Cuba 12 Orioles 6

Cuba - 12, Orioles - 6

There was a time when the Cuban people

organized to achieve independence and end slavery.

Just as the people of the United States

organized to achieve independence and end slavery.

The Cubans struggled for thirty years,

and when they were about to force the Spanish to leave,

the United States entered the war,

fought two battles, and declared victory.

Many so-called historians proclaimed that

the Cuban Revolutionary War for Independence

would be called the Spanish-American War.

And Cuban independence wasn’t talked about for a while.

Cuba became a sugar producing playground

for affluent people in the United States.

Washington held the right to veto

any decision made by the Cuban Government.

At one time Black people in the United States

were not allowed to use the same public facilities as whites.

This also became the law in Cuba.

And they called this a democracy.

In the US Black baseball players

were not allowed to play in the major leagues.

Many radio stations would not play

music performed by Black artists.

Some of the best ball players were Black,

but it was Babe Ruth who became famous.

Some of the best musicians were also Black,

but it was Frank Sinatra who became famous.

In those days Cuban ball players

didn’t play in the majors either.

Cuban musicians influenced many,

but attained little respect.

Then Cuba had another revolution.

Racial discrimination was outlawed,

and the people built a nation

where all workers are respected.

Washington didn’t like the fact that it lost a playground,

and tried to bring back the old ways.

The Cubans responded by nationalizing

eight-hundred million dollars of US owned businesses.

Washington enforced an embargo against Cuba.

They didn’t think the Cubans could stand it.

But they lived with the embargo for 40 years,

and managed to provide for the needs of the people.

And then a baseball game was organized.

Cuba would play the Baltimore Orioles.

After all the Cubans had been through,

a reporter argued that Cuban players couldn’t hit the ball into the outfield.

Before the game thousands of fans

listened to Cuban music and liked what they heard.

You see, Cuban music rarely is played on the radio

in the nation which claims to represent liberty and justice for all.

It was a cold and rainy day.

The Cuban players like to compete in warm weather.

But when they were loosing two runs to zero,

the Cubans started to hit the ball into the outfield.

When they turned the game around,

people who wanted to bring back the old ways

danced on the field insulting those

who had just taken the lead.

A Cuban umpire understood the reality

of the past one-hundred years.

He was fed up with the insults,

and body-slammed one of the enemies of the Cuban people.

The Cubans continued to hit the ball into the outfield,

and one of their shots went into the stands.

They crossed home plate twelve times.

The Orioles only managed six runs.

In a fair game, this is what can happen.

It may have taken one hundred years,

but the Cubans have proven,

when we dare to struggle, we can dare to win.