✅ SOLVED Miami Amigos

[Bigcypresshunter]

I know what it is. Its a Louisville Slugger 1979 Opening Season promotional giveaway Im assuming for the defunct Miami Amigos baseball team. Im trying to get an idea of value before I sell on eBay.

Can any of you slueths find another example online? I would also know exactly what it was given away for or what? Value? I cant find anything. Its 16 inches long, wood and mint condition. It would hurt if you bopped someone on the head. Thanks.

The interesting Inter-American League didnt last one year. Davey Johnson was manager. #63 Miami Amigos at Fun While It Lasted

 

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[Bigcypresshunter]

The color seems to match the uniform. View attachment 636051

 

[DCMatt]

Davey Johnson is now managing the Washington Nats (my home town team). I wonder if he would like it?

I found this on ebay. The guy wants $50.
This is an incredibly rare find....
Eye-catching 1979 MIAMI AMIGOS game program from the doomed INTER-AMERICAN LEAGUE. In twenty years of collecting and dealing, I have never seen an item from the Inter-American League before.
The league was an independent circuit, sanctioned as triple-A caliber by Major League Baseball, but with no parent club affiliations. Teams were located in Panama, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico. Miami was the only continental U.S.-based club. There were a lot of great old-timers that came to play in the Inter-American League including BOBBY TOLAN, MIKE CUELLAR, OSCAR ZAMORA and ZOILI VERSAILLES.
DAVEY JOHNSON was the player-manager for the Amigos. They also featured DANNY THOMAS, the "Sundown Kid", a tragic figure in Milwaukee Brewers history who committed suicide in 1980.
The Inter-American League had massive managerial problems and folded in June 1979 after only two months of operation, which is one of the main reasons that material from this league is so scarce. The other is that hardly anyone went to the games, except for the Caracas team in Venezuela which drew crowds of 7,000 - 8,000 for some games.
They made a nice program though!
30 pages. Excellent condition.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I hate the Wash Nationals. Pittsburgh couldnt lose when they really needed to and missed first pic Bryon Harper, a player they really needed.. A player like that only comes around once in a decade. Where would the Penguins be without Mario Lemieux? The Nationals got the top draft pics and the Pirates got second choice because they couldnt lose a few meaningless games.. sorry for the rant and thanks for helping. Yes I saw that on eBay. 1979 Miami Amigos Minor League Baseball Program - Inter-American League | eBay

The link says the league only lasted 2 months.

 

[DCMatt]

I suggest you contact the ebay guy and see what he says about it. According to him it is a rare piece.

DCMatt

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I suggest you contact the ebay guy and see what he says about it. According to him it is a rare piece.

DCMatt

sounds like a good idea.

I sent him this TN link but I noticed he said "In twenty years of collecting and dealing, I have never seen an item from the Inter-American League before."

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Miami Amigos 1979 program from eBay ...

 

[DCMatt]

I hate the Wash Nationals. Pittsburgh couldnt lose when they really needed to and missed first pic Bryon Harper, a player they really needed.. A player like that only comes around once in a decade. Where would the Penguins be without Mario Lemieux? The Nationals got the top draft pics and the Pirates got second choice because they couldnt lose a few meaningless games..

Harper has been a huge boost for the Nats. He just hit his first ML homer. Got a standing ovation and a curtain call. He also made the news a couple weeks ago by stepping in to play softball with some people on the The Mall. Pretty cool and very talented kid. He will be good for baseball no matter where he plays.

DCMatt

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Harper has been a huge boost for the Nats. He just hit his first ML homer. Got a standing ovation and a curtain call. He also made the news a couple weeks ago by stepping in to play softball with some people on the The Mall. Pretty cool and very talented kid. He will be good for baseball no matter where he plays.

DCMatt

Phooeey I dont want to hear it. lol A player like that 19 years old may only come around once in a century.

Pirates have been in last place forever and all they had to do is keep losing. Do you think they could manage that?? NO!! They win some meaningless freakin late season games and the Nationals get Bryon Harper!!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Miami Amigos 1979 program from eBay ...



View attachment 636056

I emailed the seller.

I found some reading on the Louisville Slugger 125. Who makes Louisville slugger 125 mini bat Mine has gold printing

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

I realize the focus here is with the Miami Amigos, but while looking at 139 current eBay listings regarding anything to do with "Buy It Now" Louisville Sluggers, I found the following and though it was interesting ... (By the way, the average "Buy It Now" price for everyday Louisville Sluggers 125's seems to be about $40.00. But I don't consider your Miami Amigos bat to be "everyday/run of the mill.")

