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 9–1. The Venezuelan
Alejandro Carrasquel, who played for the Washington Senators in the Major League, threw the first pitch of the game. In its 70 years, the stadium has been utilised for diverse spectacles including popular dance performances and boxing matches. The stadium was renovated and expanded in 1971. Its stands were enlarged, increasing its capacity to 55,000 spectators, and its gardens were extended. On March 22, 2016, the
Tampa Bay Rays faced the
Cuba national baseball team in an exhibition game. This was attended by numerous dignitaries, including
President of the United States Barack Obama and
Raúl Castro. This game represented the thaw between the two countries that had occurred in recent years, and was broadcast live on
ESPN. The Rays were selected after a lottery conducted by
Major League Baseball. The Rays won 4–1. 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. ==See also==