6 times, third 7 times, and fourth 8 times, posting a 732–793 record for a .480average. Cienfuegos also won theCaribbean Series in1956 and1960.
| Year | Venue | Finish | Wins | Losses | Win% | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 |  Panama City | 1st | 5 | 1 | .833 |  Oscar Rodríguez |
| 1960 | Panama City | 1st | 6 | 0 | 1.000 | Tony Castaño |
