Baseball trip to Cuba

[Bill Stone]

With all the opportunities now to travel to Cuba I am curious if anyone has gone or contemplated going in search of baseball cards or at least with that as a secondary reason for traveling there ?

[sbfinley]

Was the embargo ever actually lifted? I've heard talk of doing so, but I don't remember specifically hearing that.

[barrysloate]

Bill- I don't think there are too many baseball cards left. They've been picked clean.

[Matthew H]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Bill- I don't think there are too many baseball cards left. They've been picked clean.

Why do you say this? My guess would be the opposite.

[barrysloate]

I know several people who have made multiple trips there and brought back as many baseball cards as they could find. And this has been going on for many years. Not saying there aren't some left, but most are already in slabs by now.

[Matthew H]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

I know several people who have made multiple trips there and brought back as many baseball cards as they could find. And this has been going on for many years. Not saying there aren't some left, but most are already in slabs by now.

Well that makes sense now. I still think that a a few guys going down to cuba looking for cards... They couldn't have found them all. If they knew people down there, maybe most have been found. If they just went looking, there has to be many more.

[barrysloate]

Well of course there are some cards left, but the people I've spoken with said there is only a fraction of what there used to be when they first started going to Cuba.

[bbcard1]

I truly love ball cards, but if I get to cuba, I think I would rather just go to a ballgame and drink in the history that way.

[triwak]

I've often wondered about this, whether more Cuban cards might surface as restrictions are lifted? Still mildly hopeful... Perhaps more beaters, tucked away in albums?

[mannybb24]

Cards and memorabilia is still being found on the island but it is getting a tougher to find. I believe the items that were offered on EBAY a few months ago like the Punch Petway, Cobb and also some Billikens and Tomas Gutierrez were from a collection in Cuba.
So there is still hope, though slim to find more hidden and undiscovered gems like the never surfaced Home Run Johnson Punch and others.

[iggyman]

I seriously doubt a bunch of old baseball cards will surface once Cuba ceases to be a prison. Actually, Cuba has its own version of craiglist; called "Revolico.com" (which translates to the word disarray). I browse it every blue moon and I've yet to see any baseball cards (or baseball collectible related). Anything of value has long been exploited. You are talking about a population of people (probably ~95%), which don't even have a pillow to sleep on (because if you think about it, when you have nothing, a pillow is a luxury item).

Lovely Day...

[aljurgela]

From my sources, there is just not a lot there anymore, but this does not mean that there is nothing down there.

A friend of mine recently found a number of interesting items that paid for the trip. But from what I have heard, the vast majority of the island has been picked clean as a few big traders sent kids door to door searching for these items (and paying "finders fees) for years trying to drag the out the cards and photos. They were quite successful, but the result has been less than 10 copies of most issues.

I have never been to Cuban for this purpose, but it certainly sounds fun... if you knew who to meet with. Without connections, I imagine that it would be quite difficult, but who knows....

[ElCabron]

It's worth going even if your trip has nothing to do with baseball or baseball cards. Amazing place with amazing people. When it opens up for real it will change forever. Go now if you can.

-Ryan

[ullmandds]

Nice Ryan...seems everyone just wants to go there and rape the land of it's resources...like the way the white man has ruined parts of Africa!

[bbcard1]

From my limited experience, the cigars are overrated.

[Matthew H]

Originally Posted by bbcard1

From my limited experience, the cigars are overrated.

Are you sure it wasn't a reprint?

[baseball tourist]

A's a Canadian once living in Toronto, Cuba has been a very affordable not to mention enjoyable vacation destination for years. I have been over 10 times since the 1980's and have always asked locals and friends if they can locate cards etc. Not much has turned up, not that it was the focus of my trips.

Have been to some great games in Havana and other towns and have had the pleasure of growing a few friendships throughout the country. Friends, especially those that work in the resort hotels tell me that locating baseball items and antiques is a very common request from visiting Canucks.

Don't think that there is much left to find.

[Bosox Blair]

Originally Posted by bbcard1

From my limited experience, the cigars are overrated.

From my quite extensive experience, the cigars are far-and-away the finest in the world.

Cheers,
Blair

[Bosox Blair]

Originally Posted by NoizeBringer

It's worth going even if your trip has nothing to do with baseball or baseball cards. Amazing place with amazing people. When it opens up for real it will change forever. Go now if you can.

-Ryan

A big +1 on that!

Cheers,
Blair

[ChiefBenderForever]

Do they have McDonalds ?

[Cerberus]

Yes, they do, Johnny, but they are called "McCastro's." The mascot for the chain is a character named Fidel McCastro, who looks like Ronald McD, but has a beard and wears one of those special Castro hats. The chain's signature item is called the "Big Fidel," which features meat of an unknown origin and, of course, a very special and spicy "secret sauce."

[bobbvc]

Originally Posted by Cerberus

Yes, they do, Johnny, but they are called "McCastro's." The mascot for the chain is a character named Fidel McCastro, who looks like Ronald McD, but has a beard and wears one of those special Castro hats. The chain's signature item is called the "Big Fidel," which features meat of an unknown origin and, of course, a very special and spicy "secret sauce."

That doesn't sound much different than the "real" McDonald's.

[joeadcock]

Would love to go there once it is out of the hands of the current govt.
No way, will I feed it.

[ChiefBenderForever]

Originally Posted by joeadcock

Would love to go there once it is out of the hands of the current govt.
No way, will I feed it.

Half the stuff we buy is from China so what is the difference ? And half the clothes at retailers are from child labor producing plants, many slave labor. Unless you buy only American made only products, which is impossible you are supporting much worse than Cuba. It's just the way of the world, we have no control over any of it. 'Profits' rule the world, government is now secondary and probably always was.

[joeadcock]

Johnny

I'll tell you what the difference is.
My parents and their families had houses and a private school and a LIFE there and it WAS ALL TAKEN away from them by force. TAKEN AWAY, EVERYTHING. Literally left with the clothes on their backs.

And they came here. I was born here. So the only damn good thing about that government is that I was born here free and am an American.

Everything you said is all common knowledge, and teaches nothing.

You shouldn't make assumptions before making comments like that.

In the world of my family, one big HELL OF A DIFFERENCE.

[ElCabron]

Your self-imposed embargo, just like the U.S. one, isn't doing anything to hurt the Cuban government, only the Cuban people.

The Cuban government has never benefited one bit from any trip I've taken to Cuba. But every time I've gone, I've brought a suitcase full of cough syrup, ibuprofen, toothpaste, shampoo, clothes, baseball gloves, etc. that I gave away to the wonderful people there that barely have enough to survive. They are barely surviving, partly because of the embargo. The other part, of course, is their government. But you and I can't do anything about their government. We CAN do something about the embargo.

-Ryan

[joeadcock]

Ryan

Understand what you say.

However, since they did what they did to my parents and their parents and other family, my SELF IMPOSED emargo(as you call it) to them stands.