Sports in the Dominican Republic
Encyclopedia
Sports is a passion in the Dominican Republic, and are practiced in the whole territory since the native inhabitants were living in the island.
is by far the most popular sport in the Dominican Republic
today. After the United States, the Dominican Republic has the second-highest number of baseball players in Major League Baseball
(MLB). Some of the Dominican players have been regarded as among the best in the game.
The Dominican Republic also has its own baseball league, the Dominican Winter Baseball League, which runs its season from October to January. It comprises six teams: Águilas Cibaeñas
(Cibao Eagles), Azucareros del Este
(Eastern Sugar-makers), Estrellas Orientales
(Eastern Stars), Gigantes del Cibao
(Cibao Giants), Leones del Escogido
(Chosen Lions), and Tigres del Licey
(Licey Tigers). Many MLB and minor league
players play in the Dominican League during their own off-season.
The Dominican Republic has participated in the Baseball World Cup, winning one Gold (1948), three Silver (1942, 1950, 1952), and two Bronze (1943, 1969), placing it seventh, right after Puerto Rico
's one Gold, four Silver, and four Bronze. (Cuba
holds a record twenty-five Gold, two Silver and two Bronze.)
The country also participated in the 2006 World Baseball Classic
, the inaugural tournament, in which they finished semi–finalists along with Korea
.
: "Liga Dominicana de Baloncesto").
The National Basketball Association
(NBA) have some players from the Dominican Republic, such as:
. The Primera División de Republica Dominicana
is the top division of the Federación Dominicana de Fútbol. There have been a couple of FIFA Goal Programme projects that have been designed to further improve the infrastructure and facilities in the country in recent years.
is an important sport, and the country has produced scores of world-class fighters and world champions, both professionals and amateurs, among them Carlos Teo Cruz, Leo Cruz
, Julio César Green
, Joan Guzmán
, and Juan Carlos Payano
.
was introduced by the U.S. marines in 1916. The first international competition came in 1934 in Port-au-Prince
, Haiti
with the Caribbean Volleyball Tournament. The most important goal for the women's team
was winning the gold medal at the 2003 Panamerican Games
.
Starting from 2007, the Dominican Volleyball Federation
holds the Dominican Volleyball League
every year. It is a professional volleyball league with eight participating teams in both genders. The women's senior team
is ranked 13th in the FIVB ranking and the men's senior team
is ranked 38th.
.
Many Dominican play at international clubs in America, Europe and Asia, like Bethania de la Cruz
, Cosiri Rodríguez
, and Elvis Contreras
.
with just one athlete, Alberto Torres de la Mota ("El Gringo" ) in Track & Field (100m). The first medallist was the boxer Pedro Julio Nolasco who won the bronze medal in the 1984 Olympic Games
. The first gold medal, and second medal, came by the two-time world champion 400 m hurdles Félix Sánchez
in the 2004 Olympic Games
. The recent and more successful Olympiad, Beijing 2008
, boxer Manuel Félix Díaz
and the taekwondo
practitioner Gabriel Mercedes
won golden and silver medals respectively.
The Dominican Republic Olympic Committee
(DROC) is represented by its presidente Mr. Luis Mejía Oviedo.
in Santo Domingo
.
, the editions of 1974
at Santo Domingo
, and the 1986
at Santiago
.
k
, Luis Castillo, defensive end
for the San Diego Chargers
. Castillo was the cover athlete for the Spanish language
version of Madden NFL 08
.
Rugby union
is a minor sport, but there is a Dominican Republic
side, which has played at least one international.
Other sports include combat sports of Judo
http://www.fedojudo.org/fedojudo/index.cfm, and professional wrestlers Arcadio Brito & Rafael Sanchez http://www.wrestling-titles.com/dom/.
Baseball
BaseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
is by far the most popular sport in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
today. After the United States, the Dominican Republic has the second-highest number of baseball players in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB). Some of the Dominican players have been regarded as among the best in the game.
