March 22--President Barack Obama used the story of White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu as an example of the struggles Cuban baseball players face on their journeys to play in the major leagues in an interview with ABC News anchor David Muir.
Obama, who is in Cuba to continue his efforts to improve relations between the United States and Cuba, said he had heard the story of Abreu, who left behind his young son, Dariel, when he defected from Cuba in 2013.
Abreu was reunited with his son when he returned to Cuba on a Major League Baseball goodwill trip in December. An MLB contingent traveled again this week to Havana for an exhibition game between the Rays and the Cuban national team.
"Here's a guy of immense talent who hadn't seen his son for several years because he felt the only way that he could play in the big leagues and help his family was to be separated from his toddler," Obama said. "That can't be the kind of policies we want to promote. My hope is this just becomes one more part of the stitching back together of the United States and Cuba."
Abreu said Tuesday it was "an honor" that Obama spoke of Abreu's story.
"This is a huge step for us, for people in Cuba and I want to thank again President Obama for all of his kindness," Abreu said through a team interpreter. "He's an outstanding man. For all the effort he has put into this, that's huge for us."
Abreu was just 12 years old the last time an MLB team played in Cuba in 1999, and he remembered his dad going out to buy a black and white TV so that they could watch the game that the Orioles played in.
With coverage of the Rays' game playing on a TV in the Sox clubhouse Tuesday, Abreu said he was "very excited" for his country.
"I am in shock right now," Abreu said. "If you slap my face, I can't believe it. That's something great. I think that we never thought that this could happen so soon. Yes, it's very special."
