BÉISBOL BEGINS

The story of baseball’s journey from America to Cuba began with one boy.

In 1858, 11-year-old Nemesio Guilló, heir to a successful Cuban sugar factory, was sent by his parents to the U.S. to study. Baseball was just taking hold in America, and Nemesio was captivated by the game. Uncomfortable with the violence of bullfighting—introduced by the Spanish, who had colonized Cuba—Nemesio believed that baseball captured the spirit of the Cuban people: Teams were even, and there was no unnecessary cruelty. When Nemesio returned home, he brought a baseball bat with him—and a deep passion for the game. In 1868, he formed the country’s first baseball team, and the sport rapidly spread across the island, but the Spanish colonizers viewed baseball as a threat to their rule. By 1895, after years of oppression, the Cuban people could no longer live under Spanish rule and revolution began. With an assist from the United States, the revolution ended with Cuban independence in 1902—and baseball was the new country’s national sport. Oliveras relies on upbeat, straightforward text and snazzy, cartoonish illustrations to intwine the story of a pioneering athlete with an account of a nation’s burgeoning independence. Spanish words are incorporated throughout, and backmatter offers further context on both Guilló and the history of Cuba.

Long-overdue recognition for a founding father of Cuban baseball. ¡Maravilloso!