The Dominican Republic also has its own baseball league, the Dominican Winter Baseball League, which runs its season from October to January. It comprises six teams: Águilas Cibaeñas
Águilas Cibaeñas
The Águilas Cibaeñas are a team in the Dominican Republic's winter baseball league. Founded in and based in Santiago, they have won 5 Caribbean Series and 20 national titles. The Águilas have a large fan base in the Dominican Republic...
(Cibao Eagles), Azucareros del Este
Azucareros del Este
The Toros del Este are a baseball team in the Dominican Winter League established in . Based in the eastern city of La Romana, the Toros have reached four championship series in their history, winning the title in and 2011....
(Eastern Sugar-makers), Estrellas Orientales
Estrellas Orientales
Estrellas Orientales is a baseball team in the Dominican Winter League. Based in San Pedro de Macorís, the team has historically struggled, winning championships only in 1954 and 1968.-Retired numbers:-Trivia:...
(Eastern Stars), Gigantes del Cibao
Gigantes del Cibao
The Gigantes del Cibao are a baseball team that plays in the Dominican Winter League. The Gigantes have produced a number of successful major league ballplayers, including Albert Pujols and José Reyes....
(Cibao Giants), Leones del Escogido
Leones del Escogido
Leones del Escogido are a professional baseball team in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Established in , Leones are the third most successful teams from the Dominican Winter League, behind Tigres del Licey and Aguilas Cibaeñas, having won 13 national championships and 3 Caribbean Series.Leones...
(Chosen Lions), and Tigres del Licey
Tigres del Licey
Tigres del Licey is a professional baseball team founded in 1907 based in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It is one of the two franchises of the Capital city of the country, the oldest and one of the most successful teams in the Dominican league, having won 22 Dominican titles and 10 Caribbean...
(Licey Tigers). Many MLB and minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
players play in the Dominican League during their own off-season.
The Dominican Republic has participated in the Baseball World Cup, winning one Gold (1948), three Silver (1942, 1950, 1952), and two Bronze (1943, 1969), placing it seventh, right after Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
's one Gold, four Silver, and four Bronze. (Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
holds a record twenty-five Gold, two Silver and two Bronze.)
The country also participated in the 2006 World Baseball Classic
2006 World Baseball Classic
---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:...
, the inaugural tournament, in which they finished semi–finalists along with Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
Basketball
The National Federation of Basketball holds every year a professional league, the Dominican Basketball League, LIDOBA (SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: "Liga Dominicana de Baloncesto").
The National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) have some players from the Dominican Republic, such as:
- Francisco GarcíaFrancisco GarcíaFrancisco García is a Dominican professional basketball player who currently plays for the Sacramento Kings of the NBA. A 6'7", 195-pound guard–forward from the University of Louisville, García was selected by the Kings in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft...
, guard–forwardSwingmanA Swingman is a basketball term denoting a player who can play both the small forward and shooting guard positions, and, in essence, swing between the shooting guard and small forward positions." Swingmen males are often between 6'5" and 6'8" .John Havlicek, who played for the Boston Celtics in...
for the Sacramento KingsSacramento KingsThe Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
; first round pick in the 2005 NBA Draft2005 NBA DraftThe 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues... - Al HorfordAl HorfordAlfred Joel Horford Reynoso is a Dominican professional basketball player who is a center and power forward for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association...
, power forwardPower forward (basketball)Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
, third overall pick by the Atlanta HawksAtlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
in the 2007 NBA Draft2007 NBA DraftThe 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S... - Charlie VillanuevaCharlie VillanuevaCharlie Alexander Villanueva is an American basketball player who currently plays for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association....
, power forwardPower forward (basketball)Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
for the Detroit PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, first round pick (7th overall) by the Toronto RaptorsToronto RaptorsThe Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
in the 2005 NBA Draft2005 NBA DraftThe 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
and - Felipe LópezFelipe López (basketball)Luis Felipe López is a retired Dominican professional basketball player.He starred in United States high school and university basketball. López then played for four seasons in the National Basketball Association , but with far less success...
