Baseball in Havana

In the heart of Havana’s Cerro neighborhood is the Estadio Latinoamericano (Latin American Stadium). The stadium is a landmark that has been used as a political stage, for performances, and for Cuba’s favorite pastime, baseball.

The stadium opened in 1946, when Havana was a bustling and modern capital. The first name of the stadium was “Gran Estadio de La Habana. During the early years of Cuban baseball, black players from America found a home. Jackie Robinson broke the MLB color barrier in 1947, but before then played in the massive stadium along with other black players, Minnie Minoso and Monte Irvin.

Fans nicknamed the stadium “El Coloso del Cerro” (The Colossus of Cerro). As the decades followed, the nickname stuck. It is hard not to be wowed by the stadium that seats 55,000 people.

After the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the stadium embarked on a new chapter in its long story. The Cuban government has a new vision for the stadium and changed its name to the current one. The stadium would connect Cuba to the rest of the region.

Baseball became Cuba’s number one sport and a source of national pride. The old professional leagues were replaced by amateur leagues, and Estadio Latinoamericano became the epicenter of baseball in Cuba. The home team, the Industriales, became the New York Yankees of Cuba.

In the 1980s and through the 2000s, the stadium hosted political rallies, concerts, cultural events, and other mass gatherings. The stadium hosted friendly games against other countries, such as Japan, Venezuela, and many others.

The stadium hosted a game between a Major League team and a Cuban team on March 22, 2016. A sold-out crowd witnessed the Tampa Bay Rays play against the Cuban National Team. President Obama sat next to Fidel Castro to watch the two teams play a friendly game. The crowd was whipped into a frenzy, hoping their team would beat the visiting Americans. The game ended in a 4-1 win for the visiting Rays.

Estadio Latinoamericano isn’t just a place to watch baseball, but a venue that has stood the test of time. The stadium holds over 55,000 people, which makes it the second largest capacity for a baseball game in the world.

During our visit on a hot November day, the crowd was small. It was during the day, which meant some kids were still in school or participating in after-school activities. People were also out working. The stadium no longer appears as it did during its heyday, but still a beautiful sight to behold. As the game played and fans cheered, workers repaired seats in the outfield.

Throughout the game, I turned the camera from the players to those in the stands. Spectators called to me to have their photos taken, and we chatted about baseball through my little Spanish and their broken English. I had little in common with those in attendance, but we bonded over a common love of baseball.

Also read:
Visiting Churches in Havana
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