Latest News

This Sunday, January 12, 2025, the 12th edition of the Veterans League's "Softball, Quality of Life" delivered a shake-up to the standings as the Shrimpers (Veterans 3) stumbled with a doubleheader loss, paving the way for the Elephants (Veterans 1) to surge to the top with an impressive double victory. In a déjà vu moment, the standings now mirror the way the previous edition concluded, with the Elephants reasserting their dominance early in the season. Their winning formula combined stellar pitching and an explosive offense. The highlight of the weekend was the brilliant performance by star right-hander Yosvany María Córdova, who anchored a pitching staff that allowed just six runs across both games. On the offensive side, the Elephants roared to life, smashing 37 hits to back up their pitchers and leave no doubt about their championship aspirations. With such a strong statement this early in the campaign, the Elephants are proving they remain the team to beat in 2025. As the season progresses, all eyes will be on whether the Shrimpers can bounce back and if any team can find a way to dethrone the reigning giants. Stay tuned for more action-packed weekends ahead!

The 12th Veterans League Cup of the “Softball, Quality of Life” project officially launched this Sunday, January 5, 2025, with a celebratory opening ceremony. Juan Ramón Díaz Hernández, the league’s steadfast coordinator, delivered an inspiring address and honored the standout veteran athletes from the 11th edition, recognizing their exceptional performances throughout 2024. On the field, the action was as intense as ever, highlighted by the Shrimpers’ electrifying start to the season. Veterans 3 swept the doubleheader in commanding fashion, catapulting themselves to the top of the standings as the 2025 championship gets underway. Meanwhile, the Jagua (Veterans 2) struggled to shake off their lingering woes from last season, dropping both games and extending their unfavorable streak. The day was an offensive extravaganza, with a jaw-dropping 123 hits spread across the three games. The Shrimpers led the pack with a blistering 53 hits, showcasing their firepower at the plate. However, defensive miscues were the Achilles’ heel for all teams, with 25 total errors marring the day’s play. The Shrimpers, despite their offensive dominance, committed 10 errors, followed by the Elephants with 9 and the Jagua with 6. With this high-octane opening day setting the tone, fans can expect a thrilling season ahead. Can the Shrimpers maintain their momentum? Will the Jagua turn their fortunes around? The 2025 campaign is just getting started, and the battle for softball supremacy is officially underway!

The curtain came down on the 11th Veterans League Softball Cup with a triumphant roar from the Elephants (Veterans 1). On the final day of competition, the Elephants dominated the diamond, sweeping the Sunday doubleheader to secure their place as champions with an impressive 50 victories — a sterling 65.8% win rate across their 76 games this season. Meanwhile, it was a season to forget for the struggling Jagua (Veterans 2). The team closed out their campaign with a disappointing doubleheader loss, finishing with just 25 wins out of 77 games. Their 45.8% win rate marked them as the only team to fall short of a winning record in this edition. Adding a touch of inspiration to the finale, project coordinator and leader Juan Ramón Díaz Hernández made his first appearance since undergoing foot surgery. In a heartfelt ceremony, Díaz Hernández presented the championship cup to the Elephants, capping off their incredible season. In a moving show of solidarity, the veteran athletes participating in the project came together to donate $3,000 pesos to help with Juan’s postoperative expenses — a gesture that embodied the spirit of camaraderie that defines this league. As the dust settles on this season, the countdown begins for the 12th edition of the Veterans League Cup, set to kick off on Sunday, January 5, 2025. Mark your calendars — the next chapter of softball excellence is just around the corner!

