This entry features Martin Dihigo, a professional baseball player who became a national hero in his native Cuba. In addition to playing in the Cuban League, Dihigo played in the leagues of the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Venezuela and in the U.S. Negro leagues. Because of the colour barrier that existed in professional baseball in the United States until 1947, Dihigo is not familiar to most fans there, yet he is considered to be among the best players in the history of the game. (See also Sidebar: Latin Americans in Major League Baseball.).