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Sports have given our country great prestige and the country must compensate those athletes, whether or not they are involved in the best paid sports. All those athletes, who so many times gave proof of their loyalty and selflessness to their homeland, will occupy the rightful place that befits them in our society and will be affectionately remembered by their people even when they have passed away.

We attach major importance to this historic match because it shows the prominence of human and moral values. They have set a very great example. I wonder if there are such examples in the world as I have mentioned here or if those values can bloom in a country that is not patriotic, truly honorable and revolutionary. Because the flag cannot be bought! The homeland cannot be bought! Loyalty to the people cannot be bought! And the greatest glory of our greatest and most admired athletes is that they cannot be bought! (APPLAUSE) So let that be the first cause for recognition.

We have been able to confront the strength of these men, the capacity of these men, with the strength and capacity of a great team from a country where this sport, as I said, is the favorite and has infinite resources.

The payroll of each Major Leagues team comes to tens and tens of millions of dollars a year and, in some cases, it is over 40, 50, 60 or more millions. It is a matter of concepts. Let's say it was a match between two conceptions: our concept of sports and the concept of professional sports. The concept of sports as the people's right, as a privilege and a source of health and well-being for all, and sports as a market commodity, a source of income and personal wealth. Those two ideas were contending in last night's match.

From now on, amateur athletes will no longer be looked at condescendingly, they will not be underestimated again.

We will have to follow the evolution of world sports. Nobody knows where they are going to end up --as it is, for the time being, irreversible-- with the sad transformation of amateur sports and the Olympics into a competition among professionals. I wonder what is left to poor countries, that is, to the vast majority of countries.

Cuba, with its revolutionary sports concept, has the honor of being the only Latin American country which managed to beat the United States in a Pan-American competition held precisely in our homeland; it was the only time in history. This is proof of the efforts made, the quality of our athletes and of our sports system.

Despite its small size and the blockade, Cuba is indisputably today the only sporting rival that the United States of America has in this hemisphere, (APPLAUSE) and its prestige is such that that stadium in Baltimore was completely full; all the seats had been sold several days before the competition. Why? Because millions of Americans also wanted to see a Major Leagues team compete with a team from the country that is the world amateur champion and has been so for many years.

The first surprise was the result of the first match in Havana. But, as you all know, we were in the middle of our national series, an excellent series which attracted masses of people. It had been a long time since that Latin American Stadium had been completely full. And, on the day of the last match between the Industriales team and the team from Santiago de Cuba, despite the curret difficulties with transportation, there were perhaps more people --and there were a lot-- than in the first match with the Orioles.

We could not interrupt our series but the match had been agreed on. It was necessary to change plans. What could we do?

In that first match, we had to use the wood bat. For 20 years, only the aluminum bat had been used here and a lot of tactics and strategies are determined by the use of the aluminum or the wood bat. Here, we had lost the habit of hitting a bunt. I say this to our own athletes: You still do not know how to hit bunts. [Team director Alfonso] Urquiola argues with me that they do, they do, they know a lot about bunts. And I know very well that they have to train a lot in the bunt. Sometimes, it is necessary, although it is much better with those liners in which we rejoiced so much last night. But it is essential to know how to do it because there are times when they are necessary.

The aluminum did away with the bunt as it did with of a lot of plays and now those who call the tune in these matters of sports have re-established the wood bat and, therefore, we have to go with the wood bat.

How many days did we have to get used to it? It was in the middle of the series! We had to call on the best athletes from the eight teams that were already out of the competition and organize them to begin training with some wood bats that we had while we hurried to get more. Then, when four teams were left from the eight that had continued the competition other athletes were summoned to begin training. Later, when two teams were left

--Those two from the group of four that did not take part in the finals-- we called on other athletes and so we kept bringing in little bits from the teams that were been knocked out the contest. But the series went on.

It must have been a source of great satisfaction for all the fans that the series was not interrupted here, despite the importance of that match. The series continued until the end and when it was over --and they were already using the wood bat in the finals-- a group of athletes from those two teams that had been in the top two places was incorporated to the training team, I mean, those who had not been able to take part in the first match. How much time did we have? Three weeks training to adapt to the wood bat. Just three weeks! But there had already been a great match with the first team members about whom the world press reported a lot, and about whom the American press reported a lot. Every newspaper published reports about the previous match; none failed to express admiration for the strength of our team.

