Dominican Republic – Baseball, Our Great Passion Here, the game

Dominican Republic – Baseball, Our Great Passion
Here, the game is simply called “ball.”
From the grandmother in the rural farming village to the world-famous professional player on
television to the fisherman on the North Coast to the schoolchildren in the Colonial City,
everyone in the Dominican Republic (DR) shares in the national passion and pride of baseball.
“Ball” truly transcends social status, gender and age.
History
Opinions differ on the date baseball began in the Dominican Republic. There are versions that
say it was introduced into the country by the Cuban brothers Ignacio and Ubaldo Alomá in
September 1886, at San Pedro de Macorís. Others say that it began between the years 1894
and 1896, through Cuban citizens residing in the country and that the first teams were Ozama
and Cauto. There is yet another version which indicates the date as Sept. 25, 1886 when some
Cuban sailors gave a demonstration of the game on a plot of land near the port in the city of
San Pedro de Macorís and who then left behind the bats and balls used when they departed.
There is also an opinion that differs from the preceding theories: that baseball was introduced
by Americans when they installed the first beer factory in Santo Domingo, but the year is not
specified.
Regardless of which version might be the truest, what is clear is that the sport definitely took off
starting in 1916, due to the first American intervention in the country. After several games
played between Dominicans and the American Marines, Dominicans began to show pride in
being great, competitive players.
Amateur baseball began to develop during the 1940s through the tournaments held in honor of
the dictator Rafael L. Trujillo. Also important to baseball’s development was the construction of
the first baseball stadium in 1946 next to the Escuela Normal (Normal School) of Santo
Domingo, with a capacity of 4,000 fans.
Organized and professional Dominican baseball started in 1955 with the creation of the
Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic (LIDOM) and its incorporation with
U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB). The Dominican league's first president was Dr. Hipólito
Herrera Billini. The following year was when baseball was first played at night, in the new
Quisqueya Stadium, now named after pitching great Juan Marichal.
If your visit the DR during baseball season (mid-October to end of January) and would like to
attend a baseball game, go to the Dominican Baseball League Internet site www.lidom.com, or
visit any Dominican team's websites for all the necessary information, such as game schedules,
stadiums, ticket prices, etc.
If you visit the DR during baseball season – October - January
Ten Fun Facts
1. The first broadcast of a Dominican baseball game took place on October 21, 1917, in La
Vega, and it was carried out by telephone.
2. In 1928, the first baseball game between Licey and Escogido was broadcast by radio
station HIJK.
3. In 1936, the Cincinnati Reds were the first MLB team to visit the Dominican Republic, as
part of its tour through the region.
4. The first national baseball tournament was organized that same year with the Licey,
Escogido, Estrellas Orientales and Sandino teams. The Sandino team subsequently
changed its name to Águilas Cibaeñas.
5. The Dominican Republic made its debut in an amateur world series in 1941.
6. A little over 50 years after the first Dominican player debuted in Major League Baseball
(MLB) in the United States, the country has produced more than 500 professional
players, making it the biggest producer of MLB players outside of the United States.
7. Many players have raised the Dominican flag high in MLB. More than 65 players have
been selected as MLB All-Stars, including Manny Ramírez, Juan Marichal, Vladimir
Guerrero, Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, Pedro Martínez, Sammy Sosa, Alfonso Soriano,
Miguel Tejada and Tony Fernandez.
8. Four players from the country have won MLB MVP honors: Sammy Sosa (National
League, 1998), Miguel Tejada (American League, 2002), Vladimir Guerrero (American
League, 2004), Albert Pujols (National League, 2005, 2008, 2009).
9. The Dominican Republic's professional winter baseball tournament is held between the
months of October and January. The regular season ends - in late December and then
there is an elimination or “round-robin” series for the entire month of January. The
season concludes in the Final Series, which designates the championship team that will
represent our country in the annual Caribbean Series.
10. The Caribbean Series is a competitive event between Cuba, Dominican Republic,
Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. Teams from Dominican Republic have won 19
times, more than any other country. Puerto Rico ranks second with 14 wins. Tigres de
Licey (from Dominican Republic) has won 10 times, the most of any team.
