On Opening Day in 1984, Tiger rookie Barbaro Garbey became the first Cuban refugee to play in Major League Baseball, having played in the Serie Nacional prior to defecting to the United States. Garbey grounded out in the seventh inning as a pinch-hitter for Dave Bergman, then would stay in the game. Garbey played first base in Detroit’s 8-1 defeat of Minnesota in the Metrodome.
stories of Cuban defectors are absolutely mind melting, real life legends! I wonder how Garbey made it?
What I’ve found is that he came over as a part of the Mariel boatlift in 1980. That journey into Florida is no joke; you definitely need to be made of some tough stuff to survive that journey.
Puts my walk to work in perspective.