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Former Chicago Cubs player Jose Cardenal was an innovator in the game

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

A recent game against the Minnesota Twins featured a mention of one of my all-time favorite Chicago Cubs players, Jose Cardenal. One of the last Cuban players to emmigrate before the island was locked down, Cardenal came to the U.S. in 1960. He was signed by the San Francisco Giants as a prospect for a $200 bonus.

That $200 was the impetus for a long career. He played 18 years in the big leagues for a variety of teams. Six of those years, in the middle of this career, were spent on the North Side of Chicago.