, former shooting guardShooting guardThe shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
for several teams
Football
Association football is also a popular sport in the Dominican Republic. The governing body is the Federación Dominicana de FútbolFederación Dominicana de Fútbol
The Federación Dominicana de Fútbol is the governing body of football in the Dominican Republic.-Teams:*Club Barcelona Atlético*Deportivo Pantoja*Don Bosco Moca*SDB Jarabacoa*San Cristóbal FC*DoSa ALaVeR*Bauger FC*Universidad O&M...
. The Primera División de Republica Dominicana
Primera División de Republica Dominicana
Primera División de Republica Dominicana is the top division of the Federación Dominicana de Fútbol. in 2002/03 and 2003/04 this competition served as second level to the Liga Mayor ; the 2005 edition also was played without clubs from the 2004/05 Liga Mayor -Liga Mayor - 2010 Teams:*Club Barcelona...
is the top division of the Federación Dominicana de Fútbol. There have been a couple of FIFA Goal Programme projects that have been designed to further improve the infrastructure and facilities in the country in recent years.
Boxing
BoxingBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
is an important sport, and the country has produced scores of world-class fighters and world champions, both professionals and amateurs, among them Carlos Teo Cruz, Leo Cruz
Leo Cruz
Leonardo Cruz , better known in the world of boxing as Leo Cruz, was a world Jr. Featherweight champion from the Dominican Republic.-Personal:...
, Julio César Green
Julio Cesar Green
Julio Cesar Green was a professional boxer of height 173 cm in the middleweight division....
, Joan Guzmán
Joan Guzman
Joan Guzmán is a Dominican professional boxer who was the WBO's super bantamweight and super featherweight champion. His nickname is "The Little Tyson"." Guzmán is now trained by Former World Champion Roberto Garcia. Former unheralded boxer Floyd Mayweather, Sr...
, and Juan Carlos Payano
Juan Carlos Payano
Juan Carlos Payano is a boxer from the Dominican Republic best known for winning a silver medal at flyweight at the Pan-Am Games twice.-Career:At the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo he lost to Yuriorkis Gamboa and won silver....
.
Volleyball
VolleyballVolleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
was introduced by the U.S. marines in 1916. The first international competition came in 1934 in Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
, Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
with the Caribbean Volleyball Tournament. The most important goal for the women's team
Dominican Republic women's national volleyball team
The Dominican Republic women's national volleyball team represents the Dominican Republic in international volleyball competitions...
was winning the gold medal at the 2003 Panamerican Games
Volleyball at the 2003 Pan American Games
This page presents the results of the Men's and Women's Volleyball Tournament during the 2003 Pan American Games, which was held from August 1 to August 17, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic...
.
Starting from 2007, the Dominican Volleyball Federation
Dominican Volleyball Federation
The Dominican Republic Volleyball Confederation is a non-profit organization which serves as the national governing body of volleyball in the Dominican Republic....
holds the Dominican Volleyball League
Dominican Volleyball League
The Dominican Republic Volleyball League is a professional volleyball league in Dominican Republic. The competitions are organized by the Dominican Republic Volleyball Confederation .- Men's League Champions:...
every year. It is a professional volleyball league with eight participating teams in both genders. The women's senior team
Dominican Republic women's national volleyball team
The Dominican Republic women's national volleyball team represents the Dominican Republic in international volleyball competitions...
is ranked 13th in the FIVB ranking and the men's senior team
Dominican Republic men's national volleyball team
The Dominican Republic men's national volleyball team represents the Dominican Republic in international volleyball competitions. In the 1950s the squad twice ended up in fourth place at the Pan American Games...
is ranked 38th.
.
Many Dominican play at international clubs in America, Europe and Asia, like Bethania de la Cruz
Bethania de la Cruz
Bethania De la Cruz De Peña is a female volleyball player from the Dominican Republic, who twice won the bronze medal with the Dominican women's national team at the NORCECA Championship.-2006:...
