Baseball in the Dominican Republic

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Estadio Quisqueya baseball stadium in Santo Domingo Dominican Republic

Baseball in the Dominican Republic

Country| Dominican Republic
Governing body| FEDOBE
National team(s)| Dominican Republic
First played| late-19th century

Club competitions

Dominican Professional Baseball League
Dominican Summer League

International competitions

World Baseball Classic

Baseball is by far the most popular sport in the Dominican Republic. It is a major sport in the country, and was introduced in the late-19th century in the city of San Pedro de Macorís by Cuban immigrants.[1] After the United States, the Dominican Republic has the second-highest number of baseball players in Major League Baseball (MLB).[2] The Dominican Republic national baseball team has won the Baseball World Cup in 1948 and the World Baseball Classic in 2013.

## History

[edit]

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During the 1870s, many Cuban citizens fled Cuba because of the Ten Years' War. Many relocated to the Dominican Republic, bringing with them the sport of baseball.[3] The nation's expert class was established in 1890. The first clubs were Ozama and Nuevo. On 7 November 1907, the Licey club was established in Santo Domingo. By the 1930s, it had developed into a major source for gifted players whose guardians frequently worked at sugar refineries. In 1937, Negro league stars from the United States including Satchel Paige came to the country. In the mid-1950s Rafael Trujillo built the main stadium. Dominican players initially began migrating to the U.S. to play for Major League Baseball, starting with utility infielder Ozzie Virgil.[4]

## Cultural impact

[edit]

Not only did baseball help strengthen the Dominican Republic's relationship with the United States, but it also had a massive effect on the culture of the Dominican Republic as a whole. Nowadays, baseball symbolizes a dream and hope for a better future for aspiring athletes and helps unite baseball fans (old and new) across several Spanish-speaking countries. The rise of baseball in the Dominican Republic has also had a massive impact on the economy of the country as a whole, generating around $1 billion per year via training facilities and professional games.

### 1951–present

[edit]

A summer baseball league began in 1951. In the 1955–56 season, it joined the professional association. Since then, the league has attracted many top players from the major leagues. Beginning in the 1955 season, the country's international presence grew attracting global attention. As of 2015 opening day, Dominicans were 83 of Major League Baseball's 868 players.[5] At the beginning of the 2016 season, no country other than the United States contributed as many.[6]

The Dominican Republic's Professional Baseball League [7] LIDOM by its acronym in Spanish, hosts yearly winter games across the country. It consists of 6 teams, and it is the highest level of professional baseball played in the Dominican Republic.[citation needed]

## Championships

[edit]

Every year at the end of the summer season, the two tops teams from that season face off at La Normal Stadium. This has been a major cultural event in the Dominican Republic, drawing in thousands of eager fans. Find more information on the winners of these playoff games in the table below:

### Titles By Team

[edit]

Team  | Titles  | Runners-up  | Years Champion  | Years Runner-up

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|
|
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Tigres del Licey | 24 (2)  | 15 (1)  | 1951, 1953, 1958–59, 1963–64, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2016–17, 2022–23, 2023–24 (1924, 1929)  | 1952, 1954, 1956–57, 1971–72, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1985–86, 1988–89, 1997–98, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2015–16,2017–2018, 2019–2020 (1922)
Águilas Cibaeñas | 22  | 18 (2)  | 1952, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2017–2018, 2020–21  | 1953, 1955–56, 1960–61, 1963–64, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1976–77, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1994–95, 2001–02, 2005–06, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2016–17 (1936, 1937)
Leones del Escogido | 16 (1)  | 13 (2)  | 1955–56, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1968–69, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1991–92, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2015–16 (1922)  | 1951, 1958–59, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1970–71, 1978–79, 1990–91, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2013–14 (1924, 1929)
Estrellas Orientales | 3 (1)  | 14  | 1954, 1967–68, 2018–19 (1936)  | 1957–58, 1959–60, 1968–69, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1995–96, 1999–00, 2010–11, 2014–15
Toros del Este | 3  | 3  | 1994–95, 2010–11, 2019–20  | 1984–85, 1992–93, 2018–19
Gigantes del Cibao | 2  | 4  | 2014–15, 2021–22  | 2003–04, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2020–21
Dragones de Ciudad Trujillo | 0 (1)  | 0  | (1937)  |

## Baseball academies

[edit]

Dominican Republic ambassador Jonny de Jesús Martínez showcasing baseball culture

Baseball academies are how Major League Baseball recruiters develop the talent they find across all Latin America. In 1987, the Los Angeles Dodgers were the first MLB club to establish a baseball academy in the Dominican Republic when they opened the doors to Campo Las Palmas.[8] Now, every single one of the teams in the MLB has a baseball academy in the Dominican Republic.[9]

With four out of every ten Dominicans living in poverty, baseball has become a small beacon of hope for many Dominican families. The baseball academies in the Dominican Republic offer many young boys what may be their and their family's only chance of overcoming poverty, and as a result many boys as young as age 10 drop out of school to focus all of their attention on baseball and someday playing for an MLB team.[10] However, it is estimated that only two percent of Dominican recruits are actually able to make a living playing in MLB, leaving many of these young recruits finding themselves aged 19–21 with no education, no work skills, and no job prospects. Joe Kehoskie, a former baseball agent, described the situation in the 2001 PBS documentary, Stealing Home:

