The Magic of Cuban Baseball

Cuba is home to a massive baseball culture, with other sports, such as soccer, barely getting a look.

For decades, Cubans have lived and breathed baseball, with a successful national league and a steady stream of players heading to the United States to play Major League Baseball. Visitors to the country can see games at stadiums across the country, but arguably the best place to do so is at the Estadio Latinoamericano in Havana.

President Obama visited the storied arena on his historic visit to Cuba, watching an Industriales game. The team are the biggest in Cuba, rivaled by the Avispas (Wasps) from Santiago de Cuba. Getting to a game is a great way to see Cuban culture.

You can also see how much people care about the sport by visiting the Esquina Caliente (Hot Corner) outside the Hotel Inglaterra in Havana. Here, passionate baseball fans spend hours debating the latest developments, and things can get heated.

Another interesting side to the Cuban baseball story is many players see the game as a route away from the island. If you’re good enough, you might be able to earn megabucks in the United States.