Baseball arrived in the Dominican Republic in the 1880s and quickly became part of the national identity. Today there are professional teams in the Dominican Winter League, which plays from October to February and fills stadiums across the country with passionate fans.
The Dominican Republic has sent hundreds of players to Major League Baseball in the United States. Famous Dominican players have become household names worldwide, famous for their incredible hitting, pitching and fielding skills.
Many young Dominican players are scouted as teenagers and join the training academies that MLB teams operate throughout the country. These academies teach not just baseball skills but also English, nutrition and life skills - preparing players for a career that might take them far from home.
On any afternoon in almost any Dominican neighbourhood, you will find kids playing a version of baseball with home-made equipment - sometimes a rolled-up sock for a ball and a broom handle for a bat. The creativity and joy are the same as in any stadium.