PICTORIAL: Baseball in Puerto Rico, old-school style
Baseball in Latin America — and the fan fervor for the game — goes back more than a century. But it's in the winter when the fun really heated up as MLB players from stars to scrubs —including plenty of future Hall of Famers — would head to the sunny climes of the Caribbean to keep their skills sharp. Click on the photos for a look back at how baseball was played in Puerto Rico.
STAR SPOTLIGHT: Luis Arraez, 2022-23 AL, NL batting champ
It’s almost a shame Aaron Judge had a once-in-a-lifetime season in 2022 highlighted by slamming 62 homers. The Yankee right-fielder’s quest to break the AL single-season home run record — while vying for a rare triple crown — completely overshadowed the accomplishments of Luis Arraez. The then-Twins infielder hit .316, enough to win the American League batting title — and prevent Judge, the runner-up with .311, from achieving the first triple crown since Miguel Cabrera in 2012. Then Arraez did it again in 2023. After a shocking trade to the Miami Marlins, he hit a Major League-leading .354, becoming only
ICON: Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols capped his Hall of Fame-worthy career with a dream final season. While his return to the Cardinals in 2022 ended with St. Louis losing the NL Wild Card series to the Phillies, Pujols had a remarkable resurgence in the last half of the season to climax a brilliant 22-year career — highlighted by his becoming only the fourth member of the 700 home run club. The Dominican-born superstar known as “The Machine” cemented his legacy as one of the greatest hitters ever when he bashed Nos. 699 and 700 in consecutive at-bats on September 23 in an 11–0
The forgotten All-Star game: Latino legends played in Polo Grounds’ last game ever in 1963
It was the All-Star game few baseball fans witnessed, and few today know it was ever played at all. Nearly 60 years ago, on a warm and sunny autumn afternoon in New York, two teams comprised of Latino players from the Major Leagues squared off at the Polo Grounds for an exhibition game billed as a charity event to benefit a new Latin American Hall of Fame. Held on Oct. 12, 1963 — a week after the Los Angeles Dodgers swept the New York Yankees in the World Series — it would be the last baseball game ever played at
ICON: Bernie Williams
There may have been bigger names in the New York Yankees’ lineups of the late 1990s dynasty, but those four World Series rings in five years wouldn’t have happened without Bernie Williams, the Bombers’ switch-hitting, smooth fielding centerfielder. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Williams began his Yankees career in 1991 at 22 years old and became a regular two years later as he led the charge of young players finally being given a chance to prove themselves in the Majors with an organization hardly known for its patience in developing young talent. He established himself as one of the
PICTORIAL: Baseball in the Dominican Republican has a long and proud history
The influx of players from the Dominican Republic in recent years has certainly changed the face of the Major Leagues, but professional ball goes back more than 100 years in the baseball-crazy country. The following vintage photos — culled from the archives of famed Dominican baseball historian Emilio “Cuqui” Cordova, who died March 7 at age 90 — are a rare look back at the history of the game in the D.R., which fielded some great teams and boasted countless excellent players, many of whom would have been MLB stars if not for the color barrier. And much like
Caribbean Series — Serie del Caribe — is a true international showcase
By Beto Villa and Robert Dominguez Unlike the World Series in the U.S. every October, the Caribbean Series — Serie del Caribe — is a true international tournament that each winter pits the top teams representing six Latin American countries to determine a champion after a round-robin set of six games. Not to mention showcase a wealth of talent by players born outside the U.S. The tournament, which started in 1949, typically features teams from leagues in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Cuba and Panama. The 2020 games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, included Colombia for the first
The day Michael Pineda got into a sticky situation
The Yankees waited a long time to reap the fruits of their controversial 2012 trade for pitcher Michael Pineda, and when the strapping, 6’7” righty finally made his Yankee debut two years later after a raft of injuries, it looked like New York had itself a future ace in the making. That is, until Pineda got caught with his hand – and neck – in the pine tar jar. Pineda was 23 and coming off a solid rookie season in 2011 for the Mariners, one that included a selection to the All-Star game when the Yankees traded power-hitting catching prospect
