1947: Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers train in La Habana

Prior to making Vero Beach their spring training home, the Dodgers were international vagabonds. In 1947, the Dodgers trained in La Habana, Cuba, as this program cover for games from February 20 to April 6 shows

In February 1947, the Dodgers had set up their training camp in La Habana, Cuba, a long way from the Borough of Brooklyn, but Branch Rickey strategically wanted to keep his “great experiment” under wraps as long and as quietly as possible. Racial discrimination was less prevalent in La Habana, where black players had regularly participated in the Cuban Winter Leagues. Although Jackie Robinson would not be housed at the team’s headquarters, the plush Hotel Nacional, he would have relative insulation and a safe haven at the Hotel Boston in old Havana. Branch Rickey had prepared Robinson in the isolation of Cuba for the huge task ahead.

Source: www.walteromalley.com