The PRESIDENT of the Little Leagues of International Baseball, the American Stephen Keener, highlighted today Cuba's attendance at the world finals this and next year, and predicted the signing of a more solid agreement with the federation of this sport on the Island soon.
His words came out at the press conference held this Thursday in the Adolfo Luque Hall of the Latin American Stadium, which was also attended by the head of the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB), Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo.
Keener recalled with satisfaction his trip to Cuba in 2019 to give birth to a memorandum of understanding that is still in force, signed with the then head of the FCB, the late Higinio Vélez.
He dedicated emotional words to the figure of the mentor and federation from Santiago, describing him as a friend and acknowledging the sadness caused by his sudden death as a result of covid-19.
Keener thanked the management of the new president of the FCB, reason for this approach in Havana to set new goals.
He highlighted the participation of the Island in the Caribbean competitions of 2019 and 2022, and especially the attendance at the Williamsport final as close as this coming August.
He recognized the passion for baseball in our country and the contribution that Little League can make to children who love the sport.
Keener expressed his confidence that they will soon be able to sign a new bilateral agreement that goes beyond competition, by being able to offer the equipment that the FCB demands and also the possibility of building a stadium for the Little Leagues on the Island.
The latter is related to the option of Cuba hosting a Little League Caribbean tournament in the future, for example in 2025, when the island's champion will go through that level again.
Asked about the message that the presence of the Cuban team in Williamsport in August will send to American society, Keener said that it will be received with admiration and joy, that it will be an opportunity to make friends and that he thinks above all about what it will mean for the children. .
He mentioned that the president of the United States, Josep Biden, played in the Little League, is part of his hall of fame and expresses affection for this game. He expressed confidence that relations between his entity and the FCB can always improve.
Pérez Pardo thanked the words of his guest and affirmed that sport and baseball can once again be a bridge between the two countries.
Keener was also complimentary about the conformation of the Cuban pre-selection to the world classic, which includes for the first time figures that act in Major League Baseball.