GUANTÁNAMO.— Not even his inclusion on the Cuban national team to play in the 1969 World Championship in Santo Domingo left a greater mark on Andrés Pilotaje Telemaco than January 14, 1962, the day Fidel inaugurated the first Cuban National Series in what is now the Latinoamericano Stadium, and put an end to baseball for profit in the country.

"That event was the biggest thing that happened to me as an athlete and as a person. Imagine, I came from the neighborhood get-togethers, the local clubs like Los Vaqueros, being next to Fidel and hearing the reasons for the establishment of amateur baseball, his advice and even seeing him make a hit on the first pitch," recalls the man, who was the only player from the province of

Guantánamo in the league, that first year.

"More than a few people," Telemaco recalled, "thought that without professional status, Cuban baseball would be lost. Fidel showed us the contrary, and along with the people, made amateur sports one of the most important conquests of the Revolution. He had confidence in us and we didn’t disappoint him, as Cuban baseball’s victories internationally demonstrate."

"There were many potential players wanting to join the team from Oriente province, so we went through a rigorous selection process, including an interview," he said and clarified that during the first Series, he played third base, not second, for which he later became so widely known.

"Pedro ‘Natilla’ Jiménez, the manager, asked me to play third, since it was a position where we were a bit weak. In the local teams I had usually played short stop and pitched, too. Players were more versatile back then, less specialized in one position."

El Tele (as many still affectionately call him) is known for his unique pivoting style at second base. "I played with my glove good and open, which made it easier to avoid holding onto the ball for long and gain seconds at second base for double plays. I would let the ball go with a twist of my wrist, at waist height and thus prevent the runner coming from first from sliding into me and disrupting the double play. Doing it meant risking being hit by the ball," the 13 season veteran explained. During the latter years of his career, he suffered from two injuries, one to a tendon in his thigh which required 40 stitches.

Andrés Pilotaje Telemaco created along with Agustín Arias one of the best combinations in Revolutionary baseball at second base. He describes their rapport this way, "With us, the bases were never loaded because the double play or the out at home was always guaranteed, thanks to the power of our arms and our sure hands fielding."