Dominican Professional Baseball League
Six professional teams currently participate in the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball
League, often referred to as LIDOM, its Spanish-language acronym (Liga de Béisbol Profesional
de la República Dominicana). This is the highest-level professional baseball league in the
country.
•
Tigres del Licey (Licey Tigers)
o Founded in 1907
o Santo Domingo
o Estadio Quisqueya (16,500 capacity)
o www.licey.com
•
Estrellas Orientales (Eastern Stars)
o
o
o
o
Founded in 1910
San Pedro de Macorís
Estadio Tetelo Vargas (8,000 capacity)
www.estrellasorientales.com.do
•
Leones del Escogido (Escogido Lions)
o Founded in 1921
o Santo Domingo
o Estadio Quisqueya (16,500 capacity)
o www.escogido.com
•
Águilas Cibaeñas (Cibao Eagles)
o Founded in 1936
o Santiago
o Estadio Cibao (18,077 capacity)
o www.aguilas.com.do
•
Toros del Este (Eastern Bulls)
o Founded in 1983
o La Romana
o Estadio Francisco Micheli (8,838 capacity)
o www.lostorosdeleste.com
•
Gigantes del Cibao (Cibao Giants)
o Founded 1996
o San Francisco de Macorís
o Estadio Julián Javier (12,000 capacity)
o www.gigantessfm.com
Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League Championship History
1922 Leones del Escogido
1924 Tigres del Licey
1929 Tigres del Licey
1936 Estrellas Orientales
1937 Dragones Ciudad Trujillo
1951 Tigres del Licey
1952 Águilas Cibaeñas
1953 Tigres del Licey
1954 Estrellas Orientales
1955-56 Leones del Escogido
1956-57 Leones del Escogido
1957-58 Leones del Escogido
1958-59 Tigres del Licey
1959-60 Leones del Escogido
1960-61 Leones del Escogido
1961-62 Season not finished
1962-63 No season
1963-64 Tigres del Licey
1964-65 Águilas Cibaeñas
1965-66 No season
1966-67 Águilas Cibaeñas
1967-68 Estrellas Orientales
1968-69 Leones del Escogido
1969-70 Tigres del Licey
1970-71 Tigres del Licey
1971-72 Águilas Cibaeñas
1972-73 Tigres del Licey
1973-74 Tigres del Licey
1974-75 Águilas Cibaeñas
1975-76 Águilas Cibaeñas
1976-77 Tigres del Licey
1977-78 Águilas Cibaeñas
1978-79 Águilas Cibaeñas
1979-80 Tigres del Licey
1980-81 Leones del Escogido
1981-82 Leones del Escogido
1982-83 Tigres del Licey
1983-84 Tigres del Licey
1984-85 Tigres del Licey
1985-86 Águilas Cibaeñas
1986-87 Águilas Cibaeñas
1987-88 Leones del Escogido
1988-89 Leones del Escogido
1989-90 Leones del Escogido
1990-91 Tigres del Licey
1991-92 Leones del Escogido
1992-93 Águilas Cibaeñas
1993-94 Tigres del Licey
1994-95 Azucareros del Este
1995-96 Águilas Cibaeñas
1996-97 Águilas Cibaeñas
1997-98 Águilas Cibaeñas
1998-99 Tigres del Licey
1999-2000 Águilas Cibaeñas
2000-01 Águilas Cibaeñas
2001-02 Tigres del Licey
2002-03 Águilas Cibaeñas
2003-04 Tigres del Licey
2004-05 Águilas Cibaeñas
2005-06 Tigres del Licey
2006-07 Águilas Cibaeñas
2007-08 Águilas Cibaeñas
2008-09 Tigres del Licey
2009-10 Leones del Escogido
2010-11 Toros del Este
2011-12 Leones del Escogido
2012-13 Leones del Escogido
2013-14 Tigres del Licey
2014-15 Gigantes del Cibao
News releases, images and the press kit also can be accessed from the official DR
Ministry of Tourism website: www.GoDominicanRepublic.com. For additional photos, broll and more specific needs, please contact Annie Holschuh ([email protected])
or AJ Trela ([email protected]), BVK Word for the Dominican Republic Ministry of
Tourism.
###