CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE
CIGARROS GLORIAS DE LA GLORIA y MARIA GUERRERO GRAN COLECCION DE SPORT-ARTE-BELLEZA BASKETBALL CARD (CUBA)
There isn’t much information on this rare set of 1920s Cuban cards. They were distributed by the historic La Gloria Cubana company, a boutique Cuban cigar brand founded in 1885. The actual manufacturer of the set is unknown, but they do have many similarities to the Romeo y Julieta Cuban cards from the same era.
The cards seem to have been released in two variations, one with text and one without (blank). The text versions mention the set collection consists of sports, art, and beauty, although I’ve only seen examples of a couple other sports cards (soccer).
The only basketball card (yet discovered) of player Onelia Ramos mentions that she is the Guard of the Basketball team of D. Hispano América. This provides a clue as to the date of these cards: D. Hispano América references an early 20th-century sports venue, Deportivo Hispano América (often centered around the Stadium Armada or Stadium de la Armada) located in Havana, Cuba. In March 1928, this site marked a significant milestone in Cuban sports history when it officially opened its doors and celebrated its inauguration with a series of historic international basketball and sport matches. This venue was part of the foundational era of basketball expanding across the island, which originally concentrated heavily in Havana and Bejucal before achieving nationwide popularity decades later.
The card is thin card stock and the black border has a semi-metallic shimmer that doesn't show up in the scans. The handwritten note on the back of this card seems to read "Mercaditas, I offered it to you, and even though it's late, I'm sending it to you. — Lola"
Measurements: 1.875" x 2.375"
circa 1928
