Cuban baseball commissioner celebrates return of fans to stadiums

Granma, January 24 (RHC/PL)-- Cuba's National Baseball Commissioner Juan Reinaldo Perez believes that the 61st Series will be a success, largely because its protagonists will once again have the support of the Cuban public in the stadiums.

In statements to Prensa Latina, Pérez acknowledged that although the fans' access to the stadiums will be limited to 50 percent of their capacities, the mere fact of being there will represent an important stimulus for the ballplayers.

"We already perceived it in the Latinoamericano on January 14 in the exhibition game Industriales-Granma for the 60th anniversary of the National Series and we verified it in Bayamo on Friday in the awarding Gala, when the population celebrated together with their champions", he pointed out.

In the manager's opinion, the evening in Bayamo was the preamble of what will be experienced this campaign in each one of the provinces, of course, always complying with the sanitary measures to avoid the contagions of Covid-19.

"The purpose is to please the expectations of the fans and for that we are working. Our athletes will go out to the field to fight every game as if it were the last," he emphasized.

Perez reiterated that all the provincial stadiums are ready to take on the challenge.

He also ratified the commitment of the entity he heads to preserve the legacy of baseball in society, particularly after being certified in 2021 as Cultural Heritage of the nation.

Regarding the recent visit to the country by the president of the World Baseball and Softball Confederation, Italian Ricardo Fraccari, the Cuban commissioner described it as fruitful and beneficial.

"The signing of new agreements will strengthen our ties but in addition, they will be vital for the future development of Cuban baseball, through new contracts for ballplayers, sponsorship, investments and visualization of the sport worldwide," he added.

On Sunday, at the Mártires de Barbados stadium in Bayamo, the 61st edition of the National Series began with the victory of last year's runner-up, Cocodrilos de Matanzas, against the champion, Granma, by a score of 4 to 3.