A History of Cuban Baseball
From the first amateur leagues of the 1860s to the exploits of Livan and
Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez, here is the definitive history of
baseball in Cuba. Roberto Gonzalez Echevarria expertly traces the arc of
the game, intertwining its heroes and their stories with the politics,
music, dance, and literature of the Cuban people. What emerges is more
than a story of balls and strikes, but a richly detailed history of Cuba
told from the unique cultural perch of the baseball diamond.
Filling a void created by Cuba's rejection of bullfighting and Spanish
hegemony, baseball quickly became a crucial stitch in the complex social
fabric of the island. By the early 1940s Cuba had become major conduit
in spreading the game throughout Latin America, and a proving ground for
some of the greatest talent in all of baseball, where white major
leaguers and Negro League players from the U.S. all competed on the same
fields with the cream of Latin talent. Indeed, readers will be
introduced to several black ballplayers of Afro-Cuban descent who played
in the Major Leagues before Jackie Robinson broke the colour barrier
once and for all. Often dramatic, and always culturally resonant,
Gonzalez Echevarria's narrative expertly lays open the paradox of fierce
Cuban independence from the U.S. with Cuba's love for our national
pastime. It shows how Fidel Castro cannily associated himself with the
sport for patriotic p.r.—and reveals that his supposed baseball talent
is purely mythical. Based on extensive primary research and a wealth of
interviews, the colourful, often dramatic anecdotes and stories in this
distinguished book comprise the most comprehensive history of Cuban
baseball yet published and ultimately adds a vital lost chapter to the
history of baseball in the U.S.
Book specs | |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Edition | 2001 |
Cover type | Paperback |
Number of pages | 512 |
Additional Info | 32 pp halftone plates and 2 maps |
The Pride of Havana, A History of Cuban Baseball - Roberto Gonzáles Echevarría
- Brand: Roberto González Echevarría
- Product Code: 9780195146059
- Availability: In Stock
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£13.99
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Tags: Cuba, Book, Baseball, History