Happy Cuban National Day

[HomeFish]

On this day in 1953, Fidel Castro began the Cuban Revolution by leading a guerrilla attack on the Moncada Barracks. Yes, it really was called that. It's now Cuba's national holiday.

It is truly terrifying to imagine a world without Cuba as a White Sox fan. Jose Contreras was the ace of this team in the 2005 World Series run (which might have ended prematurely if not for Orlando Hernandez shutting down Boston with the bases loaded and no outs in Game 3 of the ALDS), Alexei Ramirez had a big hit that led to this team making the playoffs in 2008, Yoan Moncada has been the best player on the team in 2021, Yasmani Grandal is the biggest contract this organization has ever given out, and Jose Abreu won the most recent AL MVP award in franchise history and is the undisputed leader of the team right now.

[RedHeadPaleHoser]

On this day in 1953, Fidel Castro began the Cuban Revolution by leading a guerrilla attack on the Moncada Barracks. Yes, it really was called that. It's now Cuba's national holiday.

It is truly terrifying to imagine a world without Cuba as a White Sox fan. Jose Contreras was the ace of this team in the 2005 World Series run (which might have ended prematurely if not for Orlando Hernandez shutting down Boston with the bases loaded and no outs in Game 3 of the ALDS), Alexei Ramirez had a big hit that led to this team making the playoffs in 2008, Yoan Moncada has been the best player on the team in 2021, Yasmani Grandal is the biggest contract this organization has ever given out, and Jose Abreu won the most recent AL MVP award in franchise history and is the undisputed leader of the team right now.

I'm living in the Lauderdale area, and some of my co workers/employees are Cuban. One of them (who's getting ready to retire) was part of those Peter Pan Angel flights that took him out of Cuba as a child, and flew him to Miami. He had no family with him.....a 6 year old kid who barely spoke English dropped in the middle of Miami to meet an uncle he never knew.

Aside from that part of history, I can personally attest to MANY White Sox hats being worn down here, and I don't think it's a style reboot from the CityConnect unis. One of the guys that works for me is a big sports fan, and he hopes as Jeter gets a better handle on the Marlins front office he will use the direct connection of the culture and Cuban heritage in south Florida to bring their own versions of Abreu, Robert, Gandal and Moncada to the team.

[HomeFish]

My parents came over from Communist Poland in the 1980's (my dad risked his life defectinmg across the East German/West German border) so I have always cheered for the Cuban players in MLB, on any team, because of the connection I feel for them. But of course over the last 15-20 years, it has become specifically a White Sox thing as well.

I haven't been to Cuba yet - one day, surely, I'll go since it is so close. I wonder if it would be OK to wear a White Sox hat there. On the one hand, I'm sure folks in Cuba know that logo. On the other hand, they're all defectors that the government is likely not a fan of.