How CPB is showcasing 60 years of the Cuba-China connection

Frank Ernesto grew up on the streets of Havana with an almost constant connection to the Cuban capital’s small but vibrant Chinese community.

So when the call came in that there was an offer on the table for the 33-year-old pitcher to pack up his glove and to travel halfway across the globe to play for the Beijing CP Loongs in the fledgling Chinese Professional Baseball League, the decision really was a no-brainer.

“I told my wife and my children, and they were happy,” says Ernesto. “I have Chinese friends who are working in Cuba so the culture is familiar to me, plus Cuba and China have a very good relationship, especially when it comes to baseball.”

Surprisingly – given CPB is only in its second season, and baseball remains a relatively minor sport in China – that connection dates way back to 1965, when three Cuban coaches travelled to China and they helped first introduce the game to the locals.

Connections between the two nations has continued since, and there has been a flow of coaches from Cuba to China over the decades, but the link with baseball was only seriously formalised last year when a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation and the China Baseball Association, coming within the added weight of the framework of the Congress of the International Baseball and Softball Federation.

And that’s why the Cuban Consul General in Shanghai, Albert Panton Leon, was a conspicuous presence during the CPB’s opening exchanges over this past month.

“The presence of Cuban baseball here in China will surely strengthen even further the bridge of friendship between both peoples,” was Leon’s cultured take on things. “Let's remember that in practices and games, it's not just about sharing technique, but also the mindset; so, the coming together of Chinese and Cuban baseball players will be a space where you'll find not only Cuba's talent and China's precision and discipline, but also the cultures and traditions of both countries.”

Baseball is – of course – a religion across the Cuban archipelago, with millions playing the game and with seemingly everyone watching the local leagues, or those beamed in from around the world. Such is the passion for the game that in 2021 it was officially declared a Cultural Heritage of the Nation, reflecting its role in shaping our Cuban identity. For those who have to traveled from Cuba to China over past month to be involved in the CPB, the mission is simply to spread the love.

What’s helped make the transition easier for them all is the fact that the season started with eight Cuban players in action in the league, spread between the Beijing CP Loongs (four players) and the Xiamen Dolphins (four), while Noelvis González is coaching Beijing. Apart from the Cuban national team veteran Ernesto – who’s previously worked his craft in Cuba’s Elite League and Italy’s Serie A – other names international fans of the game might recognise include the power-hitting outfielder Alfredo Despaigne, a star in Japan, along with Yasiel González, Andy Vargas and Pavel Hernández.

It’s already proving to be a smart move for Ernesto. During Beijing CP Loongs opening 4-2 win over Shanghai Orcas, he came in during the seventh and he walked away with no hits, no runs, and two strikeouts from his short stay on the mound. At the time of writing his record, Beijing were warming to the season at 2-4 behind league leaders the Xiamen Dolphins (5-0) – and Ernesto had plenty on his mind as he looked to position his team for a run at the end-of-September playoffs.

“China's baseball league is just starting out, but Cuba's baseball league has a 65-year history, so it is a deeply rooted sport among the Cuban people and has many fans,” says  Ernesto. “China is pursuing the promotion of baseball culture to gain more fans. So I am here to help. Chinese players will learn that you have to treat baseball as a daily routine in your life. Then, you have to seize every training opportunity, especially at the beginning of a season, and try your best to get on the field and improve your skills through practice. With more games, more training and more promotion, I’m sure that China will love the game.”