In America’s pastime, stepping out on the mound and pitching can be an experience unlike any other. This August, senior Shippensburg University pitcher Mark Curtis learned that much and more.

Over the summer, Curtis worked hard to tune up his skills and he found himself taking the mound at Estadio Capitán San Luis in Cuba. Curtis was a member of a team composed of Cal Ripken Collegiate League players who made a special journey to Cuba to take on teams that belong to the Cuban National Series, Cuba’s major leagues.

On Aug. 3, Curtis stepped foot on the rubber in San Luis, representing not only the collegiate league, but the United States, as well. The game created the jitters that go along with any start, but this was no ordinary one at that.

“The first pitch was the toughest pitch, as always,” Curtis said. “Once I got that pitch out of the way, the fans and the crowd started playing drums and other instruments. I was kind of surprised. I never really saw that before, where a band would be playing music. It was fine to me, I got used to it.”

Curtis embraced the moment, throwing six strong innings and earning a win in a 3-2 victory over the Pinar del Río Vegueros. The win over the Vegueros was a huge upset for the collegiate league squad — the Vegueros won the Cuban National Series in 2015.

When Curtis took the mound he was oblivious to the Vegueros being the Cuban National Series powerhouse that they are.

“I didn’t find out they were one of the best Cuban National League teams until afterward, so I wasn’t worried about that,” Curtis said. “I just kind of stayed in my own game, and it didn’t really matter who they were and who you put out there to me. I’m still going to go out and pitch my game.”

Along with the stellar pitching performance, Curtis was able to enjoy a once in a lifetime experience. Cuban culture and sightseeing provided him with an unforgettable experience.

The team was able to visit the cities of Matanzas, San Luis and Havana, while visting Cuba.

Havana provided a different experience.

“They were very nice people down there. They welcomed us as their guests and the culture was pretty cool. It was like an old movie. They had all the old cars and buildings. It was very poor, like a third world country,” Curtis said.

The team stayed and ate dinner at the historic Hotel de Nacional in Havana, where they enjoyed a dinner with Jeffrey DeLaurentis, the United States ambassador to Cuba.

“The hotel was beautiful. The rooms looked like they were still in the ’60s, but they kept very good care of everything. They had restaurants in the hotel and a theater you could go to at night,” Curtis said.

“The city [Havana] was really cool and every night we went out on the town a little bit and explored, but we could always find our way back to the hotel because it was the one that stood out the most.”

The team also took a walking tour of Old Havana, visited the beach in Veradero and visited La Fábrica de Arte Cubano (Cuban Art Factory).

Overall, the trip was monumental for the right-handed hurler.

“It was really surreal,” Curtis said. “At the time it was going on, I still felt like I wasn’t there. It was really something that happened in the moment. After it happened, you take a step back and realize how important it was.”

For Curtis, the trip was something that he will always remember. It included countless memories and stories that will be in the back of his mind for years to come.

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