DATELINE: CUBA : THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, THEN AND NOW

Bay of Pigs, 1961: A brigade of counterrevolutionaries trained and equipped by Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy were defeated in 72 hours at the Bay of Pigs.

Havana, 1991:

Sad to report that the wave is not the only crude cultural export in sports by the United States.

The wave is here and nearly everyone does it at every venue, after receiving the approval of El Commandante. The sight of Fidel Castro doing the wave the other day gave sobering pause. Here is a man who refuses to acknowledge American societal values and regards them as cheap and vulgar. Here is man who, in his green fatigues and cap, threw up his arms and wildly stretched during an internationally televised basketball game.

Apparently, politicians everywhere can behave silly.

Then there are the cheerleaders. Only the Cubans don’t call them cheerleaders, but rather Spirit Brigades or People’s Social Activators, or something.

These are young girls wearing tightly fitting synthetic fabrics and inappropriate shoes. Just like at home. At the basketball tournament, North American journalists have named these squads--in their purple and gold outfits--”Che’s Girls” since they cheer and chant before the backdrop of a heroic-sized portrait of Ernesto (Che) Guevara.

The cheer crews at wrestling were slightly more ambitious and arty. They combined aspects of modern dance, aerobics and three-legged sack races into a synthesis of stunning disarray.

It makes little sense, which is exactly what this has in common with its American counterpart. It’s just the context that makes it appear so absurd.