Excerpt
SUMMARY: How will opening the door to normal relations with Cuba affect the world of professional baseball, a game that so many Cubans love? Hari Sreenivasan speaks with Jim Litke of the Associated Press to understand the possible implications.
JUDY WOODRUFF (NewsHour): Since President Obama announced the U.S. would normalize relations with Cuba, much of the discussion has naturally focused on human rights, freedom, democracy and commerce.
But opening the doors to normal relations with Cuba could also lead to some profound cultural changes, including in the world of sports, and particularly baseball, a game that so many Cubans love.
Hari Sreenivasan sat down with a baseball watcher to discuss the possibilities in our New York studios earlier this week.
HARI SREENIVASAN (NewsHour): When people talk about traditional images of Cuba, one major cultural touchstone has been sports, specifically the country’s historical reservoir of baseball talent.
Baseball has long been the most popular sport on the island, and Cuban players have found their way into American baseball for more than 100 years. Some have made a legendary name for themselves, like former Red Sox great Luis Tiant, a three-time All-Star pitcher.
Last year, there were 19 Cuban players on the rosters of Major League Baseball teams in the United States. That’s a record. And some estimates show more than 200 players defecting over time to play baseball in the U.S.
Cuban players have stood out in recent seasons, like Yasiel Puig, the slugger for the Los Angeles Dodgers who illegally crossed the border from Mexico to Texas in 2012, and Aroldis Chapman, an All-Star closer for the Cincinnati Reds.
Major League Baseball has long had an eye on tapping into more Cuban talent. Now that the U.S. and Cuba are moving toward a different relationship, there are lots of questions about how it might impact the sport.
Jim Litke is the national sports correspondent for the Associated Press, joins me now.
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