Geneva man a witness to U.S.-Cuba history, thanks to baseball

Kevin Ibach of Geneva had a front-row seat to history when President Barack Obama attended a baseball game Tuesday in Cuba.

Better than front row, actually; he was on the field and in a special area behind home plate, in his role as director of professional scouting for the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays were in Havana to play the Cuban National Team, during the first visit to the nation by a sitting U.S. president since 1928.

While there are still political differences and difficulties between the Communist nation and the United States, when it comes to baseball, there is common ground, because Cubans love the game.

"Baseball is an international language almost," said Ibach, 37, who has traveled to the Dominican Republic and Mexico to scout players.

"Now I can add a Cuba stamp to my passport."

Ibach was promoted to his executive's role late last year. Before that, he scouted for the Rays for four years, was a Midwest scout for the Miami Marlins for seven years, and a scout for the Baltimore Orioles for seven years.

The Orioles were the last team to visit Cuba, in 1999. "I just missed Cuba by a year," said Ibach, who played baseball for Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, then college ball, then tried out for the Schaumburg Flyers, but called it quits due to an injury. His father, Bob, was a public relations director for the Cubs in the 1980s.

Opening the way

"There's just been intrigue about what they (Cuban players) could do at the big-league level," Ibach said of the trip. "Honestly, we probably did less scouting than we just did making contacts." He also wanted to learn more about the culture and the obstacles Cuban players have to overcome, he said.

Cuba's love of baseball began in the late 19th century. Until 1960 the nation had a Triple-A team, the Havana Sugar Kings. In the 1940s and 1950s, Cuban players such as the White Sox' Minnie Minoso played for U.S. teams.

But since the U.S. began its embargo in 1962, and Cuba restricted emigration, the only way Cuban baseball players could play professional ball in the U.S. was by leaving permanently.

They escaped by boat, like White Sox outfielder Jose Abreu did.

Or they obtained tourist visas to countries such as Guatemala or the Dominican Republic, then refused to return to Cuba. From there they came to the U.S., sometimes illegally. The process has involved dangerous human traffickers. It's the way Yasiel Puig of the Los Angeles Dodgers ended up here.

Major League Baseball is working with the U.S. and Cuban governments to change regulations to allow Cuban ballplayers to be paid directly, instead of their salary going to the Cuban government. They could then obtain visas to play.

The sites

Ibach did not meet Obama. He did see Secretary of State John Kerry and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at an MLB party Monday, where the guests were serenaded by performer Jimmy Buffett.

He also visited the legendary Esquina Caliente ("Hot Corner") bar, where fans argue and debate baseball all day long.

"The passion that the fans have for the game, it really transcends international borders and cultures," Ibach said. "There may be other obstacles in their lives, but baseball stays constant."