
Ruth in Cuba
The stunning announcement today concerning the
opening of full diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba likely carries large implications for professional baseball, both within these two countries and for the internationalization of the sport (and business) based on the year-round model of cricket. Imagine a
Major League Baseball franchise in Havana. Imagine elevating fields in Cuba to the standards of those in the U.S., Canada, Japan, South Korea, Puerto Rico, much of Mexico and Central America. The baseball talent cultivated in Cuba must be, per capita, the greatest and highest in the world, perhaps excepting Panama.
Babe Ruth found barnstorming Cuba much to his liking—not to mention betting on jai-alai—during his time there under always-truculent manager
John McGraw. It is no exaggeration to say the restoration of ambassadorial and other ties among the two countries may be the biggest combination of diplomatic and sports news in our lifetimes.
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Co-author of the book, "Right Off the Bat: Baseball, Cricket, Literature, and Life"