Cuba secured the World Amateur Baseball Championship by scoring a 2-to-1 victory over the United States at a playoff match in Santo Domingo Aug. 26.
More than 18,000 fans watched the Cuban team win their tenth straight game to take the championship series unbeaten.
According to the Cuban press, Western news agencies “had been emphasizing for some time the political nature of this game.” But the Dominican fans enthusiastically rooted for the Cubans and continually greeted the U.S. team (composed of outstanding college players) with shouts of “Go home” and prolonged booing.
In Cuba, where all baseball games are free, the game was broadcast live. News of the victory triggered spontaneous celebrations throughout’ the island.
Before the Revolution, a few highly professionalized sports dominated Cuban athletics and served as breeding grounds for the U.S. sports industry.
After abolishing such professional sport activity, the Revolutionary government introduced many new sports and increased public participation in all levels of Cuban society.
Over the last ten years, Cuban athletes have demonstrated the viability of these programs through their outstanding achievements in international competition.