Saturday, July 6, 2002
Linares to play for Chunichi Dragons
Associated Press
HAVANA -- Five Cuban baseball stars have received permission
from the communist government to play or coach teams in Japan for
the rest of this season, the official newspaper Granma reported
Saturday.
The special permission is "recognition of the years dedicated
by these five athletes to active sports, to the glories they have
given to Cuban baseball and their exemplary conduct,'' said the
article in Granma, published by Cuba's Communist Party.
Third baseman Omar Linares will play with the Chunichi Dragons.
First baseman Orestes Kindelan, with nearly 400 home runs in his
career, will play with the amateur team Sidas, as will second
baseman Antonio Pacheco.
Outfielder Luis Ulacia will work as a coach, as will pitcher
German Mesa. Granma did not say which teams they would be coaching.
There are no professional sports in Cuba and athletes depend on
their federations to negotiate agreements that allow them to
temporarily play with or coach teams in other countries.
But such agreements are rare. The agreement between the Cuban
Baseball Federation and its counterpart in Japan is the first of
its kind since 1997.
