Pedro Dibut Villafaña

Major League pitcher who played for the Cincinnati Reds in 1924 and 1925. In 1923 Dibut played for the Cuban Stars (West) in the Negro National League, one of the white Cubans who played in both the Negro League and the then segregated Major Leagues.

In the fall of 1916 Dibut signed with the Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association of Minor Leagues. He had played in the Cuban amateur league and was the leader among pitchers with 10 wins and 3 losses, with 118 strikeouts in 123 innings. In the winter season, Dibut joined the Red Sox team in the professional Cuban League under manager Mike González. The 1916/17 season ran from January 29 to February 26 and each team played 14 games. Dibut pitched in four games with a record of 1-0.

In the spring of 1917, Dibut began training with Milwaukee. He looked good at the start of the season but was sent back to his Cienfuegos in early April. In addition to pitcher, he had been tested as an outfielder, but he did not have sufficient experience in that position. The following winter he pitched in the Cuban league for Habana, again under manager González, and appeared in 3 games again with a 1-0 record. With good performances by Dibut's team, Habana won the championship that season.

Dibut returned to the Cuban Amateur League in 1920 and was the star pitcher for the Cienfuegos Federales who won the championship with a 19-4 record.

In 1923 he returned to professional ball and joined Cuban Stars (West), a team of Cuban players who competed in the national Negro League. In 18 games and 109 innings pitched, he went 7-8 with an ERA of 4.05.

That winter, Dibut returned to the Cuban League and signed with the Santa Clara Leopards. That year this team was the leader of the season, and is considered one of the best teams ever formed in Cuban baseball. Dibut pitched in 9 games and achieved 3-3.

In the winter the Cincinnati Reds signed Dibut as a free agent. The player made his Major League debut on May 1st against the Chicago Cubs, entering in the seventh inning with the Reds losing 8 to 1. He pitched the last two innings without allowing a run, allowing just one hit.

After one appearance, Dibut was assigned to the Bridgeport Bears of the Eastern League. At the end of June, he was reassigned to the St. Petersburg Saints in the Florida state league. He went 8-2 with the Saints and allowed only 13 runs in 75 innings pitched.

In August Dibut was called back by the Cincinnati Reds and on August 17 he appeared in his second Major League game. He entered in the top of the fifth inning against Brooklyn with the Reds down 8 to 3, and pitched five innings without allowing a hit. The game ended 8-5. He made his first appearance as a starter against Boston and pitched a complete game, with a victory for the Reds 8-2, allowing four hits.

Dibut finished the 1924 season with 3-0 in 7 Major League games—two complete games and five relief appearances. At the end of the season he was offered a contract for the next year that stipulated he was not allowed to play winter ball in Cuba.

In the spring of 1925, Dibut arrived late to spring training due to difficulties obtaining his passport. It was said that the problems were due to Dibut having a conviction in Cuba in previous years. Dibut suffered from arm problems during spring training in Orlando, but remained with the Reds team when the season began. His only appearance in the 1925 season was on April 22 against the St. Louis Cardinals. He entered the game at the end of the first inning with two outs, two runners on base, and the Reds down 7-2. Dibut allowed four consecutive hits that gave 4 runs to the opposing team. So he was relieved without recording a single out. On May 6, the team manager announced that the Reds had unconditionally released Dibut.

In the spring of 1926 Dibut returned to St. Petersburg Saints, saying he hoped to return to Cincinnati. In the first weeks of the season, Dibut pitched and also played right field. He was released by the Saints and played for two teams in the city's amateur league. In mid-summer he signed with the Raleigh Capitals in the Piedmont League, where he went 8-12 with an average of 2.93.

In the winter of 26/27 he returned to pitch in the Cuban League, with the Habana team. He went 5-3, and his five wins contributed to him being the league leader. The Habana team won the season. In 27/28 he ended his career in the Cuban Leagues, pitching two games for Habana without a decision.

In the summers of 1928 and 1929, Dibut pitched for the Jacksonville Tars of the Southeast League. During the spring of '29 he defeated the New York Yankees.