When the other athletes had joined --since they had all been joining by groups-- and they had three weeks of training, they were ready and we saw the results yesterday. Never before had there been a training so rigorous and polished, and in such a short time!

WE CAN HAVE NOT ONE BUT TWO, THREE OR FOUR TEAMS THAT COULD MATCH
THE MAJOR LEAGUE TEAMS

There, we could appreciate the value of those university graduate coaches from that school that we were describing a while ago. You may be sure that their knowledge and experience make them an extraordinary asset for the country. I can assure you that we can have not one but two three or four teams that could match the Major Leagues teams.

Maybe, one day there will be peace, there will be normal relations with our neighbor up North and then there might be the possibility to take part in those competitions and, to the extent that this is possible, we could improve considerably our athletes' incomes which are very modest today.

Well, not all sports are so appealing, in the sense of the number of fans and economic possibilities. It also happens with the arts. Not all the arts' expressions and products of intellectual work can earn large incomes. There are a lot of writers in our country, and very good ones; however, it is very difficult for a good writer in our country to earn a relatively high income. Some do, but it is much more difficult.

A good painter can succeed in having a high income but, generally speaking, they become really famous later when a long time has passed.

Musicians have more immediate possibilities than writers due to the immense power of the current media, which have turn music into a big industry. Some good composers and musicians can obtain very, very high incomes, and in a short time. In our country, there are some who obtain very high incomes from their productions. They get their incomes and pay part of them in taxes as a contribution to the country.

Let's hope that the day will come when we can somehow also offer our most outstanding athletes incomes that are much higher than what they receive today. I am sure that, one way or another, that day will come, simply as a result of the great quality of our sports. If they would let our country live in peace, different formulae would be possible to stimulate the talent, the dedication and the exploits of which they are capable.

There is volleyball, for example, which for part of the year our athletes play abroad. They compete, they play with different teams and improve their personal incomes but they continue to be Cuban athletes and when the time comes for tournaments, they are with us. Here, the national contests in that sport last for a very short time but baseball, due to tradition and its growing quality, is the number one entertainment of the people, for months and months. Fans at local and national level want to see them and enjoy their game. If we add to this the constant hostility and the lack of international regulations, it becomes more difficult to find practical formulae.

We have analyzed it and we think that we will start improving their income with the country's own resources because due to their characteristics, their virtues, their dedication and their discipline they deserve a higher income than they are presently receiving. Of course, under the blockade all that becomes difficult, therefore, unscrupulous people --brain and athlete hunters-- are constantly trying to tempt, to corrupt and buy out our athletes.

I am explaining this to you so that it is understood why, in many respects, we consider last night's match a historic one.

Many Americans will be surprised today after seen our team's performance there, in an American stadium, in the presence of almost 50,000 fans. For many days there will be many press dispatches and reports to read. They did well under difficult conditions. Three weeks' training with the wood bat forced us to be very creative! How to resolve that situation: get ready for the match in such a short time and then find ourselves in a rainy and cold day, uncertain about a game it had taken so much work to organize and arrange.

Worse still: the US Weather Bureau had announced that there would be no rain that evening, however, the game had hardly started when it began to rain and the television was reporting a temperature of 12 degrees [Centigrade]. We could see our people there shivering with cold. What would happen with our athletes? An excellent opening pitcher started to play in those conditions of cold and rain. Then the game was interrupted for an hour and we very well know, from what we have learned from the trainers, what the rules are today. We know how long a pitcher needs to rest his arm, how many balls he should throw and what they do after a pitcher throws three or four innings; how they use ice, different forms of care, massage, rest... and there you had a star pitcher who had to hold up the game for an hour and go back there, with the rain and the cold, to work against a team of really formidable hitters.

Difficulties came up at that moment. Certainly, everybody there must have thought that if our great opening pitcher --who won glory in the match held here in the capital-- had problems, the Cubans would be eliminated. What they did not know was that, even before they had time to think of it, all the possibilities had been foreseen.

