baltimore_orioles cuban national baseball team exhibition series baltimore_orioles cuban national baseball team exhibition series consisted exhibition games played baltimore_orioles major_league_baseball mlb cuban national baseball team march game took place havana second held baltimore series marked time cuban national team faced squad composed solely major league players time mlb team played cuba american ally cuban revolution established communist government broke diplomatic relations united_states united_states instituted cuba attempt weaken regime mlb stopped holding exhibitions cuba 1990s owner lobbied gain permission hold series years politicians including members united_states house_of_representatives opposed idea attempted block series eventually secured approval change united_states foreign policy cuba president bill_clinton eased travel restrictions increased cultural exchange won game held havana score extra innings cuban national team defeated second game held baltimore series introduced american baseball audience defected cuba pitch mlb united_states cuba compete nations background cuban revolution led overthrow ally united_states severed cuba strong ties united_states united_states soon instituted cuba illegal united_states corporations enter business cuba baltimore_orioles slated hold exhibition series cincinnati_reds havana moved games miami florida major_league_baseball mlb team played cuba march attempts lure american baseball teams cuba avail 1970s united_states senator pushed idea exchange mlb college basketball teams way bridge governments similar diplomacy aided china relations blocked 1980s attempted convince owner baltimore_orioles play game cuban stars williams declined position advisory board opposed having business cuba armstrong discussed idea mlb commissioner chair interested died pursue idea visited cuba mlb strike secure exemption new owner met armstrong convinced pursue exhibition series cuban national baseball team petitioned permit series united_states representative wrote asking series prevented treasury denied request grounds american money spent cuba trading enemy act january president bill_clinton eased travel restrictions increased cultural exchange united_states cuba leading seek permission play exhibition game cuba met clinton discuss potential exhibition mlb commissioner allowed exploration series required approval mlb owners insisted second game held united_states contingent including lobbied try block series ongoing negotiations march yielded agreement march objections proceeds series major sticking point negotiations violated united_states cuba instead going agreed proceeds fund baseball programs cuba series created good deal criticism especially cuban american community mlb umpire cuban descent opposed series mlb filed mlb attempting block sent umpire game cuba refused game baltimore player cuban descent opposed series trip cuba protested series games game game took place havana cuba march tickets distributed invitation sat box seats baltimore washington area traveled cuba plane chartered game players coaches teams flag ceremony greeted field gave cuban team talk cuban baseball legend threw pitch starting pitcher allowed run hits seven innings pitched cuban starter allowed home run relieved inning pitched innings allowing run manager brought closer eighth inning tied game cuba run batted single tied innings game went extra innings cuba runners base 10th inning retired cuba allowing run won game hit single scored clark ahead run 11th inning recorded final outs 11th won score line score box score game second game held baltimore fans win loss record mlb season cuban national team stronger game cuban national series concluded players available game exhibition joined cuban team person delegation accompanied cuban team including members cuban media students retired players mlb requested clear game response attempt miami based pilot veteran invasion drop anti game start game delayed rain minutes game interrupted protesters ran field fifth inning thrown ground cuban umpire started game cuba allowed run double inning starting pitcher mlb disabled list time allowed runs second inning cuba lead entered game cuba inning pitched innings relief allowing hit retiring batters faced streak ended allowed home run ninth inning mlb debut allowed cuba score runs ninth inning including run home run hit cuban national team defeated batted cuba including run batted rbi triple scored runs rookie baseman promoted minor leagues day prior committed errors box score aftermath member cuban national team retired accompanied team cuba guest defected united_states visit retired players day game baltimore missed flight cuba members delegation defected discourage exhibition baltimore cuba maintained strict security young players allowing sports agents speak active cuban players defected trip baltimore members cuban national team defect years following series defected considered cuba best pitcher gained international fame series defected cuba cuban umpire game baltimore defected cuba united_states mlb engaged dispute pay owed game took place baltimore factor led mass resignation mlb took place september general manager told team practice signing players defected cuba attributed desire avoid interpreted encouraging players defect investigations major_league_baseball find evidence absence cuban players roster minor league system discrimination cuban national team played united_states world baseball classic president attempted prevent cuban team participating tournament nations promised withdraw cuba barred american team travel cuba play exhibition cuban national team march
1999 Baltimore Orioles – Cuban national baseball team exhibition series