1951 Ad ... Buy It Now on eBay for $9.99

1951 H&B Louisville Slugger #125 Babe Ruth Hornsby ad | eBay

 

[DCMatt]

I have a question Matt. Did the Nationals lose all those games on purpose to get the Bryon Harper pic?

I know the Penguins were accused of losing on purpose to get Mario Lemieux. The Pens coach says he never told his players to lose but he played his worst goalie lol.

BCH,

No. Last year the Nationals truely sucked. They didn't have to try to lose.

 

[Kiros32]

BCH,

No. Last year the Nationals truely sucked. They didn't have to try to lose.

As good as "Bryce" Harper is at baseball, he is still a child. He got pissed off after striking out and threw his bat against the dugout wall. The bat bounced back and whacked him in the head.... 10 stitches required.

Once he grows up a bit, any team would be lucky to have him. And to be honest, as a Pittsburgh resident, I can admit that having Bryce Harper would not solve the problem. The Pirates need to completely rebuild.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

As good as "Bryce" Harper is at baseball, he is still a child. He got pissed off after striking out and threw his bat against the dugout wall. The bat bounced back and whacked him in the head.... 10 stitches required.

Once he grows up a bit, any team would be lucky to have him. And to be honest, as a Pittsburgh resident, I can admit that having Bryce Harper would not solve the problem. The Pirates need to completely rebuild.

The Pirates have been completely rebuilding for 20 years LOL. If the best player is to be had for the number one pic and there is no consensus second best player, then you keep losing. Its a no brainer. Why win a few meaningless games and lose the first overall pic?

I agree hes a child but I disagree he wouldnt help. . Bryce Harper would be a good player in the current ongoing rebuilding process. The Pirates need young hitters with power and they have so very few.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I suggest you contact the ebay guy and see what he says about it. According to him it is a rare piece.

DCMatt

I contacted Andy Crossley (the eBay guy) who also happens to be the editor of funwhileitlasted.net Fun While It Lasted


Here is his email:

Dear bigcypresshunter,

Hi,

I read your posts on the Treasurenet website. I also wrote the blog post on funwhileitlasted.net about the history of the Amigos, which it seems like you found.

This club and league is very obscure. The whole league lasted only two months in 1979 before folding.

If you're trying to figure out what your bat is worth, it's tough to say. A hard core collector might pay $50 or $ 100, but there might be 8-10 guys in the world who collect independent baseball stuff this obscure. If you put it on eBay for a $10 minimum bid, it might go thru without a buyer. you may have to be very patient to find someone who appreciates this. You never know. Good luck though.

Andy

- minorleaguepaper

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Here is something on the teams in the League. LatinoBall: Inter-American League of 1979 Miami was in first place. It seemed like a good idea considering we didnt have a Summer team in Florida at the time..

Miami Amigos (U.S.)
Caracas Metropolitanos (Venezuela)
Maracaibo Petroleros de Zulia (Venezuela)
Santo Domingo Azucareros (Dominican Republic)
Puerto Rico Boricuas
Panama Banqueros

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

It was an experience playing for Panama. Interesting Inter-American League Items | SABR

These men knew that they were unique players in a unique league that ended too soon for them.

When a Dream Plays Reality in Baseball: Roberto Maduro and the Inter-American League | SABR

When Maduro passed away on October 16, 1986 at the age of 70 from brain cancer, it was front page news of El Nuevo Herald, the Spanish newspaper of Miami, Florida. Fausto Miranda, the dean of Cuban sportswriters, eulogized Maduro:

To remember the personality of Bobby Maduro as a distinguished Cuban sportsman does not do him justice. The death of Maduro is a loss for Latin America. The dreamer and enthusiast dedicated more than half a century of his 70 years to the enlargement of baseball ‘without borders and without prejudices,’ as he said himself. Maduro traveled all the paths of the great national sport.23


​

In fitting tribute to Maduro, Miami Stadium was renamed Bobby Maduro Stadium in 1987. This stadium was home to the Miami Amigos

View attachment 636601

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Another jersey for sale. No bat. Wendell Kim 1979 Miami Amigos game used jersey used, new for sale - HomerWeb - Baseball Collectibles Search Engine

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I suggest you contact the ebay guy and see what he says about it. According to him it is a rare piece.

DCMatt

It looks like he sold the program for 50 bucks. 1979 Miami Amigos Minor League Baseball Program - Inter-American League | eBay

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I sold the bat to a buyer from Colorado. I received what I think was a fair price.