Did Fidel Castro nearly have a career in professional baseball?

Fidel Castro, the father of communist Cuba who led the country as Prime Minister from 1959 to 1976 and then as President from 1976 to 2008, died on Friday. In fact, Castro was just in the sports headlines on Friday when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick continued to defend Castro’s legacy despite his oversight of an oppressive regime that would seemingly contradict Kaepernick’s recent protests. As the story goes, Castro was a pitcher at the University of Havana when he began drawing the attention of scouts in the United States in the late 1940s.

Fidel Castro and Baseball – Society for American Baseball Research

Cuban MLB players who fled the island hope no one else has to. Will Trump and Rubio play ball?

Fidel Castro dead at 90

Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, who defied U.S. for 50 years, has died (w/video)

Bud Selig reminisces about 1999 MLB trip to Cuba, meeting Fidel Castro – New York Daily News

When Fidel Castro Charmed the United States, History

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My Long Night With Fidel Castro - Pacific Standard

Cuba and the United States Play 'Béisbol' Diplomacy

Fidel Castro dead: World leaders pay tribute to former Cuban president, The Independent

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro dies at age 90

Fidel Castro Dead At 90 – Outside the Beltway