Dominican Dominance

Matilda

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Sep 13, 2006
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Good article. I get fed up with all my socks going missing as they get rolled into a ball, covered in taypee and used as a baseball ball. All of the sticks get taken out of my brooms and used as a bat.

Matilda
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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Good article. I get fed up with all my socks going missing as they get rolled into a ball, covered in taypee and used as a baseball ball. All of the sticks get taken out of my brooms and used as a bat.

Matilda

and that is another reason why they excel. it is the love of the game that Brazilian kids have for soccer, wherein they will play with anything they can get. there is an article which attempts to explain why Americans cannot play football, which they call soccer. kids in poor countries play with whatever they can get their hands on, so the poor kids get to show their talents. when only the more well heeled kids can play a sport, too much of the talent never gets seen.
 

Blueceo

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Nov 1, 2015
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Another reason is that Baseball is just not that important in the U.S. anymore as it has fallen to number 3 behind basketball (2) and the undisputed king of all sports in the U.S. - American Football (not that bloody soccer). Baseball is just too slow and boring for a lot of Americans and thus is not as popular. However, in the DR it is by far and away the number 1 sport and the dream of every male, so there is no competition for the male DR athlete to go into any other sport. No dilution of talent, all superstars go to baseball instead of basketball and football like in the U.S. Great opportunity for DR baseball players and I'm very happy for them.
 

southern

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Dec 13, 2016
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Good article. They give credit to where credit is due. Genetics! At that level you can train all you want but without the blessings of mother nature you are spinning your wheels. All professional athletes are freaks of nature. The mental component is good but it won't come close to good genes
 

cbmitch9

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Nov 3, 2010
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Good article. They give credit to where credit is due. Genetics! At that level you can train all you want but without the blessings of mother nature you are spinning your wheels. All professional athletes are freaks of nature. The mental component is good but it won't come close to good genes

I know too many athletes, musicians, etc who would beg to differ. They have always told me it's based on practice, practice, practice and when their done, more practice and a love for what they do. When you see baseball or any other path as your only vehicle out of poverty, you will take it. You can be naturally skilled to anything but without practicing your craft, fuggetaboutit.
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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I know too many athletes, musicians, etc who would beg to differ. They have always told me it's based on practice, practice, practice and when their done, more practice and a love for what they do. When you see baseball or any other path as your only vehicle out of poverty, you will take it. You can be naturally skilled to anything but without practicing your craft, fuggetaboutit.

i agree with you to a point, cbmitch, but then genetics take over. no amount of training will make an average sprinter into Usain Bolt, nor an average swimmer into Phelps.

many years ago, West Indian cricketers were among the best in the world as far as batting the ball was concerned. a medical professional observed that they possessed that ability because of the way their wrists were made up.
 

southern

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Dec 13, 2016
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I know too many athletes, musicians, etc who would beg to differ. They have always told me it's based on practice, practice, practice and when their done, more practice and a love for what they do. When you see baseball or any other path as your only vehicle out of poverty, you will take it. You can be naturally skilled to anything but without practicing your craft, fuggetaboutit.

Major league baseball is a far cry from playing the flute and attempting to use pro basball as a means out of poverty is about as likley as hitting the lottery twice in one day. MLB has about 1200 players. They either have the numbers ( hits, batting average etc) or they don't. It's not open for interpretation like music. Hitting a MLB fast ball is one of the most difficult things to do in pro sports and if you don't have the right mother and father you are just another spectator like the rest of us.
 

USA DOC

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Feb 20, 2016
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Good article. They give credit to where credit is due. Genetics! At that level you can train all you want but without the blessings of mother nature you are spinning your wheels. All professional athletes are freaks of nature. The mental component is good but it won't come close to good genes

.....Right on....played many sports, without my fathers genes wouldnt have made the teams...you can train 6 days a week ,and the average person can better their performance, but never compete at the level of a natural athlete . the true test is in running track. In my high school of about 3k students, there were 3 sprinters who could compete....I was one of three.....the 3 sprinters were the same ones , from grade school on to high school.... if you are one of the 3 with the fastest foot speed you will be a starter in several sports........Doc......
 

USA DOC

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....and the hardest training I did was in boxing.....harder than military special training......
 

cbmitch9

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Nov 3, 2010
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i agree with you to a point, cbmitch, but then genetics take over. no amount of training will make an average sprinter into Usain Bolt, nor an average swimmer into Phelps.

many years ago, West Indian cricketers were among the best in the world as far as batting the ball was concerned. a medical professional observed that they possessed that ability because of the way their wrists were made up.

