Intro:

Two of Major League Baseball's biggest names have travelled to the Cuban capital, Havana.

Retired Hall of Famer Barry Larkin and Ken Griffey Jr. visited the country as part of a sports diplomacy programme that aims to foster personal ties between the two often-divided nations.

Script:

Diplomacy can often be a difficult thing.

China famously using pandas as part of its engagement with the world...so-called panda diplomacy.

And how to heal the rift between two polarised neighbours?

The United States and Cuba.

Why not through a common love...baseball diplomacy?

So two of Major League Baseball's biggest names head to Havana. One of them is Ken Griffey Junior:

"Baseball in our country is big and baseball in this country is big. The little things we can do to help each other out, it means a lot. And for us to be here on this trip, I can't say enough. It's been great."

Visiting the island country as part of a sports diplomacy programme.

"A baseball guy, that's what we want to see, and we wanted to see where it started. To come here and see the kids play is unbelievable."

Also on the trip fellow retired Hall of Famer Barry Larkin:

"Everybody wants to be associated with something positive and when you're dealing with baseball you're dealing with kids. It's all about passing on the legacy, passing on the tradition and helping those kids become better. So I feel like it's our responsibility."

Their five-day trip will see them holding sports clinics for little-leaguers and seniors, talking baseball with fans and taking in a game or two.

"The whole world has become smaller and more connected through relationships. And I really truly believe that sports is one of those bridges than can build really strong bonds."

Up to 100,000 Americans are estimated to take advantage of US President Barack Obama's lifting of financial and travel restrictions to visit the Caribbean nation each year, although US citizens still cannot travel as tourists to Cuba.