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Protests mar Cuba's Classic victory
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-03-10 15:26
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, March 9 (Reuters) - Cuba's national baseball team, the
reigning Olympic champions, strong-armed their way to a second straight win
Thursday in Pool C competition of the inaugural World Baseball Classic.
Cuba, playing its first tournament against Major League all-stars, cruised to
an 11-2 victory over the Netherlands at San Juan's Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
The win ensured a berth for Cuba, which squeaked past Panama Wednesday, into
the second round of a tournament overshadowed by speculation about possible
defections of prized athletes from the communist-ruled island.
The Cubans refused to attend the customary post-game news conference after
Thursday's win, and even threatened to pull out of the Classic altogether,
according to one high-ranking Puerto Rican security official.
Their rage was triggered by at least one protester against Cuban President
Fidel Castro who brandished a placard that read "Down Fidel" in the stands, just
behind homeplate, in the final innings of the ballgane.
"What happened was a provocation by a group of five counterrevolutionary
characters who aggravated our delegation with signs and words that were
offensive to us, violating the established rules of the organizing committee,"
said one offical close to the Cuban delegation.
"The police, far from fixing the situation, opted to support the protesters,"
he said.
A group of about 80 anti-Castro protesters staged a demonstration outside the
stadium here on Wednesday, but politically-charged ballplay had been kept to a
minimum otherwise before Thursday's camera-ready bit of grandstanding.
Yoandry Garlobo had four hits, including a homerun, to go with five RBIs to
lead Cuba on Thursday night, while team mate Osmany Urrutia hit a three-RBI
homerun in the sixth inning that sealed the win.
DUTCH OUT
The Netherlands were eliminated with the loss while Cuba's win set them up
for a showdown with the other undefeated team of Pool C, group host Puerto Rico.
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