Baseball in the Dominican RepublicBaseball was first introduced to the Dominican Republic in the 1870s, when thousands of Cubans fled to the island nation for refuge after the Ten War Years. In addition to baseball, Cubans also brought expertise in sugar production that made them the largest sugar producer in the Caribbean. Sugar immediately became the Dominican Republic's main lucrative export, but baseball took a little longer to develop. At the turn of the century, many Britons of African descent came to the Dominican Republic from St. Martin, Nevis, Tortola and other islands whose sugar industries were collapsing as Dominican sugar cane fields expanded . These Cocolos brought with them cricket and a more organizational social discipline, inherited from their British origins. Cricket was an extremely popular sport in the Republic until baseball became the sport of choice in the late 1930s. Why has baseball long become the cultural centerpiece of the Dominican Republic? Many factors must be considered to answer this question. Because of its similarities to baseball, cricket can be seen as the launching pad for what truly became the Dominican national pastime. Cricket's popularity gave way to baseball which exploded in the mid-20th century. The socio-economic environment is a major element in the evolution of baseball in the Dominican Republic. The island was composed mainly of sugar mill workers, whose harvest was entirely seasonal. During the winter months, also called the off season, workers didn't have much to do. Baseball became the hobby of choice as virtually every man and boy picked up a bat and ball to enjoy the game during their... middle of paper ...... possession deepened the divide between players and the fans. The rather simple answer is that baseball is their life. Every boy grows up with a bat and a ball, and everyone gets a chance to play. Baseball in the Dominican Republic, compared to the United States, is baseball, basketball, football and Nintendo rolled into one culture. I have to use the term culture, because baseball in the Dominican Republic has transcended the boundaries of sport. It has become an extraordinary part of their daily lives. At the beginning of the century, the first championship matches in Santo Domingo brought together more than twenty thousand people while the city's population slightly exceeded thirty thousand inhabitants. Baseball has become a national culture in the Dominican Republic, and the enthusiasm and passion for the sport in the Dominican Republic has only grown since..