1940 MEXICAN NUEVO LAREDO LA JUNTA TEAM PHOTO WITH HOF MEMBERS HILTON SMITH & WILLARD BROWN.

Offered here is the only known example depicting the Nuevo Laredo La Junta team from the 1940 Mexican Professional League baseball season. Further adding to the rarity of this piece is the fact that this ball club would only play one season of professional ball prior to disbanding at the conclusion of the 1940 season. Amazingly enough, they were able to assemble quite a star-studded array of ballplayers, including two future Hall of Famers, Hilton Smith & Willard Brown along with other well-known stars, Pepper Bassett, Ted Strong, Buster Clarkson & Ed Stone.

La Junta became a professional team when they joined the Mexican League in 1940. This coincided with that league's initiation of a decade of modernization and rivalry with Major League Baseball under the leadership of millionaire Jorge Pasquel. He sought committed owners, centralized organization of the teams, created a more structured schedule, and recruited players from north of the border. Pasquel quickly signed American Negro League stars and paid them well. In La Junta's inaugural season, pitcher Edward "Pullman" Porter, a veteran of the Negro League, set a record of 232 strikeouts that stood for twelve years. For Negro Leaguer's such as Willard Brown & Hilton Smith, playing in the Mexican League offered opportunities for higher earnings and unrestricted social mobility. The rivalry between the two leagues peaked in 1946, when Pasquel's battles with MLB Commissioner Happy Chandler became known as the "Baseball War" of 1946.

For La Junta, however, the 1940s proved to be a struggle. The team dropped out of the league following their first season and reemerged as Los Tecolotes (The Owls) three years later, in 1944. They took the name because Nuevo Laredo was the first city to host night games. Again they dropped out of the league after the 1946 season only to return in 1949. This time, however, they had to compete for fans with a new team, the Laredo Apaches of the Rio Grande Valley League.
Here are the identifications for all players pictured (Standing L-R): Leslie Green, Pepper Bassett, Hilton Smith, Zenon Ochoa, Ted Strong, Buster Clarkson, Ed Stone, Willard Brown. (Kneeling L-R): Gilberto Delgado, Simon Saenz, Stan Pintorelli, Manuel Perez, Guadalupe Ortegon. The team is posed on a ballfield.

This original 8x10" glossy has photographer's stamp on back "Roberto Lopez."

Obvious all over wear mostly in the form of creases, much of this only seen in reflected light but top right has a more visible 4" diagonal crease. Left center margin has .5" tear. Bottom margin below team images has inking done at the time noting team info and date of Sept. 22, 1940. Overall just Good but image is strong and clear.
Don't pass up the opportunity to pick up this unique pre-war Mexican team photo picturing two Hall of Famers.

Grade: L