HAVANA -- Joining the first presidential visit since Calvin Coolidge in 1928, the Tampa Bay Rays will play an exhibition game with the Cuban national team on Tuesday as part of the historic effort to bridge the political divide between the two baseball-loving countries.
The exhibition game at the 55,000-seat Estadio Latinoamericano will be the first for an MLB club in Cuba since the Orioles defeated the Cuban National Team, 3-2, in 11 innings on March 28, 1999. President Obama planned to attend the game as part of his three-day visit to the island nation.
While President Obama was meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro on Monday, the Rays players and representatives from the Players Association, led by executive director Tony Clark, held a press conference and a baseball clinic in the capital city.
"I had an opportunity to come to Cuba in December for the goodwill tour, and I'm grateful and excited to visit again," Clark said. "As we return now … to say we are honored and humbled is an understatement. On behalf of the players, we're excited for the chance we have to share the passion for the game we love over the next two days."