Cuban ballet meets baseball

CINCINNATI – Reds closer Aroldis Chapman hunched down like a catcher and held up his glove as a target. The pitcher jumped straight up, did a 360-degree spin in the air, landed gracefully and threw.

The tour en l’air? Beautiful. The fastball? Could use a little work.

With that gorgeous spin and wobbly throw, Cuban baseball met Cuban ballet in Cincinnati.

As part of a promotion with the Cincinnati Ballet, the Reds are uniting two of the island’s famous performers. Ballet principal dancer Cervilio Miguel Amador, who left Cuba in 2003, will throw a ceremonial pitch before a game against Milwaukee on Sunday.

The catcher? Chapman, who defected in 2009.

Amador played baseball in the streets as a boy, though never on a team. He’s been with Cincinnati Ballet since 2004, a principal dancer the last eight years.

“In Cuba, I think they call it the three big Bs – ballet, baseball and boxing is huge in Cuba,” Amador said. “They’re different worlds, but they’re very, very popular.”

When the Reds signed Chapman after he defected, the two of them met at the birthday party of a mutual acquaintance.

“Right away, we started playing pingpong and we became friends from there,” Amador said.

Their get-togethers involve reminiscing about Cuba as well as chatting about their careers. Amador had a wish.

“I was like man, it would be cool to throw the first pitch one day,” Amador said. “The Cincinnati Ballet contacted the Reds to do some collaboration. They made Cincinnati Ballet day at the ballpark, then they asked if I can throw the first pitch.”

First, Amador had to work on his delivery. He got in contact with Josh Anderson, the general manager of the nearby Florence Freedom from the Frontier League.

“Gave me a half-hour lesson on how to throw,” Amador said. “So I went there and listen to what he had to say, practice a little bit. I really liked it.”