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The passion for the sport on both sides of the Straits of Florida was evident in 1999, when a historic two-game series pitted the Baltimore Orioles against the Cuban National Team. For the first time in 40 years, a Major League team played in Havana, and the Cuban team traveled to Baltimore. In packed stadiums, cowbells and fans, protesters and conga drums provided a backbeat for the series. But, behind the excitement lay a complex history of competition and cooperation that stretches back to baseball's 19th century origins.
The history of Cuban-American relations is brought into focus through the lens of baseball in GREENER GRASS: CUBA, BASEBALL AND THE UNITED STATES.
In addition to the controversial Orioles games in Havana and Baltimore, GREENER GRASS: CUBA, BASEBALL AND THE UNITED STATES highlights the defection of Cuban pitcher Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez, who was signed by the New York Yankees last year. At the time of Fidel Castro's revolution, 10 percent of Major League players were Cuban; and Americans played on Cuban teams. The Havana Sugar Kings were poised to join the Major League until Castro banned professional sport from the island.
By looking at both recent events, and at more than a century of baseball history, the film illustrates the ways in which the game has served as a common ground and a test of strength between politically estranged countries. It also reveals how the sport can be seen as a microcosm that reflects divergent national identities, as well as underlying tensions of race, democracy and opportunity.
Multiple perspectives are central to this vivid, musically rich film, which presents such diverse voices from Cuba and the United States as patriotic Castroists, Cuban exiles and North Americans who span the political spectrum. Featured interviews include Tommy Lasorda, of the Los Angeles Dodgers and former player in the Cuban Professional League; Wilfredo Sanchez, Cuban all-time hits leader; Rudolfo Fernandez, former coach of the Almendares and Habana baseball clubs in Cuba and star player for The New York Cubans in the Negro Leagues; Rick Shaeffer, organizer of the Cuba-Orioles series; and many others.