The 11th edition of the Veterans League's "Softball, Quality of Life" project delivered another thrilling chapter on its penultimate day — despite a stubborn winter drizzle that forced the cancellation of the much-anticipated clash between the Elephants (Veterans 1) and the Jagua (Veterans 2). But the action didn’t stop there! The Shrimpers (Veterans 3) took center stage, sweeping the doubleheader with a lights-out performance from right-handed ace Humberto León Lescano. León Lescano was untouchable, securing victories in both matchups and staking his claim as one of the MVPs of the day. The race for league MVP is heating up like a seventh-inning rally. Jagua's "Nani" Bueno and the Shrimpers' superstar Eliécer are in a neck-and-neck showdown, with 20 and 19 total MVP nods, respectively. Every swing, pitch, and catch on the final day could tip the scales in this electrifying battle for the crown. On the mound, the pitchers' leaderboard is just as tight. Quiñones and Marcelo of the Elephants are locked in with a .750 win-loss average, but Eliécer of the Shrimpers is the undisputed top winner with 13 victories. Hot on his heels are Gradaille (Elephants) and Estable (Jagua), both sitting at 12 wins each. With everything still on the line, next Sunday, December 22, promises fireworks. The one pitching title that’s already wrapped up? The "most saves" crown, which belongs to none other than Machado of the Elephants, locking it down with four clutch saves. All eyes now turn to the final day, where champions will be crowned, MVPs will be decided, and legends will be made. Grab your umbrellas and your scorecards — you won’t want to miss it!

The Elephants of the Veterans 1 team swept this weekend, as if to remind the rest of the competing teams who were the CHAMPIONS of this 11th edition of the Veterans League of the Project: "Softball, quality of life.” At second hour of this Sunday, December 8, in the thirty-seventh competition journey, they defeated the Jagua of the Veterans 2 team, 12 x 7 and at third hour, the Shrimpers of the Veterans 3 team, 9 x 5. Despite the expectations that had been created before this match considering the three consecutive victories of the same pitcher (Jorge), achieved by the Shrimpers in the same number of weekends, the Elephants grew and managed to inflict a costly defeat on their closest pursuers, who are now 11 games away from the top of the standings. This time, they did not believe in the star pitcher Shrimper Jorge Sánchez Rodríguez, who had them practically tied up and gave him a costly defeat, as if to make it clear who is in charge in this edition of the Cup. For its part, the Shrimpers of the Veterans 3 team, unfortunately lost the Sunday doubleheader, as they had fallen at first hour of the day against the Jagua of the Veterans 2 team, 19 x 12. The Jagua achieved a victory and a defeat this weekend.

Finally, the Elephants of the Veterans 1 team, as the most notable note of Sunday, December 1st, managed to be crowned champions in advance, this weekend in the thirty-sixth competition journey when there are still three weeks left to finish the 11th edition of the Veterans League of the Project, "Softball quality of Life". With their victory against the Jagua of the Veterans 2 team in the first time of this Sunday with a score of 18 x 6 in five innings (knock out) the Elephants reached 46 wins placing themselves 9.5 games ahead of the Shrimpers of the Veterans 3 team, when the Shrimpers (closest pursuers) had 9 games left (6 games (3 weekends) remaining in the league, the two of the current week, plus one suspended due to rain, in week 5), insufficient to catch up with the Elephants. It was of no use that in the particular game of this Sunday, December 1st, they gave the Elephants a brilliant and spectacular 10 x 0 bleached in the second shift of Sunday. The die was already cast. To top it off, in the third shift, the Jagua of veterans’ team 2, left the Shrimpers on the field, which consolidated the Elephants' status as champion. Thus, the weekend was divided of honors, ending the journey with one victory and one defeat for each team and maintaining the differences of the previous week in the standings.

In the thirtieth round of the Veterans League belonging to the Project: “Softball, quality of life” the three teams shared honors, therefore “el cuartico se quedó igualito” (all the differences in the standings remained the same). As a notable note, the Shrimpers of the Veterans 3 team managed to beat the Elephants of the Veterans 1 Team for the second consecutive week, staying 9 games from the top, still maintaining the mathematical possibility of being champions and extending for one more week the possibility of the Elephants being crowned champions early. The “magic” number for the Elephants to be crowned champions continues to be one (1). The Elephants, although virtually champions, have delayed their early coronation because their outstanding and powerful offense in the last three weeks has diminished considerably. These weeks they only managed to connect 29 hits out of more than 40 as a weekly average.

In the thirty-fourth competition journey of the Veterans League belonging to the Project: “Softball, quality of life", the Shrimpers of the Veterans 3 team achieved an important double victory that allows them to keep alive the hopes of being Champions, since the Elephants of the Veterans 1 Team have not yet managed to be crowned. The magic number is now one (1). With this double Sunday victory, the Shrimpers came within 9 games of the top of the standings. For its part, the Jagua of the Veterans 2 Team lost the double game and continues to slide down in what can be described as a poor performance in this 11th edition of the Cup. With this double defeat, the Jagua have accumulated 16 occasions in which they have been swept, which constitutes a negative record in their record of achievements.

