But news accounts described a fever in the streets, particularly in Esquina Caliente, the hot corner. Cuban baseball fans were ecstatic to seemajor-leaguers for the first time in 40 years. They didn't view the game as a political event. They didn't care if the Orioles were trying to establish a foothold in their country. With all the talk of money, all the cynicism in sports, it's easy to forget sometimes why the games are played.
Sports is about hope.
Sports is about escape. And never is that more true than in impoverished nations like Cuba. Of course not. Cuban-American exiles argue that any relationship with Castro is a tacit endorsement of his oppressive regime. That position is not easily dismissed, especially given Castro's abysmal record on human rights.