2009 – Norge Vera, one of the top pitchers in Cuba, is seriously injured while trying to break up a fight in Santiago de Cuba. He is struck in the face by a blunt object, suffering multiple fractures and undergoes reconstructive surgery, putting his career in jeopardy. He will return to action in just a couple of months, though. Vera won gold for the Cuban national team at the 2004 Olympics and was a starting pitcher in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.