Fidel Castro and the New York Yankees

Wow. What an interesting story I just read regarding the New York Yankees and a connection with former Cuban leader and Dictator Fidel Castro? Say it ain’t so? Rumor has/had it that Castro loved baseball and even tried out for the New York Yankees team before the Cuban revolution but this is no longer rumor, the record has been set straight and it’s an awesome read.

Adrian Burgos Jr., a history professor at the University of Illinois and the author of “Playing America’s Game: Latinos and the Color Line,” did the research and found out that this try out simply never happened. Burgos adds that Castro may have went and tried out for the Washington Senators at one of their many try outs held in Havana, Cuba but Burgos also states that Castro was not as talented as other Cuban prospects where scouts “went looking for him.”

The Yankees were not active in Cubs or Latin America for that matter until the 1960’s which immediately puts this myth to bed. It was a fun myth while it lasted and it’s always fun to play the “what if” game but this one goes to bed along with other folk tales like the demise of The Greedy Pinstripes. Heard that one too recently. We’re still here and kicking. Have a great day everyone.