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Aguilas Campeones Una Vez Mas
Por eso es que "LAS AGUILAS SON LAS AGUILAS"...
MY team in DR...!!! Followed most of the series here...was hooked from the first time I watched them play in Santiago...Jan. 4, 2002...
There's no better place to watch a baseball game than in DR!!!
MY team in DR...!!! Followed most of the series here...was hooked from the first time I watched them play in Santiago...Jan. 4, 2002...
There's no better place to watch a baseball game than in DR!!!
I don't know anything about baseball. But about 1AM there was all this noise coming from the Malecon. Looked outside and there were people waving flags, beeping, sirens. Even sparks flying off the backs of cars coming from the big hunks of metal they were pulling around.I couldn't stay in the house with pictures that needed taken happening outside. So my friend who I was talking to on the puter came and got me and we rode around a while. It was fun. The Malecon was packed with crazies! It was great fun. Got a few new fotos to add to the collection. Dominicans and Baseball...what a fun combination
Las Aguilas won, SO WHAT?
Pib
Liceista
::::: goes away munbling something about sour grapes :::::
Pib
Liceista
::::: goes away munbling something about sour grapes :::::
Okay, let me tell you about it. Hadn?t been to a ball game in 15 years. Then an Aguilas fan friend couple called and said they were buying tickets for us. They had accepted invitations from us to attend gastronomical and ecology activities, so we couldn?t say no. He said this would be the last game, okay, okay,?
So here we went to the Quisqueya Ball Park. May I note that I am a ?capitale?a?(a Santo Domingo city girl). My father was a strong supporter of the Licey (he grew up in front of the Cathedral), and my elder sister was a strong supporter of the Aguilas. Myself, I chose no team, to not take sides with either. So I grew up appreciating baseball, but cannot say I am a fan of any team. But I purchased my red balloon bats for RD$30 from a boy at the stadium, just to poke fun at my friends and did so while surrounded on all sides by staunch Aguilas supporters.
My Cibae?o Aguilas fan friend has been living in Santo Domingo for years (after growing up in Santiago) but had never been to the Quisqueya Ball Park. So he asked me to drive him there. Well, I had been there three times in my life? On our way over at near 8 pm, we ran into a caravan of cars headed that way, we saw one turning right, where I would have continued straight up the Tiradentes, asked him and he said, ?follow me? leading us right into the stadium parking lot.
Well, I saw it all for myself and felt that more visitors and new time residents in the Dominican Republic should go for the experience. As reported in the DR1 Daily News today, by none less than Hillbilly himself, the game was like being in the Major Leagues. I was all eyes to watch the baseball greats, one after another?. Rafael Furcal, David Ortiz, Wilton Veras, Elpidio Guzman, Neifi Perez and Wilton Guerrero for Escogido; and for the Aguilas, the American League MVP Miguel Tejada, Tony Batista, Luis Polonia, Alberto Castillo, Hipolito Pichardo, Raul Mondes?, Bartolo Colon, and Mendy Lopez. Hard to get one?s eyes off watching these people.
But the big show of the night were the Aguilas fans. People, if you ever get a chance to see a semi-finals or finals game with the Aguilas, go for it. There can hardly be more supporting fans. The show is theirs. They played to the cheerleading efforts of the cuyaya (the eagle mascot), they had their cheerleaders, the merengue music of a different beat anticipated each batter? The sign: God, My Mother, and the Aguilas says it all for what the team means to the people of the Cibao.
Sitting beside us and in the row in back of us were university students that had driven in from Santiago. Their conclusion it was the best game of the season ? and they felt that way even when the Escogido was winning.
It was a great great game. I normally dose off near 12 midnight, but I was all eyes as the game continued on into the 12th inning. What a game! The Escogido wasn?t going to take it sitting down. May I say the Escogido fans made up only 20% of the stadium, and this was in the capital city, their home stadium.
When the final out was made, it was a fiesta of Presidente beer. We had to put our jacket over our heads as the beer poured all over the place as people celebrated. It was surprisingly easy for us to clear the stadium and in five minutes we were home to hear the caravan as it made its way back to Santiago for the real party.
