Author (far right) with a “fellow traveller” clowning in the dugout with Pinar del Rio ballplayers at Captain San Luis Stadium (February 2001).

Author with City of Havana “official” model builder Lazaro Garcia-Driggs at the latter’s remarkable Sugar Cane Mill model at the Havana Club Rum Museum. Bjarkman’s MODEL RAILROADING article on this unique operating model train layout can be accessed at http://www.bjarkman.com (May 2006).

Author flanked by statues of Martin Dihigo and Adolfo Luque in his favorite ballpark, Havana’s historic Estadio Latinoamericano (May 2006).

Bjarkman, Ismael Sene (center) and Mark Rucker (right) catching some local youth baseball action at the historic Regla ballpark on Havana’s outskirts (December 1999).

Bjarkman and Mark Rucker (left) supply a copy of their book SMOKE to an intrigued INDER sports ministry official at the rural Guanabacoa ball park (December 1999).

Bjarkman visits with his favorite Cuban League all-star, Sancti Spiritus left fielder Freddie Cepeda (February 2007).

Bjarkman playing tourist at the historically significant “Bay of Pigs” site near Cienfuegos in January 1999.

Bjarkman (right) and Cuba’s number baseball fan Ismael Sene on a road trip to the ancient nineteenth-century ball field still standing in the Havana province town of Guines (February 2007).

The author debating “pelota” in Havana’s Central Park with members of the renowned “Esquina Caliente” (“Hot Corner”) patrons of the Pena Deportiva (December 1997).

Bjarkman poses with Industriales and national team pitching ace Yadel Marti in Estadio Latinoamericano (February 2007).