Agreed. To a point also. My disagreement really had to do with classifying that type of genetics only to a certain island or region of the world. That's all but otherwise, I agree. A slow guy won't be attracted to being a world class sprinter (I hope not lol) but may be inclined to choose a sport that does not require lots of speed. A 5'4" guy won't play center in the NBA (No matter how much he may want to) but may be a guard. Yes, Genetics does have something to do with how good you are at something that fits your genetic predisposition. After all, the East Germans tried to perfect that but ended up creating deformed monstrosities.
 

John 8:32

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Oct 12, 2018
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Another reason is that Baseball is just not that important in the U.S. anymore as it has fallen to number 3 behind basketball (2) and the undisputed king of all sports in the U.S. - American Football (not that bloody soccer). Baseball is just too slow and boring for a lot of Americans and thus is not as popular. However, in the DR it is by far and away the number 1 sport and the dream of every male, so there is no competition for the male DR athlete to go into any other sport. No dilution of talent, all superstars go to baseball instead of basketball and football like in the U.S. Great opportunity for DR baseball players and I'm very happy for them.

We met Demitrius Nichols, former NBA player, playing for the Santiago Metros at Arena Cibao a few years ago. Not all basketball players can be Michael Jordan. Nichols made it to the show but couldn't stay, and he was trying his best to bring his career back. He knew no Spanish.
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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Another reason is that Baseball is just not that important in the U.S. anymore as it has fallen to number 3 behind basketball (2) and the undisputed king of all sports in the U.S. - American Football (not that bloody soccer). Baseball is just too slow and boring for a lot of Americans and thus is not as popular. However, in the DR it is by far and away the number 1 sport and the dream of every male, so there is no competition for the male DR athlete to go into any other sport. No dilution of talent, all superstars go to baseball instead of basketball and football like in the U.S. Great opportunity for DR baseball players and I'm very happy for them.

Dominicans have physical gifts which outfit them for successful forays into playing baseball. they have great hand eye coordination, which helps when playing this sport. they do not have the raw sprinters' speed, nor physical brute force needed for football, and basketball is just beginning to take hold in the country.
 

USA DOC

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Feb 20, 2016
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...yes Dominicans do well in MLB, the twins have about 6.....but with Americans that can play pro sports, the USA has about 6 that some athletes can chose from...this leaves room for non americans to play, but the problem with pro baseball is it is a diminishing sport in the USA...less people watch it on tv every year, and most of the money for players contracts comes from the Contracts television pays MLB...Many Dominican young men have asked me about this, mostly at the GYM ...I always tell them the same, American football is now the most popular, then basketball even Hockey is gaining(cant see that in the DR)...Soooo if I was a young Dominican man that was gifted and could be a pro athlete, American football is were I would try to play...I am not sure Dominicans would be a good fit in the NFL...I played football thru my first year in university, the abuse on your body, even at that level was severe........Doc...........
 

USA DOC

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One US Army veteran I asked about basic training. He replied, "It was easy. I was a hockey player."

....yes and this.....I said boxing was the hardest training.....I didnt say harder than military basic training...I said military special training....as the special training can take up to 1 year or more, far harder than basic...not as hard as boxing...wouldnt recommend any of these..........Doc..........
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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...yes Dominicans do well in MLB, the twins have about 6.....but with Americans that can play pro sports, the USA has about 6 that some athletes can chose from...this leaves room for non americans to play, but the problem with pro baseball is it is a diminishing sport in the USA...less people watch it on tv every year, and most of the money for players contracts comes from the Contracts television pays MLB...Many Dominican young men have asked me about this, mostly at the GYM ...I always tell them the same, American football is now the most popular, then basketball even Hockey is gaining(cant see that in the DR)...Soooo if I was a young Dominican man that was gifted and could be a pro athlete, American football is were I would try to play...I am not sure Dominicans would be a good fit in the NFL...I played football thru my first year in university, the abuse on your body, even at that level was severe........Doc...........

football is a game in which fast people enjoy a great degree of success. i think of Bob Hayes, Calvin Muhammad, Lonell Phea, Dokie Williams, and such guys. Jamaicans are the best natural sprinters on the planet, but the body types are too slender for durability in that sport. African Americans have the speed, ferocity, and muscle construction for football. few Dominicans do.
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
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It was thirty years ago, that one Dimetrios Georgios Synodinos...aka James George Snyder Sr....aka Jimmy the Greek was fired from his sports commentator position for verbalizing similar thoughts.