Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Cuba Trip (South Dakota State University)
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
In April 1977, South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota participated in a joint men’s basketball delegation to Cuba. The initiative developed after U.S. Senator George McGovern’s 1975 visit to Cuba, which prompted discussions about the potential for academic and athletic exchanges. South Dakota State Sports Information Director Dave Martin contacted Senator McGovern to explore the feasibility of a basketball exchange. With the support of Senators George McGovern and James Abourezk, arrangements were finalized for a combined delegation of players, coaches, and university representatives from both institutions.
The delegation traveled to Cuba from April 4 to April 8, 1977. During the visit, the South Dakota team played two exhibition games against the Cuban National Team. In addition to competition, participants toured Havana and met Cuban athletes, including members of the national boxing program, providing opportunities for cultural and athletic exchange. Later that year, the Cuban National Team traveled to South Dakota and competed at Frost Arena on November 13, 1977, before a public audience. The exchange represented one of the early athletic visits by American citizens to Cuba following the suspension of diplomatic relations in the early 1960s and reflected the use of collegiate athletics as a channel for international engagement.