HAVANA, Cuba (AP) --Jimmy Carter isn't known as much of a pitcher, so he had
a little help on the mound from an old southpaw by the name of Fidel Castro.

Castro, 75, play-acted being manager as the former U.S. president took six short,
flawless warmup tosses, then motioned the catcher to move back for the first pitch
of the Cuban league all-star game Tuesday. It bounced off the plate.

A grinning Carter, 77, then tossed the ball to the Cuban president -- who dropped it,
as the crowd at Latin American Stadium roared.

The playfulness seemed to indicate that Castro held no grudges over Carter's speech
an hour earlier at the University of Havana in which he promoted the idea of
competitive elections and other elements of U.S.-style democracy that have been
notably lacking during Castro's 43-year government.

The two presidents then sat back to watch four innings of baseball, with Castro
often leaning across and talking to Carter as live bands and drummers echoed
throughout the stadium.

The crowd stood and cheered as the two men left at the end of the fourth inning
with Cuba's eastern all-stars leading the west 3-1.

 Copyright 2002 The Associated Press.