Smoke: The Romance and Lore of Cuban Baseball

Shrouded in mystery for decades, Cuban baseball has become the final frontier for fans of the sport in America. An unprecedented collection of photographs, statistics, and lore, Smoke explores the depth and range of the island's baseball heritage - from its origins in the 1870s, to Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb's barnstorming tours, to Fidel Castro and the Cold War that closed off access, to Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez of the world-champion 1998 Yankees. The combined efforts of Latin baseball's leading historian and the recognized authority on baseball images provide an exciting reading and viewing experience, bringing to life a rich baseball culture that has remained hidden.