, Cosiri Rodríguez
Cosiri Rodriguez
Cosiri Rodríguez Andino de Dionicio is a female volleyball player from the Dominican Republic, who competed for her native country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, wearing the number #15 jersey...
, and Elvis Contreras
Elvis Contreras
Elvis Daverson Contreras is a male volleyball player from the Dominican Republic, who won the silver medal with the men's national team at the 2006 Pan American Cup in Mexicali, Mexico...
.
Olympics
The first Olympic participation was in 19641964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
with just one athlete, Alberto Torres de la Mota ("El Gringo" ) in Track & Field (100m). The first medallist was the boxer Pedro Julio Nolasco who won the bronze medal in the 1984 Olympic Games
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
. The first gold medal, and second medal, came by the two-time world champion 400 m hurdles Félix Sánchez
Felix Sanchez
Félix Sánchez —nicknamed Super Felix, the Invincible and the Dictator— is a track and field athlete from New York City, United States who competes for The Dominican Republic...
in the 2004 Olympic Games
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
. The recent and more successful Olympiad, Beijing 2008
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, boxer Manuel Félix Díaz
Manuel Félix Díaz
Manuel Félix Díaz Guzman is a professional boxer from the Dominican Republic who won Olympic Gold in 2008.Díaz Guzman had also won the bronze medal in the same division in 2003, at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo....
and the taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
practitioner Gabriel Mercedes
Gabriel Mercedes
Yulis Gabriel Mercedes Reyes is a Dominican taekwondo practitioner and Olympic medalist. He won a silver medal in the – 58 kg class at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, after tying with Guillermo Pérez of Mexico, but losing by a judge's decision.-References:* *...
won golden and silver medals respectively.
The Dominican Republic Olympic Committee
Dominican Republic Olympic Committee
The Domincan Republic Olympic Committee ' is the organization that represents Dominican athletes in the International Olympic Committee and the Pan American Games....
(DROC) is represented by its presidente Mr. Luis Mejía Oviedo.
Pan American Games
The Dominican Republic hosted the 2003 Pan American Games2003 Pan American Games
The 14th Pan American Games were held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from 1 to 17 August 2003. The successful bid for the games was made in the mid-1990s, when this country had one of the highest growth rates in Latin America....
in Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
.
Central American and Caribbean Games
Dominican Republic hosted two Central American and Caribbean GamesCentral American and Caribbean Games
The Central American and Caribbean Games are a multi-sport regional championships event, held quadrennial , typically in the middle year between Summer Olympics...
, the editions of 1974
1974 Central American and Caribbean Games
The 12th Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from February 27 to March 13, 1974 and included 1,928 athletes from 23 nations competing in 18 sports.-References:...
at Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
, and the 1986
1986 Central American and Caribbean Games
The 15th Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic from June 24 to July 5, 1986, and included 2.963 athletes from 25 nations.-References:...
at Santiago
Santiago de los Caballeros
Santiago de los Caballeros is a city in the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1495 during the first wave of European colonization of the New World, today Santiago is the second largest metropolis in the Dominican Republic, located in the north-central region of the Republic known as Cibao valley...
.
k
Other sports
There is a Dominican playing for the National Football LeagueNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, Luis Castillo, defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Castillo was the cover athlete for the Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
version of Madden NFL 08
Madden NFL 08
Madden NFL 08 is the 2008 edition of the American football video game series published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is the 19th installment in the Madden NFL video game franchise. It features Titans star quarterback Vince Young on the cover. San Diego Chargers defensive end Luis...
.
Rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
is a minor sport, but there is a Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic national rugby union team
The Dominican Republic national rugby union team represents the Dominican Republic at rugby union.They have played one international, against the British Virgin Islands, at which they were beaten thoroughly 62-5.-References:...
side, which has played at least one international.
Other sports include combat sports of Judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
http://www.fedojudo.org/fedojudo/index.cfm, and professional wrestlers Arcadio Brito & Rafael Sanchez http://www.wrestling-titles.com/dom/.