President Obama attends Tampa Bay Rays v. Cuba game.
(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The Tampa Bay Rays have become the first MLB team to travel to Cuba for an exhibition game since the Baltimore Orioles made the crossing in 1999. With Cuban President Raúl Castro and President Obama in attendance, the historic game against the Cuban National Team kicked off at the Estadio LatinoAmericano in Havana on Tuesday.

"During a time of historic change, we appreciate the constructive role afforded by our shared passion for the game, and we look forward to experiencing Cuba's storied baseball tradition and the passion of its many loyal fans," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said earlier in March, SB Nation reports.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.