Baseball has truly grown into an international sport over the last few decades, and few places are as passionate about it as the Dominican Republic. Comprising more than 10% of Major League Baseball’s current roster, Dominicans significantly outnumber players from other non-U.S. countries—impressive for a nation with a population of only 11 million people.
Household names such as Sammy Sosa, Pedro Martínez, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Robinson Canó, José Reyes, Juan Marichal, and Bartolo Colón are some examples of Dominicans who have excelled between the bases. In addition, the country has sent more than 65 players to the MLB All Star Game over the years. And the Dominican Republic takes great pride that two of its players have been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.: Juan Marichal, pitcher for the San Francisco Giants in 1983; and Pedro Martínez, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, in 2015.
The sport that Dominicans call “pelota” has a deep history on the island, going back to the late 1800s. Amateur baseball there began in the 1940s, with tournaments to honor then-dictator Rafael Trujillo. He was instrumental in building the first baseball stadium, originally named for himself and later christened as Estadio Quisqueya. In the mid 1950s, organized and professional baseball began there with the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League.
Baseball in the Dominican Republic is something that true baseball fans must experience on the island, for some really unique cultural immersion—not to mention a bucket list experience. Today, the Dominican Professional Baseball League is made up of six principal teams: Tigres del Licey, Estrellas Orientales, Leones del Escogido, Águilas Cibaeñas, Toros del Este, and Gigantes del Cibao.
The season starts on October 19, 2023, with three games being played in Santo Domingo, Santiago, and San Pedro de Macorís on opening day. The regular season, which runs through December 21, consists of 150 games, with the six teams competing at major professional baseball stadiums all across the country. That means there are numerous opportunities for visitors to take in a game—or several—as well as pick a favorite team to root for.
In fact, there are only a handful of days this fall where there aren’t any games scheduled, making it easy for travelers to find a suitable opportunity to take in nine innings. Most days of the season, there are three different games to choose from.
A complete schedule for teams and dates, along with ticket and prices, is available at: https://lidom.com/campeonato-2023-2024-arranca-el-19-de-octubre.
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