In the thirty-third journey of the Veterans League of the Project: “Softball, quality of life” there was a honor division. The three participating teams won one game and lost another, therefore, the standings remained unchanged, with the Elephants of the Veterans 1 team, leaders, separated by 10 games from their closest pursuer, the Shrimpers of the Veterans 3 team and virtually champions when there are only 6 Sundays left in the competition program of the 11th edition (12 pending games for each team) having as a "magic number" 2 to be proclaimed champion. It would be enough for them to combine two victories with two defeats of the Shrimpers of the Veterans 3 team. The Jagua, of the Veterans 2 team, for the second consecutive weekend managed to beat the Elephants of the Veterans 1 team, this time in extra innings. It is worth noting that the star MVP of the Jagua of the Veterans team 2 Arnaldo “Nani” Bueno Silva, despite playing sick, managed to hit 4 for 4 in that game and remains a strong candidate to be the MVP of this season.

The highlight of this thirty-second round of the Veterans League, of the Project: “Softball, quality of life” was the double Sunday victory of the Jagua of the Veterans 2 team, after 25 weeks without achieving such a feat. Although they are still very far from the top and no longer mathematically likely to win the championship, this double smile allowed the Jagua to surpass twenty victories, reaching 21. On the other hand, the Elephants of the Veterans 2 team, virtual champions of the eleventh edition of the league, lost the double Sunday game. They had not lost both Sunday games for 14 weeks. This double defeat is due to the current offensive slump that the elephants are going through.

This thirty-first week, the veterans softball league of the “Softball, quality of life” Project had among its most outstanding notes, the friendly meeting held on the afternoon of Wednesday 23, with colleagues from California State University Los Angeles, State University of New York Cortland, Delta State University and American Association of State Colleges and Universities, who were participating in the IX “WORKSHOP ON STRATEGIC ALLIANCES FOR THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION” (TIES VII), held at the University of Cienfuegos from October 22 to 24, 2024, in which, in addition to fraternizing and exchanging knowledge, the usual donation of some balls was made to promote and support the project, sponsored by CIVITAS GES. In the eleventh edition of the Veterans League, this Sunday, October 27, the Shrimpers of the veterans’ team 3, had the most outstanding performance, winning the Sunday doubleheader, recovering the average above .500 in the standings (.508). The virtual champion Elephants of the veterans’ team 1 shared honors, but in all honesty, their offense was far below what was usual, and they only managed to produce 9 runs in the two games played. For their part, the Jagua, of the veterans’ team 2, directed by the prestigious coordinator of the project, the veteran star Juan Ramón Díaz Hernández, continues to decline and lost the Sunday doubleheader again.

This thirtieth journey of the Veterans League belonging to the Project: “Softball, quality of life” was marked by a division of honors. All the teams achieved to win one game and lose another, so the standings remained intact and the Elephants of the Veterans 1 team managed to maintain the lead at the standing top, with 12 games difference over their closest pursuer, the Shrimpers of the Veterans 3 team. The “stragglers” Jagua of the Veterans 2 team, were about to win the double game, but in the sixth inning, when they were easily winning 9 runs to 1 against the Veterans 3 team, the Elephants went wild and scored nothing more and nothing less than the whopping 14 runs, setting a new record for most runs scored in one inning, in the history of the League and the Project.

The most significant thing about this twenty-ninth weekend in the veterans’ league belonging to the Project: "Softball, Quality of Life” was another sweep (double victory) by the Elephants of the Veterans 1 team, managing to weave a chain of 9 consecutive triumphs. In this superb performance of the already virtual Champion of this 11th edition of the cup, it is worth noting that the Elephants only allowed 3 runs in the 12 innings played, which included an outstanding shutout by the star right-handed pitcher Yordanis Quiñones González. In contrast to the above, the Jaguas of the Veterans 2 team lost the double game again, already moving away 22.5 games from the top of the league standings. Individually, Eliécer Hernández Muñoz of the Shrimpers team and Arnaldo “Nani” Bueno Silva of the Jagua team shone, athletes who for their excellent performance this weekend were chosen MVP in both games.