I recall that, in a meeting with instructors, coaches and managers, I asked them: And what would you all do if in the second inning [Jose A.] Contreras has any problem, loses control and they give him some hits? Really, I asked the technical people, coaches and instructors a lot of questions. I am not a professor in this sport, or any other, but at least I know the art of asking questions and paying attention to details. When they answered: "We would do this", I asked them: "Why?" They said: "Because of this and that. We have a lot of other good stars in the team..." They listed the characteristics of each of them.

Some analysts were discussing whether or not Contreras should open because they already knew him. We have seen Contreras in training and, at a certain moment he was able to cut short the good performance of that whole group of our hitters who know him well. You cannot imagine the number of good pitchers that we have, their qualities. Some new ones can reach up a speed of 97 miles [per hour] easily and they never throw a ball at less than 90 miles speed unless they do it intentionally to mislead the hitter.

But the team leaders had foreseen everything --what to do in every case-- and everything resulted as foreseen for each situation. The opponent was already two runs ahead in the low part of the second inning. We knew what those people could hit. We had seen it, really.

What impressed me most was the way they reacted, as lions or tigers. It seems that they leapt for victory and in that same second inning when we were two runs behind, the tigers leapt up and made four. That reaction, that spirit was truly impressive. (APPLAUSE) And it went like that throughout the whole match.

I am just sorry, really, that with such a tremendous cold and rain they did not do with their good reserve what they did with Contreras in the match in Havana. They only had three hits and the exhausting effort was already obvious due to the amount of balls thrown by [Norge L.] Vera, the comrade who brought the flag and who earned that right just like those who escorted him, and others still, like Linares, who spoke here and who was not put out even once. (APPLAUSE)

I was saying that we would have liked them to have done with Vera as they did with Contreras, I mean, he had pitched such a brilliant game in Havana that it was painful, after all that effort of more than 100 throws when it was clear that he did not have exactly the same control and some balls were rising a bit more --he said it himself-- that he was relieved. Later, some people criticized the manager for that replacement but it would have been really sad in those circumstances if that brilliant role that he played had been tarnished because the opponents had taken advantage of those circumstances.

Some people feel that the comrade should stay until the end of the game. Really, with that advantage, we would not have liked for him to leave in the last inning, especially after two consecutive hits in that last inning. The score was 12 to 3 and we had excellent reserves. You cannot imagine the pitching reserve available. Vera was giving the Orioles team a no-hit, no-run, from the first out in the second inning until the first out in the ninth. No hits and no runs; that must be registered in the books. But we were well aware of all the resources we had there and it grieved us, sincerely, that his incredible deed was not fully preserved.

Listen, --I mean Urquiola, the coaches and managers-- do not take this as a criticism. I am actually expressing my feelings. This day of well deserved gratitude and honor is not a day for criticism. Is that all right?

Some people did not understand well the composition of the team. There were those who said: They are taking four third basemen and a shortstop. Yes, there were four third basemen but one of them was the designated hitter and he was the one who shot the tremendous home run of about 400 feet. (APPLAUSE) He did an excellent job as a designated hitter. (APPLAUSE) Among those third basemen was a really great reserve player, his name is Pierre. (APPLAUSE) Among those third basemen was Michel Enriquez, who could play the shortstop if need be and another one, and even Linares who has done it sometimes when the selected shortstop has been injured and who, during training proved to be a steady, self-contained and fearsome hitter.

The basic idea for that match was to be strong on the defensive but, above all, to be very strong on the offensive. That game had to be won by hitting with great strength and infallible touch hits, doubles, triples and home runs, anything there. And that team was a factory of hits, doubles, triples and everything.

Speed was considered. A comrade was included whose fundamental characteristic is speed, in order to decide, even if it was by base running. There were other unfavorable factors, not just the cold, the rain or the wood bat but the fact that when the ground became heavy, we lost one of our advantages, which is speed. Everything was analyzed rigorously by the comrades who were responsible and had the experience for choosing the team, and they did so meticulously. We then had to wait for the results which were the fruit of new concepts and new training methods and the men had to strive until the very end for a position in the team. It was not easy.

PART III