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Baseball is considered the national sport of
Cuba. It was first played on the island around 1865-1866. According
to some information gathered, the first Baseball Championship in
Cuba was held in 1878 and it was organised by Emilio Saborit, who
was the manager of Havana's team. Sometime earlier, in 1874, the
first two teams were formed.
On December 27, of that same year, a team played
the first baseball game from Matanzas against Havana. This game took
place in the historic Palmar de Junco Stadium, in the province of
Matanzas. The Almendares Park baseball stadium was opened in 1881 on
Carlos III Avenue and Ayestaran.
By the end of the 19th century and beginnings of
the 20th other countries in the American continent began to play
baseball. The 1st Amateur Baseball Championship was held in Havana
in 1905. Later, Cuba's National Baseball Amateur League was founded
in 1914. This League continued its championships for more than 45
continuous years. Other minor leagues were also created in the rest
of the island.
Boxing is the sport in which Cuba has received
the most world titles. A total of 23 medals have been won for world
titles and Olympics events. All sports in Cuba are considered as
amateur league and thus Cuban boxers do not challenge widely
publicised professional "world titles". Titles are as
follows: 23 gold medals, 12 silver medals and 5 bronzes for the
Olympic games.
Alcides Sagarra, founder since 1960, of the Cuban
boxing Association has trained some redoubtable boxers for the Cuban
teams.He also considered as the best trainer on the island by
aficionados. Within his portfolio of boxers you can find names such
as, Teófilo Stevenson, Félix Savón and Maikro Romero who have
achieved apparelled results in the sport of punching and defence
world-wide.
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