Washington, August 16 (PL) - Regardless of today's result, the baseball team representing Cuba is already making history with its presence for the first time in a Little League World Series in the U.S. city of Williamsport.
It will also be the debut of the Bayamo Little League (eastern Cuba), king of the national championship, which, in a good fight, by hitting and doing well, won the ticket to travel to Pennsylvania to the competition, scheduled from August 16 to 27.
"We are going to play our hearts out," is the phrase on the lips of the young ballplayers, who arrived in the United States with the illusion of playing and giving their best on the field.
Roberto González, methodologist of the Cuban Baseball Federation, told Prensa Latina last night that he was able to talk to the children and "they look very good for this first challenge".
In addition, he explained that the fact of arriving four days earlier to the competition venue allowed the 13 children to adapt, not to show symptoms of exhaustion and also to train.
The technical management decided that the starting pitcher for this first match will be Luis Enrique Gourriel, a surname that sounds big in Cuban baseball.
For 17:00 local time is scheduled the start of the duel at the Volunteer Stadium against a rival that brings credentials: Musashi Fuchu of Tokyo, champion of the regional league of Japan, who was here on three previous occasions in 2000, 2003 and 2013, and in the last two took the trophy home.
Gonzalez, a specialist who attends Little League in Cuba, commented that he will not give predictions, but "the boys have quality and conditions, they are ready to face their opponent".
The winner of the Cuba-Japan match will advance to the fight on Friday 18 with Mexico, which will rest in the first round. The loser will go to the elimination round.
The opening ceremony will be held on Wednesday morning at the stadium itself, where the 20 teams participating in the Series will parade.
Since the Bayamo Warriors defeated Habana del Este 6-2 in the final in Cuba, thus obtaining their ticket to Williamsport, the die has been cast.
Although the mere fact of being the first team to open the road in these Little League series makes them the winners.
With a population of approximately 29,300 inhabitants, the city of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is about 300 kilometers from Washington DC.
