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Penn State Nittany Lions to play Cuban National Series teams

Xinhua, November 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

U.S. college baseball team the Nittany Lions of Penn State (Pennsylvania) will be traveling to Cuba to play four games against top teams in the island's premier league, known here as the Cuban National Series, Cuba's online sports daily Jit said Monday.

   The Lions are set to play their first game against "the New York Yankees of Cuban baseball," the Industriales, on Nov. 22 at Havana's 55,000-seat Latin American Stadium. The two teams will play again on Nov. 25.

   The Lions will later travel to the cities of Pinar del Rio and Matanzas to play their top local teams on Nov. 27 and Nov. 28.

   Penn State's baseball squad will be making history as "the first U.S. team, amateur or professional, to compete against teams from the Cuban National Series," according to the university's sports website.

   "At this pivotal moment in U.S.-Cuba relations, our Penn State student-athletes will have the rare opportunity -- through competition, player-to-player engagement, and educational programming -- to experience first-hand the Cuban people's passion for their national sport and learn about the history and culture of the country that produced some of the best baseball players in the world," the university's head coach Rob Cooper said back in late October.

   The U.S. players will also take part in lectures and cultural events while in Cuba.  

   Cuba and the United Sates recently restored diplomatic ties following five decades of animosity.  Endi