The most significant note in the twenty-eighth day of the veterans’ league of the “Softball: Quality of Life” Project, was the Jagua of Veterans 2 tight victory achieved, after 9 consecutive lost games and four weekends being swept (losing the Sunday doubleheader), leaving the Shrimpers of the Veterans 3 team on the field 6 x 5, with whom they had been losing for five consecutive weeks. In another order of information and also a very notable note, the Elephants of Veterans 1 achieved their third consecutive sweep, increasing their advantage at the top of the standings to 11 games from their closest pursuer (Shrimpers).

THIS IS AN EXTRA REPORT OF WHAT HAPPENED IN WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WEEK 28, WHEN IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO PLAY DUE TO RAIN. I LEAVE IT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. This weekend, it was not possible to play, all the games of Sunday, September 15 were suspended due to the poor conditions of the baseball fields as a result of the heavy rains on Friday and Saturday. Nevertheless, practically all the veteran athletes of the “Softball, Quality of Life” Project met at the “Los Caballitos” stadium next to the “Amanecer Feliz” amusement childish park to receive their colleagues from Philadelphia Drexel University, with whom a pleasant exchange was held, and all the details of the project were explained to them as well as all the questions and doubts they had, were answered. It was an excellent meeting, fruitful, constructive, of brotherhood, collaboration and mutual support and especially educational, which served to show the visitors that despite the difficult situations that the Cuban people are experiencing: economic, energy, shortages, inflation, lacks, and so on, it is still capable of undertaking projects like this and bringing a little joy and entertainment to the Cuban lives and in particular, to the people of Cienfuegos, demonstrating the resilience of Cubans and their willingness to sacrifice to build the social model we chose and continue being a sovereign country.

This Sunday, September 8, coinciding with the day of the Virgin of Charity of Cobre (Catholic deity named and proclaimed as Patroness of Cuba, by Pope Benedict XV on May 10, 1916 and authorized the canonical coronation of the sacred image by Pope Pius XI on the morning of December 20, 1936, by the then bishop of Santiago de Cuba, Monsignor Valentín Zubizarreta. According to accounts of the time, her image appeared in 1612 or early 1613, in Nipe Bay, the largest in Cuba, located on the northern coast of the eastern region of the island was sighted by three slaves: a 10-year-old black boy (Juan Moreno) and two brothers of pure Indian blood (Juan and Rodrigo de Hoyos), who worked as slaves in the copper mines of the region whose trio has been baptized in Cuban imagery as "the three Juanes". Later, on a trip made by John Paul II to Cuba in 1998, he crowned the Virgin as the Patroness of Cuba with great dignity) the Veterans League of the Softball Project: Quality of Life was resumed after six weeks of vacation. In the corresponding subseries, the Elephants of the Veterans 3 team again won the Sunday doubleheader, moving nine games away from their closest pursuer, the Shrimpers of the Veterans 3 team. As a significant note, the Jagua, of the Veterans 2 team, lost the doubleheader, moving dangerously away 19.5 games from the top. Pitcher Eliécer Hernández Muñoz achieved his tenth victory, to lead alone the list of most victories achieved in the league with 11, leaving the Jagua with only two runs and only 7 hits. In that game, the Jagua of Veterans 2 team managed to score a triple play, which is the third achieved in the 11 editions of this Veterans Cup. Eliécer also reached 13 times being selected as MVP, also remaining alone as the leader in that department.

In the last day of the Veterans League of the Project: “Softball, Quality of Life”, before the August vacation break, the Elephants of the Veterans 3 team, honouring its status as absolute leaders - to date - of the championship, won the Sunday doubleheader, closing this stage with an 8-game advantage over its closest pursuer, the Shrimpers of the Veterans 3 team. The most outstanding note of the day was the star pitcher Manuel Gradaille Martín, with his shutout against the Jagua of the Veterans 2 team, whom he left with only 7 hits, closing the stage as the leader in average of games won and lost with an average of .750. The league will recess its activities until Sunday, September 8, 2024, so that the project's athletes can enjoy their well-deserved vacation.