HAVANA — The ball soared off the bat of Tampa Bay’s James Loney in the top of the fourth inning and headed toward the stands in right field that were painted with the slogan “Sport, Conquest of the Revolution.”
HAVANA — The ball soared off the bat of Tampa Bay’s James Loney in the top of the fourth inning and headed toward the stands in right field that were painted with the slogan “Sport, Conquest of the Revolution.”
The crowd stood and watched as the drive sailed over the wall, and then came the cheering. Not as loud as it might have been if the home run had been hit by someone on the Cuban national team, but loud enough, and shared, with the many thousands of Cuban fans on hand clapping in unified respect with their American guests.
Impressive as the moment was, it was a more modest version of the cheers that earlier had greeted President Barack Obama and President Raúl Castro of Cuba when they entered the stadium together before the first pitch, waving to the crowd and shaking hands and then sitting down behind home plate to watch the first game in 17 years between a major league club and Cuba.
The sight of the two of them seemed to leave many Cubans present filled with a mix of pride and amazement. “This is such a unique opportunity for me,” said Angel Daniel Cardenas Gomez, an 11-year-old fan with “Cuba” painted on each cheek. “I know my mom and aunt have waited a long time to see this.”
Baseball in Cuba, of course, is not what it once was. The teams are weaker, sapped by dozens of defections, and the Cuban fans who filled Estadio Latinoamericano on Tuesday seemed to have realistic expectations for what might occur. Many of them were probably not all that surprised that the Rays came away with a workmanlike 4-1 victory.
But 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.
That drive, by infielder Rudy Reyes, was followed by a pinch-hit double by Juan Carlos Torriente. The crowd was on its feet, but Tampa Bay reliever Alex Colome proceeded to get the final two outs. A thrilling comeback would not be part of the script, but then again, it didn’t really need to be.
Baseball still matters here in a particularly Cuban way. It is a pastime in the strictest sense possible (Cubans may not have much money, but they are rich in time). It is an activity that provides a sense of control in a society where the government decides mostly everything. And it is something to talk about, which is exactly what Obama seemed to be doing during the first part of the game.
Though a visitor, he seemed very much the host, jumping out of his seat early on to wave over Rachel Robinson, the widow of Jackie Robinson, and their daughter, Sharon, so they could meet Castro, and getting up out of his seat to talk with Derek Jeter, the former New York Yankees star, and Joe Torre, who won four World Series titles managing Jeter and is now a top executive with Major League Baseball.
Obama even playfully tapped Castro on the shoulder after the Rays scored the first run of the game on a fairly close play at the plate in the top of the second. Castro shook Obama’s hand in return.
Obama did not stay for the whole game, leaving in the third inning to head to a state visit to Argentina.
But while he was there, Obama was clearly the game’s main attraction, for those on hand and for those watching the game in the United States on ESPN, with which Obama did an extended interview during the game. It has been 88 years since an American president visited Cuba, and when Calvin Coolidge paid a visit, baseball wasn’t on his itinerary. But for Obama it was, and the crowd that filled the stadium on Tuesday was the largest of his three-day visit.
The pregame festivities included Rays players throwing baseballs into the stands to the accompaniment of American pop songs from the 1980s. Like so many things here, the experience quickly became communal. Orlando Rodriguez, 46, one of the few to catch a ball in the seats behind third base, immediately shared his prize with anyone who wanted to snap a photo with it.
Later, Chris Archer, the Tampa Bay pitching star, who seemed more energized by the occasion than any other player on either team, reached through the netting behind home plate to give Obama a baseball glove as a gift.
Meanwhile, four new billboards in the outfield showed famous Cuban players from the past while promoting Cuban values. Libres. Firmes. Dignos. Unidos. (Free. Firm. Dignified. United.)
The game itself got off to a rousing start when Cuba’s center fielder, Roel Santos, made a sliding catch to rob Brad Miller of a hit. “Cuba! Cuba! Cuba!” chanted the crowd.
There was no beer on hand — a policy put in place a while back — but it hardly mattered. Cubans shouted and cheered, started the wave a few times (Obama joined in early on) and rooted for a comeback that never really materialized.
In the bottom of the sixth, trailing, 3-0, Cuba put a runner on and the crowd stood, hopeful. But the rally fizzled and the inning ended quietly. Salsa music came from the speakers; everyone sat back down.
Many Cubans said they were thrilled to see the stadium looking and sounding so good. With fresh coats of bright blue paint and new flags waving in the breeze, the place — which has a listed capacity of 55,000 — seemed to glow compared with the run-down El Cerro neighborhood just beyond the stadium’s gates.
Baseball, an American import, one of the few beloved by Fidel Castro, seemed once again to bring some joy to the struggle of Cuban life.
“We’re content,” said Kenia Triguero, 34, wearing bright red as a sign of her loyalty to the Cuban team. “I’ll never catch a foul ball from where I’m sitting, but I’m happy.”
Just by playing, she added, “both teams win.” She paused and seemed flush with emotion. “What a great gift,” she said. “I hope it happens again.”