> Unfortunately, here in the Dominican, a lot of the time kids just quit school at 10, 11, 12 and play baseball full-time. It’s great for the kids who make it because they become superstars and [make] millions of dollars in the big leagues. But for 98 kids out of a hundred, it results in a kid who is 18, 19 with no education. So it’s kind of a win-lose here in the Dominican.[11]

Because of this, many baseball academies in the country have made efforts to incorporate educational programs that teach English and financial skills to their recruits, to better prepare them for the future.[12] For instance, the Arizona Diamondbacks' baseball academy, ran by former major league player Junior Noboa, is committed to helping their players complete at least their high school education, even if they are released from their team.[13]

## Notables

[edit]

The list of notable names continues to grow each year and includes some major history-making players including: Juan Marichal, Felipe Alou, Bartolo Colón, Tony Fernandez and others. Some more recent and recognizable, Major League Baseball names include:[14][15]

### Pedro Martínez

[edit]

Main article: Pedro Martínez

Pedro Martínez, from Manoguayabo, was a Major League Baseball player from 1992 to 2009. He played for five teams and was best known for his tenure with the Boston Red Sox, joining with Ortiz to help them win the World Series in 2004.[16] From 2002 to 2006, Martínez held the league record for the highest career winning percentage by a pitcher. He won three Cy Young Awards and was the first Latin American pitcher to achieve at least 300 strikeouts in a season and 3,000 in a career. Martínez reached the 3,000 strikeout mark in fewer pitches than any pitcher other than Randy Johnson. Martínez was the only pitcher to acquire 3,000 strikeouts with fewer than 3,000 innings pitched.

Martínez became a U.S. citizen in April 2006.[17] He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2015.[18]

### Sammy Sosa

[edit]

Main article: Sammy Sosa

Sammy Sosa was born on 12 November 1968 in San Pedro de Macorís. Sosa was a slugger and had his best years while he played for the Chicago Cubs. Sosa influenced many Dominicans and is best known for his record-breaking season in which he hit 61 home runs.[19][20]

### David Ortiz

[edit]

Main article: David Ortiz

David Ortiz arrived in MLB in 1997, experiencing injuries that slowed his progress. Ortiz signed with the Boston Red Sox in 2003 but did not play much until he became their designated hitter later that year. In 2004, Ortiz became known globally for his achievements. During the 2004 season, he hit 41 home runs and had 139 RBIs while batting .301. He joined with Martinez to lead the Boston Red Sox to their first World Series Championship in 86 years.[21]

### Robinson Canó

[edit]

Main article: Robinson Canó

Robinson Canó is a professional second baseman baseball player, born on 22 October 1982 in San Pedro de Macorís.[22] At a young age, Canó knew he wanted to become a baseball player. He was first signed by the New York Yankees as a free agent in 2001, at the age of 18.[23] Since then, Canó has played with the Seattle Mariners and on 3 December 2018, was traded to the New York Mets on a five-year contract.[24][25]

### Most Valuable Player

[edit]

