1999 Cuban National Team complete set of 24. The top edges all have inexplicably weird cuts. Key cards are Omar Linares, Orestes Kindelán, Antonio Pacheco, José Contreras, Pedro Luis Lazo, and others. These were issued in conjuction with the 1999 Exhibition Series between the Cuban National Team and the Baltimore Orioles. The series consisted of two games, one in Havana and one in Baltimore. The first game Was in Cuba and saw Cuban National team legend (and later World Series champion) José Contreras enter the game in the 2nd inning and shutout the Orioles for 8 innings with 10 strikeouts. Cuba was down 2-1 in the 8th when Omar Linares drove in the game-tying run. The game went to extra innings with the Orioles winning in the 11th when Harold Baines drove in Will Clark for the go ahead run. The Orioles won 3-2. It was the first time a Major League team had traveled to Cuba since 1959.
The second game was played a month later at Camden Yards. The Cuban team won easily with a 12-6 victory. Omar Linares reached base 6 times. Linares would undoubtedly be known as one of the top 3rd basemen in baseball history had he been born later, or in another country. He is the greatest player in the history of post-revolution Cuban baseball.