So here we went to the Quisqueya Ball Park. May I note that I am a ?capitale?a?(a Santo Domingo city girl). My father was a strong supporter of the Licey (he grew up in front of the Cathedral), and my elder sister was a strong supporter of the Aguilas. Myself, I chose no team, to not take sides with either. So I grew up appreciating baseball, but cannot say I am a fan of any team. But I purchased my red balloon bats for RD$30 from a boy at the stadium, just to poke fun at my friends and did so while surrounded on all sides by staunch Aguilas supporters.
My Cibae?o Aguilas fan friend has been living in Santo Domingo for years (after growing up in Santiago) but had never been to the Quisqueya Ball Park. So he asked me to drive him there. Well, I had been there three times in my life? On our way over at near 8 pm, we ran into a caravan of cars headed that way, we saw one turning right, where I would have continued straight up the Tiradentes, asked him and he said, ?follow me? leading us right into the stadium parking lot.
Well, I saw it all for myself and felt that more visitors and new time residents in the Dominican Republic should go for the experience. As reported in the DR1 Daily News today, by none less than Hillbilly himself, the game was like being in the Major Leagues. I was all eyes to watch the baseball greats, one after another?. Rafael Furcal, David Ortiz, Wilton Veras, Elpidio Guzman, Neifi Perez and Wilton Guerrero for Escogido; and for the Aguilas, the American League MVP Miguel Tejada, Tony Batista, Luis Polonia, Alberto Castillo, Hipolito Pichardo, Raul Mondes?, Bartolo Colon, and Mendy Lopez. Hard to get one?s eyes off watching these people.
But the big show of the night were the Aguilas fans. People, if you ever get a chance to see a semi-finals or finals game with the Aguilas, go for it. There can hardly be more supporting fans. The show is theirs. They played to the cheerleading efforts of the cuyaya (the eagle mascot), they had their cheerleaders, the merengue music of a different beat anticipated each batter? The sign: God, My Mother, and the Aguilas says it all for what the team means to the people of the Cibao.
Sitting beside us and in the row in back of us were university students that had driven in from Santiago. Their conclusion it was the best game of the season ? and they felt that way even when the Escogido was winning.
It was a great great game. I normally dose off near 12 midnight, but I was all eyes as the game continued on into the 12th inning. What a game! The Escogido wasn?t going to take it sitting down. May I say the Escogido fans made up only 20% of the stadium, and this was in the capital city, their home stadium.
When the final out was made, it was a fiesta of Presidente beer. We had to put our jacket over our heads as the beer poured all over the place as people celebrated. It was surprisingly easy for us to clear the stadium and in five minutes we were home to hear the caravan as it made its way back to Santiago for the real party.
Dolores...you don't post very many replies...but this one was right on the money...
You made me feel like I was there!!! That's exactly how it was for me when I went to see them play in Santiago last year!
I love it!!!
Thanks for the mental images!!!
You made me feel like I was there!!! That's exactly how it was for me when I went to see them play in Santiago last year!
I love it!!!
Thanks for the mental images!!!
Well, I fail to get excited
What's the big fuzz about a minor league team winning a series?
We had as usual people going mad at 1am in the morning as if someone the Superbowl was in Santo Domingo.
I still can't figure out Dominican baseball fans. What is it they get excited about seen prospects and used up players playing each other.
TW
What's the big fuzz about a minor league team winning a series?
We had as usual people going mad at 1am in the morning as if someone the Superbowl was in Santo Domingo.
I still can't figure out Dominican baseball fans. What is it they get excited about seen prospects and used up players playing each other.
TW
PJT
Sorry about your enthusiasm, but I just could not get excited about watching baseball played in second rate stadiums, buscones at parking lots, people pissing in the stands and Triple A players wearing uniforms with FUJIFILM in their backs.
I love the game, but played by Major Leaguers at every level in a quality atmosphere.
