Baseball was always a little different in Havana.
Winter sea breezes have cooled the fever of playoff baseball down to a frosty 70 degrees in Havana.
The Leones home park, Campos Peloteros, has been crowned with a ring of construction cranes. Four consecutive years of near sellout seasons have prompted the club to add 10,000 seats. A new deck will ring the top of the stadium composed of the new seating and shops.
Fans who attend games in the new seats will find things are a little different in Havana. At the entrances to the new level they will be handed a ticket and a wrapped cigar. They may keep these or exchange them at one of the many tobacconist shops on the level for a premium cigar of their choosing. The adventurous among them may exchange them for a master class on handmade cigar production in which they will roll their own cigar.
Fans are expected to smoke the cigars and there will be plenty of 'Smoking' signs in the section to remind them of their obligation to partake in the tradition. There will be a few designated smoking areas for cigarettes away from the seating.
A fan vote to determine the name of the new section was wildly popular. The winning the name of the new section was determined to be 'Corona de Humo' (crown of smoke)
Fans also voted on the purpose and name of a special open area shop. Many wanted a restaurant. Beer gardens suggestions were popular too. As to the name, the suggestions were mostly varied, with more 'boaty mcboatface' permutations than we cared to count. There was no general consensus though the club would like to make honorable mention of one strange and strangely popular suggestion. 'John C' of Bath, Somerset UK suggested a tobacconist shop called 'The Dirty Hungarian' which was to feature a hovercraft full of eels and a bouncy castle for the kids. No. Sorry. Too silly.
In the end the club decided the space would be converted to a living open air museum dedicated to the Cuban League baseball players and teams. Here fans can rub elbows with old Cuban Leaguers and enjoy rotating exhibits featuring them.
Other attractions include a huge walk in humidor and special promotional items limited to 'Corona de Humo' ticket holders. These will include a Leones cigar lighter night, promotional cigars throughout the year (made by the park's in official in-house rollers), Leones pocket humidor night, and cigar bobbleheads.
And it burns, burns, burns
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And it burns, burns, burns
Patrick Hildreth
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Re: And it burns, burns, burns
Smoking signs and cigar bobbles - priceless!!
Michael Topham, President Golden Entertainment & President-CEO of the Aurora Borealis
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Re: And it burns, burns, burns
awesome!!!! Patrick you're the best
RJ Ermola
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Re: And it burns, burns, burns
I love it, and it makes me love the Leones even more than I already do. Great writing, Patrick!
Drew Visscher (GM Ricky McCoy) | Duluth Warriors
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Re: And it burns, burns, burns
Martin Dihigo, among others, will feel gratified when he hears of the Cuban League museum you're planning. Bravo!
Bob Mayberry
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Re: And it burns, burns, burns
Nice call! Would have been nice to have fans meet Connie Marrero too!Bulldozers wrote:Martin Dihigo, among others, will feel gratified when he hears of the Cuban League museum you're planning. Bravo!
Patrick Hildreth
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Re: And it burns, burns, burns
This is wonderful - the Claymores look forward to touring the new section and, when games get out of hand, getting seats there and partaking of the amenities!
Vic Caleca
Scottish Claymores
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