Question

How has baseball in the Dominican Republic evolved over time?

Answer 1

Solution:-

Baseball was first introduced to the Caribbean in 1866 on the island of Cuba. Taught to the Cubans by American sailors who were there to load sugar.

Eight years later in 1874 the first organized game of baseball was played between Cuban teams. In the years to come it would be Cuba who would spread baseball throughout the Caribbean. When the ten year war (1868-1878) in Cuba brought turmoil to the country, many Cubans fled their country and migrated to the D.R. bringing with them the game called “Baseball” or “Beisbol.”

Dominicans were quick to learn the game and soon organized teams and tournaments were being held.
Note: Baseball was being played in the DR long before the US Marines arrived for their eight-year occupation of the island in 1916.

Four teams were formed becoming the oldest and founding teams of baseball for the DR that is still evident today:
a. Tigers del Licey (The Tigers) – Santo Domingo 1907
b. Estrelles Oriental’s (Eastern Stars) – San Pedro 1911
c. Sandino – 1921- Renamed Las Anguilas (The Eagles) 1936
d. Leon del Escogido (Lions of the Chosen One) – Santo Domingo 1921

As travel became possible in the DR in the 1920s’ Dominicans went abroad to play in competition with countries such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, and North America. In return these countries visited and played in the DR as well.

Rafael Leonidas Trujillo first gained control in 1930 by overthrowing the government by force. He soon controlled most of the Dominican economy and used his power to eliminate competition and established monopolities. It was after the 1936 Dominican Baseball League was finished that Trujillo took an interest in baseball. Knowing his people and the love of baseball they had, he dedicated the 1937 Dominican Baseball League to his re-election. To Trujillo’s advantage he merged the two rival teams from Santo Domingo (Licey and Escognido) to play in that years Dominican Baseball league. He then renamed the team “Ciudad Trujillo Dragons” after him and the city of Santo Domingo, which he had renamed already “Ciudad Trujillo” after he had taken power. These two teams would only be merged together for one year, the 1937 series.

• Baseball in the Dominican Republic Today

The national sport and passion of Dominican Republic is baseball or “Beisbol” as the Dominicans call it. No matter where you go on the island you will find a baseball stadium/park, even in the poorest of towns. Today more than one in six players in the American league is from Latin America, the majority of them coming from the towns located on the southeastern coast Dominican Republic.

The sugar mill towns (San Pedro de Macrois, La Romana) have long been a part of Dominican Baseball. The history of baseball in these towns can be traced back as far as the Cuban immigration to the Dominican Republic. Dominican and American Mill owners approved of the sport and encourage their workers to participate in the sport. The six months dead season when sugar cane requires the least maintenance and the workers were unemployed helped contribute to the development of baseball in this area. Soon championships were set up to pit one sugar mill against the other. Baseball was not just a sport to these people but was bred into each child born.

The recruiting of young baseball players has become a year round job here. More than 20 major league teams now have baseball-training camps for prospective players. Scouts from these teams are sent out to hold try outs throughout the island. Those who are lucky enough to make the team are usually young boys between the ages of 17 and 18. Once selected they are sent to the teams camp where they are housed, fed and taught baseball. The average player will make about $800.00 a month.

These young players will compete in the Summer League, which consists of various training camps in a two-division league. If a prospect shows promise, he is then promoted to the minor league system in the states with hopes of making it to the major leagues. But for every new star that is born, hundreds will not make it.”

“Professional Baseball in the Dominican Republic has evolved dramatically in its 100-year history. Originally there were two professional teams in the entire country; today the league consists of five teams. Santo Dominigo has two teams, Tigres del Licey, and Leones de Escojido; San Pedro de Macoris has Estrellas Orientales; Santiago has Aguilas del Cibao; and La Romana has Azucareros del Este. Each team plays a sixty game schedule that begins at the end of October and runs to February. The season ends in a round-robin play-off with the two finalists advancing to the Caribbean Series to play against the champions of Mexico, Venezuela and Puerto Rico.

Major League Baseball of the Dominican Republic began to gain international attention in the early 50’s. Ozzie Virgil was the first Dominican to play Major League baseball in the United States. By the mid-50’s,driven by the success of Juan Marichal and the three Alou brothers, Major League Baseball in the Dominican Republic had become internationally recognized as the home of Winter Baseball.”

Today, in this year 2001, men of poor origins like Sammy Sosa, Pedro Martinez, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez and many others, proudly carry the Dominican Flag in the international arena, thank’s to baseball.