A brief history of baseball in Miami - The early years



Founded in July 1896, baseball in Miami is just 119 years old,  much younger than most comparable cities to the north and west.
In 1912, Miami got its first minor league team: the Miami Magicians. The Magicians played in the East Florida State League. The league, and the Magicians, ceased operations because of World War I, like most leagues around the country. 
By World War II, the Florida East Coast League featured four local teams: the Miami Beach Flamingos, the Miami Wahoos, the Fort Lauderdale Tarpons, and the West Palm Beach Indians. The 30s saw the rise of the Miami Giants, a major league team in the Negro Leagues.
By 1943, with so many male baseball players off fighting in World War II, Philip K. Wrigley, owner of the Chicago Cubs, launched the All American Girls Baseball League, which trained in Opa-locka.
After the war years, baseball continued to grow in popularity. Recognizing the need for a larger stadium to serve ever-growing crowds, Jose Manuel Aleman, a retired Cuban government minister, led a project to erect what would become Miami Stadium. At its completion, it was considered one of the finest baseball parks in the country.
Compiled by Rafael Perez Lequerica 2017

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