beisbol | baseball in the dominican republic (15 images)

"Love is the most important thing in the world, but beisbol is pretty good too."  ~Gregorio, age 8

In the land that made Baseball what it is today, some doubt whether Baseball retains it's claim as "America's National Pastime." Little more than a hop from Miami, in the Dominican Republic, there is no dispute - Beisbol is more than pastime, it is passion. Beisbol stadiums, ball fields and parks seem to be the defining center of almost every...
more »

"Love is the most important thing in the world, but beisbol is pretty good too."  ~Gregorio, age 8

In the land that made Baseball what it is today, some doubt whether Baseball retains it's claim as "America's National Pastime." Little more than a hop from Miami, in the Dominican Republic, there is no dispute - Beisbol is more than pastime, it is passion. Beisbol stadiums, ball fields and parks seem to be the defining center of almost every community. Even the poorest of barrios have fields with the telltale diamond of well-worn paths packed down by runners racing to bases. The youngest children fill these fields with the simple joys of running around outside and swinging a stick at flying balls. A few years later, this innocence will melt away into a heated soberness where tempers frequently flare. Fueling these dreams and passion for the game is the practical reality that beisbol can hold the ticket, albeit an infinitesimally rare ticket, out of poverty. Day dreams of a beautiful day out on the field turn into dreams of playing the major leagues -- the Show, minor league players call it.

This series depicts youth on either side of the invisible line - between the innocent joy of the game and those that have begun sensing the gravity of attracting notice from an agent that may signal the long road to the Show.
« less