Take Me Out to the Beisbol Game
Baseball has a long, illustrious history in Puerto Rico. Imported around the turn of the 20th century by plantation owners as a leisure activity for workers, beisbol quickly caught fire, and local leagues have produced such major-league stars as Roberto Alomar, Bernie Williams, and the late great Roberto Clemente. Current stars include Carlos Delgado, Jorge Posada, Iván Rodríguez, Carlos Beltrán, and the Molina brothers. A top-notch league of six teams -- featuring many rising professionals honing their skills during the winter months -- holds its season November through January and plays in ballparks throughout Puerto Rico. This is a chance to see good baseball in a more intimate setting than is afforded in the U.S. major leagues.
Puerto Rico will host some of the games in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, just at it did in the international baseball tournament's inaugural run in 2006. Top-notch regional teams from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Cuba will play against the hometown favorite Puerto Rico team.
