Cuba LLWS coach Joe Perez goes missing during country’s first tournament appearance

A coach with the Cuban crew at this yr’s Little League World Sequence has gone lacking.

Bayamo coach Jose Perez left the Little League Worldwide Grove complicated in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on Saturday earlier than the crew’s sport, a 3-2 loss, to Panama the next day and didn’t come again, a Little League spokesperson confirmed in a press release.

“Jose Perez, a coach with Bayamo, Cuba, on the Little League Baseball World Sequence, left the Little League Worldwide Grove late final night time, Saturday, August 19, and didn’t return,” Kevin Fountain, senior director of communications at Little League Worldwide, mentioned in a press release on Monday.

According to the Williamsport Sun-Gazette, Perez left the power round 11 p.m. Saturday and bought right into a automobile by Route 15.

Cuba, enjoying in its first-ever Little League World Sequence, prolonged its relationship with Little League till 2025 simply hours earlier than Perez’s disappearance, The Associated Press reported.

“Little League Worldwide has communicated to all applicable authorities and can make sure the Bayamo Little League crew continues to have the most effective help and expertise whereas in Williamsport,” Fountain added.

Cuba’s presence within the annual summer time event comes after Little League and the nation started a proper relationship in 2019 after which expanded its area in 2021.

The crew, managed by Vladimir Vargas, misplaced its first-ever sport on Aug. 16, 1-0, to Japan earlier than beating Australia, 11-1, three days later.

Cuba was then eradicated with its Sunday loss to Panama.

Based on the AP, Little League labored with the U.S. Workplace of International Property Management and the State Division to accumulate visas for the crew, coaches and baseball officers for this yr’s World Sequence.

“We’re very proud to be right here representing Cuba,” Vargas mentioned by means of a translator earlier than the event began, in line with the AP. “We have now many groups that need to be right here, and we’re those.

“It’s an superior factor for us.”