Jorge L. Ortiz, San
Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer Tuesday, May 1, 2001
At 16, Berkeley High junior Cole Stipovich already has traveled to England
and Hawaii, but nothing beats this. Not even his older sister's move to
Australia can top Cole's next trip.
He's going to Cuba.
"It's probably one of the best things that's ever happened to me,"
said Stipovich, one of 20 East Bay youth baseball stars chosen to compete in the
Communist nation in late June.
Stipovich, a pitcher and first baseman, will be playing for the Oakland
Rattlers, a select team of 16-year-olds that participates in two summer leagues.
While the Baltimore Orioles and St. Thomas University of Minnesota have been
allowed to play in Cuba in the past few years, Rattlers manager Eddie Abram said
this was the first time a youth squad was granted such an opportunity.
It came about thanks to the efforts of Costa Mesa (Orange County)
businessman Adam Rendon and a number of his associates, who see the trip as a
chance to promote cultural relations and explore future business ventures on the
island.
A family friend of Rendon's heard from Cuban contacts about their interest
inusing baseball as a tool to improve the frosty relations between the two
countries. After nearly a year of working on getting clearance for the visit
from the U.S. Treasury Department and the Cuban Ministry, Rendon envisions an
annual exchange, with a Cuban team playing in Oakland perhaps as early as next
year.
"A couple of years from now this is going to be really big," said
Rendon, a former USC football player with a degree in international relations.
Rendon chose the Rattlers from among 40-50 teams nationally, largely because
of the success Abram has enjoyed in his 18 years as a youth-baseball manager.
Eight players from Abram's 1999 Oakland Oaks club earned Division I
scholarships, including Stanford freshman Jonny Ash. That team of 16-year-olds
won the U.S. Amateur Baseball Association World Series in South Jordan, Utah.
The year before, Abram's squad of 15-year-olds took the Babe Ruth League
national championship in Pine Bluff, Ark.
This year's Rattlers are certain to encounter much stiffer competition
during their six-game series from June 24-29 against the Cuban Junior Olympians.
"Their athletes, as far as baseball, are so far ahead of ours,"
Rendon said.
"We do have some very strong teams here in Southern California, but I
felt that Eddie was really willing to put a lot of effort in finding top-notch
guys.
A lot of coaches don't want to coach other players; they want to stick with
the guys they know. Eddie was willing to go out and add guys to the team just
for the benefit of this trip."
For the benefit of the players, Abram is emphasizing the experience will be
about much more than just baseball. He said about half the players are enrolled
in Spanish classes -- he's taking a class himself through the Internet -- and he
wants them to learn about the Cuban culture before leaving on June 23.
Abram is looking forward to having direct contact with the people of the
country, learning about their food and music, and maybe even meeting their
leader. He said there's a good chance the team will have an audience with Cuban
President Fidel Castro, a pitcher of some renown in his day -- a lefty, of
course -- and still an avid baseball fan.
Stipovich, who has been taking Spanish classes for four years, already knows
which subjects to broach and which ones to leave alone if he gets a chance to
talk to Castro.
"I think I'd have a conversation with him about baseball; I'd stay away
from politics," he said, before adding, "I don't think our embargo is
a good thing. I think it's pointless now. They should end it."
The Rattlers hope to do their part in that regard by bringing shoes,
clothing, medicines and other necessities as goodwill offerings for the people
of the impoverished island. Abram is collecting such donations and can be
reached at (925) 603-3327 or through the team's Web site,
www.eteamz.com/oaklandrattlers.
He's also trying to find funding for the team, which has raised about half
the $75,000 required to cover the costs for the 24-person party. Abram said the
corporate donations he expected have been slow to appear.
"My personal feeling is a lot of it has to do with the Cuban and
American government relationships," said Abram, who has received some
support from his employer, Bank of America. "There's not a lot of corporate
sponsors jumping at something like this."
Despite the Cubans' reputation for superior play, the Rattlers are jumping
with anticipation at the chance to play the Cubans on their own turf. The
players, an all-East Bay bunch from as far north as Crockett and as far south as
Union City, know opportunities like this are rare.
"We want to go down there and show them what American baseball's all
about and try to finish first," said Kurt Koehler, a pitcher and infielder
at Pinole Valley High. "It's a real honor to play for the U.S."
©2001 San Francisco Chronicle | 