The Rays beat the Cuban national team 4-1 yesterday in Havana, but the day will be "remembered less for the final score than for the two men sitting in the front row at Estadio Latinoamericano" -- President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro, according to Peter Orsi of the AP. The near-capacity crowd "roared as Obama and Castro entered and walked toward their seats right behind home plate, waving to fans and greeting other dignitaries." Rarely has so much "pomp and circumstance accompanied an exhibition game," as former MLBer Derek Jeter, Baseball HOFer Dave Winfield and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred were among Obama's greeters. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry "was also in the VIP box, as well as several of Cuba's highest officials." Both Obama and Castro "were gone by the third inning ... but the stands remained packed until the final out" (AP, 2/23). USA TODAY's Gregory Korte noted Obama "settled in behind home plate" with Castro on one side and his wife and two daughters on the other. Obama "chatted with Castro and greeted the ballplayers." Rachel Robinson, the widow of Baseball HOFer Jackie Robinson, was among the contingent MLB brought to the game (USA TODAY, 3/23).
DOVES FLY HIGH: In Tampa, Marc Topkin in a front-page piece writes Obama and Castro arrived at the stadium shortly before 2:00pm ET to loud applause, "ending an awkward anticipatory silence that had lasted about 20 minutes." The pregame ceremony had players for both teams "introduced with small rose-carrying kids they carried around and then off the field as doves were released." The Rays "formed an impromptu group sparked" by RF Taylor Motter to "welcome Obama, and they came bearing gifts." Rays P Chris Archer gave Obama a glove, while team Owner Stuart Sternberg placed a No. 44 Rays jersey for Obama "on the seat he was to use for an ESPN interview" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 3/23). In Miami, Lesley Clark notes the crowd "applauded enthusiastically" for the U.S. national anthem and cheered for the "release of dozens of doves, who soared over the baseball diamond as they were released from cages in the outfield." The game "began with a moment of silence for the victims" of the Brussels terrorist attacks. Obama and Castro "stood side by side, Obama bowing his head." There had been complaints in the days leading up to the game that tickets "weren't made available to the public," as seats "appeared to be given to government loyalists" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/23).
BOURBON STREET: MLB.com's Richard Justice noted 55,000 fans packed the ballpark yesterday, giving it the "atmosphere of a block party, or maybe Mardi Gras," as they "stood and sang and screamed the whole day" (MLB.com, 3/22). In N.Y., Joel Sherman reports fans had "been warned to arrive early to avoid being locked out as part of the intense security measures associated with this historic event." Sherman: "But this was not drudgery. It was joy, a party." Latin music "smashed through Estadio Latinoamericano" and a crowd that "skewed young danced in the thin aisle ways and sang and clapped and chanted for just about every movement of a Cuban National Team member" (N.Y. POST, 3/23). In DC, Zac Boyer writes what "unfolded was a celebration of all things baseball," as fans "mobbed for foul balls and mugged for photos" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 3/23). In N.Y., Damien Cave notes the fans, "made up mostly of Cubans given tickets by their bosses at government jobs, yelled loudly for what they could: simple strikes by the Cuban pitcher, a fine defensive play in center field in the top of the first and, finally, with one out in the bottom of the ninth, a home run that put Cuba on the scoreboard" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/23). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Brian Costa writes there "was an element of stagecraft to it all, since the Cuban government controlled ticket distribution for the game." When Rays CF and Cuban defector Dayron Varona "stepped to the plate in the first inning, he was met with only tepid applause." However, genuine moments "abounded" as the game progressed (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/23).
COLLECTOR'S ITEM: USA TODAY's Jorge Ortiz reports Baseball HOF President Jeff Idelson in a "nod to the historical significance of the occasion" collected Cuba's lineup card, the cap of Cuban CF Roel Santos, Rays manager Kevin Cash's jersey and the ball used for the first pitch. Sternberg said playing in the game was "one of the best things this franchise has ever done" (USA TODAY, 3/23). The TAMPA BAY TIMES' Topkin notes many Rays players -- who "exchanged jerseys with the Cuban players after the game" -- noted the trip will "be one of their most memorable experiences." Sternberg said, "You have an aspiration for how you think this is all going to happen, and we couldn't have written a better script, from the final score backward" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 3/23). In DC, Thomas Boswell writes knowing how "profoundly Cubans love baseball, and realizing how desperately they have clung to the sport as one of their primary sources of emotional sustenance" since the Cuban Revolution ended in '59, this "feels like a key part of a 'new day' in relations between the countries" (WASHINGTON POST, 3/23). In Chicago, Mike Imrem writes under the header, "Baseball Game With Cuba A Positive Step" (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 3/23).
HOPING FOR A SAFER PATH: In K.C., Cuyler Meade notes Royals DH Kendrys Morales, who was born in Cuba, sees Obama's visit "as an opportunity for his countrymen to have a safer path" to the U.S. Morales: "I believe that it would be good to allow more Cuban ballplayers to come here. And right now they're opening the bridge, and I believe it's very good for the Cuban ballplayers there to be able to leave" (K.C. STAR, 3/23). Marlins P and fellow Cuban Jose Fernandez added, "Hopefully this is the beginning of change over there. We all have our concerns about what is going on there. It gives you some hope when things like this happen and you see the President over there now. But a lot still has to change" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/23).
