Estadio Latinoamericano
Encyclopedia
The Estadio Latinoamericano (Spanish
for Latin American Stadium) is a stadium
in Havana
, Cuba
. It is primarily used for baseball
. Gran Stadium, a spacious pitchers' park with prevailing winds blowing in and boasting a playing surface and lighting system of major-league quality, was built in 1946 as the top baseball park in Latin America
. Located in the Cerro neighborhood, it opened with the name Gran Stadium de La Habana and currently holds about 55,000 people. In 1999, it also hosted an exhibition series between the Cuban National Team
and the Baltimore Orioles
.
The Estadio Lationoamericano is popularly known in Cuba as "The Colossus of Cerro." Initially it was called Gran Stadium de La Habana (Great Stadium of Havana) but later it was called Estadio del Cerro (Stadium of Cerro) until 1961, when it was renamed as Latin-American Stadium when Cuban professional baseball was stopped. It was constructed in 1946 and debuted on October 26 before a crowd of 31,000 fans. It displaced La Tropical Stadium as the best stadium in Havana.
The stadium debuted on October 26, 1946 before a crowd of 31,000 fans for a clash between the Almendares and Cienfuegos
baseball teams, the largest crowd that had attended a sports event in Cuba. Almendares won the game 9 to 1. The Venezuelan Alejandro Carrasquel
, who in the Major League played for the Washington Senators, threw the first pitch of the game.
In its more than 60 years, the stadium has been utilised for diverse spectacles including popular dance performances and boxing matches.
The stadium was renovated and expanded in the year 1971, with an enlargement of its stands, increasing the stadium to its present capacity of 55,000 spectators, and an extension of its gardens.
The stadium has also been used for political purposes. In 1956 it was the location of a student demonstration headed by José Antonio Echeverría, against the Government of Fulgencio Batista
.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for Latin American Stadium) is a stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. It is primarily used for baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. Gran Stadium, a spacious pitchers' park with prevailing winds blowing in and boasting a playing surface and lighting system of major-league quality, was built in 1946 as the top baseball park in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. Located in the Cerro neighborhood, it opened with the name Gran Stadium de La Habana and currently holds about 55,000 people. In 1999, it also hosted an exhibition series between the Cuban National Team
Cuba national baseball team
The Cuba national baseball team is the national team of Cuba. The team is made up of amateur players from the Cuban national baseball system, as there are no professional sports leagues in Cuba...
and the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
.
The Estadio Lationoamericano is popularly known in Cuba as "The Colossus of Cerro." Initially it was called Gran Stadium de La Habana (Great Stadium of Havana) but later it was called Estadio del Cerro (Stadium of Cerro) until 1961, when it was renamed as Latin-American Stadium when Cuban professional baseball was stopped. It was constructed in 1946 and debuted on October 26 before a crowd of 31,000 fans. It displaced La Tropical Stadium as the best stadium in Havana.
The stadium debuted on October 26, 1946 before a crowd of 31,000 fans for a clash between the Almendares and Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos (Cuban League baseball club)
The Petroleros de Cienfuegos first participated in the Cuban Professional League championship during the 1926-27 season. Although representing the south coast city of Cienfuegos, the team played their home games in Havana. Cienfuegos did not played in the 1927-28 season, contending again from...
baseball teams, the largest crowd that had attended a sports event in Cuba. Almendares won the game 9 to 1. The Venezuelan Alejandro Carrasquel
Alex Carrasquel
Alejandro Eloy Carrasquel Aparicio [car-ras-KAEL] , was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a pitcher for the Washington Senators and the Chicago White Sox...
, who in the Major League played for the Washington Senators, threw the first pitch of the game.
In its more than 60 years, the stadium has been utilised for diverse spectacles including popular dance performances and boxing matches.
The stadium was renovated and expanded in the year 1971, with an enlargement of its stands, increasing the stadium to its present capacity of 55,000 spectators, and an extension of its gardens.
The stadium has also been used for political purposes. In 1956 it was the location of a student demonstration headed by José Antonio Echeverría, against the Government of Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar was the United States-aligned Cuban President, dictator and military leader who served as the leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1944 and from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution....
.