Fidel Castro:
Events Have Proven Me Right
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Fidel Castro:
Events Have Proven Me Right
Havana - In an article entitled
"Events Have Proven Me Right", Cuban
Revolution leader Fidel Castro wrote that
many are the lessons we must learn from the
II World Baseball Classic.
Prensa Latina is posting below the full text
of Fidel Castro's reflection published in
www.cubadebate.cu website.
REFLECTIONS BY COMRADE FIDEL
EVENTS HAVE PROVEN ME RIGHT
On Tuesday March 17th I wrote: “The Classic
was organized by those who administer the
exploitation of sports in the United
States…” I immediately added: “The three
best teams in the Classic and the Olympics,
Japan, Korea and Cuba, were placed in the
same group so that they might eliminate each
other. Last time, they placed us in the
Latin American group; this time in the Asian
group.
Therefore between today and tomorrow in San
Diego, one of the three will be irremissibly
eliminated…”
On the subject of players on the Republic of
Korea’s national team, I stated in that very
same article: “They are the main adversary
because they are also methodical and their
batting is stronger than that of the
Japanese.”
Two days later on March 19th, I explained:
“In the game between the teams from Japan
and Cuba that finished today at almost 3 in
the morning, we were unquestionably
defeated.
“However, I doubt that any team from the
west can defeat Japan and Korea in the group
of competitors who will be playing in Los
Angeles in the next three days. With its
quality, only one of the two Asian countries
shall decide who will take the first and
second spots in the Classic”.
Regarding the Japanese, I provided details:
“Training sessions are incredibly tough and
methodical. They have devised technical
methods to develop the reflexes each player
needs to have. Every day, batters practice
with hundreds of balls thrown by left and
right-handers. As for the pitchers, they are
made to throw four hundred balls every day.
It they make any mistake in the game, they
must then throw one hundred more. They do it
with pleasure, as if it were a form of
self-punishment. Thus they acquire notable
muscle control which obeys the orders sent
by their brains. That’s why their pitchers
amaze everyone with their ability to land
their throws at the exact spots they choose.
Similar methods are applied to each of the
activities each of the athletes must carry
out at the positions they are defending and
in their batting activities”. “Athletes in
the other Asian country, the Republic of
Korea, are developed with similar
characteristics, thus turning it into a
powerhouse in professional world baseball”.
Events have been happening exactly like
that:
Yesterday, after 12:30 at night Cuban time,
the Korean team defeated the Venezuelan team
by 10 to 2, in spite of the magnificent
professional qualities of that country’s
national team. They didn’t have a chance of
winning in the face of the Koreans’
sophisticated preparation methodology and
their rigor.
Carlos Silva, the opening pitcher for
Venezuela, could have been spared an
unnecessary humiliation when, after walking
the first batter and two consecutive errors
in the defense, there were three hits one
after the other, thus making it one to zero
with bases loaded and no outs in the first
inning. The Koreans were deciphering Silva’s
pitching and he had to be replaced with no
hesitation. Korea hit a grand slam giving
them a 5 to 0 advantage all within the first
inning. With a team like this Asian one, the
game had already been decided in the first
inning even though it is fair to point out
that the Venezuelan national team fought
hard and didn’t lose heart throughout the
game. At the end their aim was to avoid a
knockout score.
The game tonight between Japan and the
United States is a mere formality.
On Monday spectators both inside and outside
that country will be able to watch the
encounter between the two Asian powerhouses
of professional baseball.
It will be a rough road to reestablish
Cuba’s supremacy once more in that sport
where patriotism, national pride and our
struggle for healthy and educational sport
has attained the highest of levels.
Many are the lessons we must learn from the
last Classic. |
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