Season  | Shell Awards  | Apollo Productions

|
|

1971–72  | Jesús Frías (EO) / Pedro Borbón (TL)  | \-
1972–73  | Winston Llenas (AC)  | \-
1973–74  | Teodoro Martínez (TL)  | \-
1974–75  | Rafael Batista (EO)  | \-
1975–76  | Miguel Diloné (AC)  | \-
1976–77  | Miguel Diloné (AC) (2)  | \-
1977–78  | Carlos Julio Pérez (TL)  | Carlos Julio Pérez (TL)
1978–79  | Ramón Pérez (AC)  | Bob Beall (AC)
1979–80  | Rafael Landestoy (TL)  | Jerome Dybzenski (TL)
1980–81  | Tony Peña (AC)  | Tony Peña (AC)
1981–82  | Tony Peña (AC) (2)  | Tony Peña (AC) (2)
1982–83  | Tony Peña (AC) (3)  | Tony Peña (AC) (3) / César Gerónimo (TL)
1983–84  | Rufino Linares (CS)  | Rufino Linares (CS)
1984–85  | Julio Solano (EO)  | Ken Howell (TL)
1985–86  | Rufino Linares (EO) (2)  | Rufino Linares (LE) (2)
1986–87  | Tony Peña (AC) (4)  | Robert Brower (AE)
1987–88  | Félix Fermín (AC)  | Mark Parent (EO)
1988–89  | Domingo Michel (TL)  | Domingo Michel (TL)
1989–90  | Félix José (TL)  | Dave Hansen (TL)
1990–91  | Bernie Tatís (AC)  | Andújar Cedeño (AE)
1991–92  | José Núñez (LE)  | Luis Mercedes (EO)
1992–93  | Bernie Tatís (AC) (2)  | Tom Marsh (AC)
1993–94  | Silvestre Campusano (TL)  | Gerónimo Berroa (LE)
1994–95  | Domingo Martínez (AC)  | Domingo Martínez (AC)
1995–96  | Mario Brito (LE)  | Sherman Obando (AC)
1996–97  | Tony Batista (AC)  | Tony Batista (AC)
1997–98  | José Oliva (EO)  | José Oliva (EO)
1998–99  | Adrian Beltré (EO)  | Adrian Beltré (EO)
1999–00  | David Ortíz (LE)  | David Ortíz (LE)
2000–01  | Félix José (EO) (2)  | Félix José (EO)
2001–02  | Mendy López (AC)  | Eric Byrnes (TL)
2002–03  | Félix José (EO) (3)  | Félix José (EO) (2)
2003–04  | Julio Ramírez (GC)  | Julio Ramírez (GC)
2004–05  | Erick Almonte (EO)  | Erick Almonte (EO)
2005–06  | Esteban Germán (AE)  | Willis Otañez (TL)
2006–07  | Mendy López (AC) (2)  | Erick Almonte (GC) (2)
2007–08  | Emilio Bonifacio (TL)  | Brayan Peña (GC)
2008–09  | Víctor Díaz (AC)  | Víctor Díaz (AC)
2009–10  | Juan Francisco (GC)  | Juan Francisco (GC)
2010–11  | Héctor Luna (AC)  | Juan Francisco (GC) (2)
2011–12  | Joaquín Arias (AC)  | Joaquín Arias (AC)
2012–13  | Héctor Luna (AC) (2) / Mauro Gómez (LE)  | Héctor Luna (AC)
2013–14  | Gregory Polanco (LE)  | Gregory Polanco (LE)
2014–15  | Cristhian Adames (TE)  | Marcos Mateo (EO)
2015–16  | Audy Ciriaco (EO)  | Tyler White (EO)
Temporada  | Premios Total  | Producciones Apolo
2016–17  | Rubén Sosa (LE)  | Rubén Sosa (LE)
2017–18  | Franchy Cordero (LE)  | Franchy Cordero (LE)
2018–19  | Jordany Valdespín (TE)  | Jordany Valdespín (TE)
2019–20  | Peter O'Brien (TE)  | Peter O'Brien (TE)
2020–21  | Ronald Guzmán (GC)  | Ronald Guzmán (GC)

## Attendances

[edit]

The 2023-24 LIDOM clubs by average home attendance:

# | Club | Average attendance

|
|

1 | Águilas Cibaeñas | 10,674
2 | Leones del Escogido | 9,865
3 | Tigres del Licey | 9,562
4 | Estrellas Orientales | 7,653
5 | Gigantes del Cibao | 7,346
6 | Toros del Este | 6,785

## See also

[edit]

* Dominican Republic portal
* Baseball portal

* Sport in the Dominican Republic
* Dominican Republic national baseball team
* List of Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic

Other Dominican bat-and-ball games:

* Plaquita
* Vitilla

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "History of baseball in the Dominican Republic". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
2. ^ "The Lure of Baseball in the Dominican Republic". The New York Times. 29 October 2015. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
3. ^ "MLB Stats, Scores, History, & Records | Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
4. ^ "The Official Site of Major League Baseball". MLB.com. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
5. ^ "Dominican Republic Vacation Planner Guide to a Great Caribbean Holiday". Visiting the Dominican Republic. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
6. ^ Lagesse, David (3 April 2016). "Baseball is a Field of Dreams — and Dashed Hopes — for Dominicans". NPR.
7. ^ "LIDOM (main page)". LiDom (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 May 2021.
8. ^ Carrasco, Yvonne. "Dodgers to dedicate newly renovated Campo Las Palmas complex". Dodger Insider. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
9. ^ "Academies". mlb.com. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
10. ^ Lagesse, David (3 April 2016). "Baseball is a Field of Dreams — and Dashed Hopes — for Dominicans". NPR.
11. ^ "Stealing Home". PBS. 18 June 2001. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2001.
12. ^ "Dominicans in the Dugout: Latin America's Role in American Baseball". 10 January 2017.
13. ^ "The Education Crisis Crippling Dominican Baseball Players" YouTube", uploaded by Vice Sports, 18 June 2015.
14. ^ "History of baseball in the Dominican Republic". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
15. ^ "Aguilas Cibaeñas - Sitio oficial de las Águilas Cibaeñas". aguilas.lidom.com (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
16. ^ Chancey, Asher. "Pedro Martinez: The Most Dominant Pitcher of Our Lifetime". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
17. ^ "Martinez Aces U.S. Citizenship". New York Daily News. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
18. ^ "Biography Archive". Biography Archive. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
19. ^ "Biography Archive -". Biography Archive. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
20. ^ "Sammy Sosa". Biography. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
21. ^ "Biography Archive -". Biography Archive. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
22. ^ "Jock Bio". Jock Bio. Archived from the original on 23 January 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
23. ^ Kepner, Tyler (2 March 2008). "New York Times". New York Times. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
24. ^ "ESPN". ESPN. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
25. ^ "Seattle Times". Seattle Times. 3 December 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Republic of Baseball: The Dominican Giants of the American Game Latino Public Broadcasting Documentary

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