The Pride of Havana: 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 color 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 colorful, 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.

About the Author :
Born and raised in Cuba, Roberto Gonzalez Echevarria is Sterling Professor of Hispanic and Comparative Literature at Yale University, where he obtained his Ph.D. in 1970. He is the author and editor of numerous books, including The Oxford Book of Latin American Short Stories and Myth and Archive: A Theory of Latin American Narrative, and is a frequent contributor to the New York Times Book Review. A former semi-pro catcher, he plays for the Madison Ravens of the Connecticut Senior Baseball League.

Review :
"The Pride of Havana is an absorbing history of Cuban baseball and the impact so many Cuban players have had on the game in the United States. It sparkles like El Duque in October."--Bob Costas, NBC Sports "Writing with the precision of the connoisseur and the passion of the aficionado, Gonzalez Echevarria provides a masterful account of Cuban 'beisbol' that is at the same time a profound meditation on the island's national culture. In many ways this extraordinary book marks the culmination of the author's distinguished career as the pre-eminent writer-scholar of our generation. A dinger!"--Gustavo Perez Firmat, Columbia University, author of The Cuban Condition: Translation and Identity in Modern Cuban Literature "From Martin Dihigo to Minnie Minoso, Cuban baseball provided excitement for all. In The Pride of Havana, Roberto Gonzalez Echevarria brings back the thrills and colorful stories that made the Cuban League so memorable for players, owners, and fans."--Bobby Bragan, former manager of Pirates, Indians, Braves, and Almendares Scorpions "The study features an excellent bibliography plus detailed notes for each chapter. The research is exhaustive, based on primary sources and interviews that include numerous anecdotes, making this an engaging read."--Library Journal "The Pride of Havana is a massively detailed chronicle of the history of baseball in Cuba, written with the passion of a fan of the country and of the game. Gonzalez Echevarria makes a convincing case that America'a national pastime is also Cuba's national pastime."--Marty Linsky, Wilson Quarterly "Using a wide array of sources including newspapers, interviews, and written memoirs, Mr. Gonzalez Echevarria has reconstructed a remarkably rich and detailed narrative of the history of baseball in Cuba, from its earliest versions, in the mind-19th century, to its recent triumphs in international competitions and travails as it witnesses many of its best players defect to the United States in search of better pay and living conditions."--The Washington Times "A chronicle and celebration of the national pastime of Cuba, lovingly told by a professor of Hispanic literature at Yale who has been a semipro catcher himself."--New York Times Book Review