The rich history of baseball in Cuba It can never be separated from its genesis in the United States, from where the brothers Nemesio and Ernesto Guillot returned in 1864 full of passion for a game that would become the national sport and Cultural Heritage of the Nation.
The passage of time and many events made baseball a hallmark for both nations, which beyond the sporting field became an inseparable part of the culture of their people.
Based on this magnificent legacy is the new invitation to review, from today until December 12, transcendental moments, as well as the career of legendary figures whose traces still remain in the collective imagination.
160 years of Cuban baseball: another round trip between Cuba and the United States
Yes a year ago The reason was to celebrate the 160 years of the arrival of baseball to Cubathis time Cuba Foundation organizes the event “History and culture of baseball”. Cuba-Caribbean-United States. Identity, society, culture”, to bring together prestigious historians and specialists from various countries in Havana and Santa Clara, who will exchange on topics linked to the history of this game and its imprint on the region.
Cuba Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in New York that “connects donors,
experts and volunteers with legal (under US and Cuban laws) and ethical projects that promote the development of the Cuban private sector in five focus areas, including cultural heritage and sports.”
The meeting will focus on exploring how this sport has influenced the identity, memory and cultural life of various nations. To achieve this, an intense program will be held that includes educational talks, special tours and tributes; among them, one to the influential philanthropist Marta Abreu, a symbol in the central province.
Interesting presentations are part of the event’s activities, including the historian’s proposal Felix Julio Alfonso about the emblematic Santa Clara Leopardos team. Others also stand out that address the careers of Alejandro Oms, Cristóbal Torriente and Cándido Salazar, figures who shone in the Negro Leagues of the United States.
A special moment will be the intervention of Maureen Taylor Hicks, daughter of the American Johnny “Schoolboy” Taylor, who played with several of these players as part of the Cuban New York in 1935, and the Santa Clara Leopards in 1938-1939, according to a review published by the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).
There will also be space to exchange, with the help of Mexican César González, about the role played by his country and Cuba in racial integration in the United States Major Leagues.
Another proposal of interest, prepared by Felipe Merlano, will focus on the influence of baseball on the identity and cultural heritage of the Caribbean coast of Colombia, specifically in the city of Cartagena de Indias.
Among the activities of the event, the unveiling of a commemorative plaque dedicated to African-American baseball players such as Josh Gibson and Ray Brown, who also wore the colors of the Santa Clara Leopards, stands out. The plaque will be placed in front of the old La Boulanger Park.
As a culmination, participants and guests will be able to enjoy a baseball game between children’s teams, a way to celebrate the shared tradition around this sport in the region.
