A Lesson in Diplomacy
Grand Valley State University Baseball in Cuba
An American college baseball team traveled from their homes in Michigan, USA to Havana, Cuba to take part in a cultural experience few from their country get to have. After approximately 18 months of planning and navigating the US and Cuban bureaucracies, over 40 people from Grand Valley State University traveled to the island nation to participate in our respective national pastime, learn new cultures, and aid the poor with gifts to the Cuban people. Grand Valley State University was the first Division II baseball team in US history to play in Cuba.
A Cultural Experience of a Lifetime
The United States embargo against Cuba (called “el bloqueo” or “the blockade” in Cuba) presented a restriction against traveling to the island nation for Americans for over 50 years. The chance to travel to this “forbidden island” created a unique opportunity for students to experience a culture not only unlike anything they had experienced before, but also unlike anything their professors or study abroad departments could even teach them with experience. It took great amounts of work, and was truly a trip of a lifetime. During a six-day visit to Havana in January 2012, the team played a three-game series against a team of Cuban all-stars.
Cuba Lives Baseball
Far more dominant within their culture than in the United States, baseball is a shared pastime that Cuba is well-known to be great in. Through various success in the World Baseball Classic, to being the most successful team in the Summer Olympics, Cuba has built a reputation for excellence in the sport of baseball around the world. In the five olympic appearances since 1992, Cuba has won the gold 3 times, taking silver the other 2. They are a formidable opponent on the field.
The Filmmakers
Charlie Pryor
Director | Editor: Charlie is a graduate of Grand Valley State University with a Bachelors of Science in Film and Video Production. He was originally invited into this project by Producer Frank Boring, and has taken creative responsibility for the production that you see on screen. He’s also the person behind the camera following the team and capturing the experience throughout their journey in Cuba.
Gordon Alderink
Writer | Producer: Gordy is Associate Professor of Physical Therapy at Grand Valley State University, and was pitching coach for the GVSU baseball team at the time of the Cuba trip. He became intrigued with the power of documentary film through a local film-maker, Chris Bedford, and saw the Grand Valley Cuba trip as an opportunity to learn more about film-craft, as well as tell an interesting story.
Frank Boring
Writer | Producer: Frank is an Affilliate Professor in the School of Communications at Grand Valley State University. He has extensive experience in filmmaking and other media. He has produced several historical documentaries, including Fei Hu: The Story of the Flying Tigers, which was televised nationally and internationally on PBS. At the time, he had several projects going on, including A Lesson in Diplomacy.
Previously aired on PBS
Good Movie. Good Cause.
We put 3.5 years into this project to bring you as immersive and captivating of a story as possible, so that you could know what it was like to travel with the Grand Valley State University Baseball team in Cuba. But none of that would have ever been possible, without the help we received from First Hand Aid. The profits from DVD sales went to them as a thank you for their extraordinary efforts, both with us, and all around Cuba.
Learn more about First Hand Aid