Imagine the #1 power hitter Felix Jose has been a bencher in the majors. Luis Polonia, the other star is at best a pinch hitter. Raul Mondesi is over the hill. Miguel Tejada is the only star quality player in the league. Pitching wise, only Bartolo Colon is a standout.
TW
Sorry about your enthusiasm, but I just could not get excited about watching baseball played in second rate stadiums, buscones at parking lots, people pissing in the stands and Triple A players wearing uniforms with FUJIFILM in their backs.
I love the game, but played by Major Leaguers at every level in a quality atmosphere.
Imagine the #1 power hitter Felix Jose has been a bencher in the majors. Luis Polonia, the other star is at best a pinch hitter. Raul Mondesi is over the hill. Miguel Tejada is the only star quality player in the league. Pitching wise, only Bartolo Colon is a standout.
TW
Those games are crazy. I think my grandfather is watching from heaven and is ashamed that his only grandson named after him is not a crazed babseball enthusiast. You see, he played for the founding Escogido team way back when, from 1921-1935 and he also played as a pro all over the continent. The man was incredible and he is in the Dominican Baseball Hall of Fame. In my family it's a dilemma because my mom's side are die-hard Escogidistas and my father's side it's all Liceistas or Agiluchos.......man it's war when the season starts between my folks. I must say that the games are quite entertaining but I don't like that stadium too much. It gets too crazy and my parents live 3 blocks away. You could hear them on Pedro Livio Cede?o Ave. and it sounds like it was la Tiradentes. Then they always left a light on at night and our 3rd floor apartment was right in the light's path......ahh enough of that, it's fun to watch those games, if only they would clean those areas inside the stadium more.
Gotta go
Gotta go
Lighten up Francis!
Golo, my good man.
Do you drink those fruity drinks you drink with your pinky pointing out?
The stadiums may be second rate, and perhaps the baseball isn't what the fall classic is in the states, but the winter league has some things that most baseball fans would kill for, actually quite a few things.
If you're idea of catching a game is sitting in an air conditioned luxury box, listening to piped in game sounds, then stop reading. You won't understand the following explanation.
The excitement revolves around (in no certain order):
1. A fever pitched love for the game of baseball - you know, that thing that's more or less put this island on the world map.
2. Local boys: Imagine the present day Yankees or Red Sox being made up mostly with kids from the Bronx or Brookline. That inspires more than just a rooting interest. Don't say it's different, there are only 6 teams here, it's an island, vision is tunneled.
3. Everybody in this country is related. Somebody's cousin, brother, father or next door neighbor (that counts as a cousin here) is in pro ball.
By my count, there were 110 players from the Dominican Republic that ended last year on an MLB roster. Add in A-Rod and others that have the sudo-Dominican ties, then mix in the "cusp" players and assorted other minor leaguers with "names" and you've got a built-in rooting interest. A massive one at that.
4. They're all stars. Not just the MVP's and the official "All-Stars" but every last one of them. They are playing on the grandest stage this country has to offer and even if they've only had a cup of coffee in professional baseball, they are held in higher esteem. The dream of being an MLB player is so ingrained in the psyche it's borderline delusional.
5. It's a great place to drink beer and make tons of noise. That's the official past time of this island anyway. I mean who are we kidding?
6. They ARE fanatics.
7. Cheerleaders. (Remember, no certain order)
Golo, my good man.
Do you drink those fruity drinks you drink with your pinky pointing out?
The stadiums may be second rate, and perhaps the baseball isn't what the fall classic is in the states, but the winter league has some things that most baseball fans would kill for, actually quite a few things.
If you're idea of catching a game is sitting in an air conditioned luxury box, listening to piped in game sounds, then stop reading. You won't understand the following explanation.
The excitement revolves around (in no certain order):
1. A fever pitched love for the game of baseball - you know, that thing that's more or less put this island on the world map.
2. Local boys: Imagine the present day Yankees or Red Sox being made up mostly with kids from the Bronx or Brookline. That inspires more than just a rooting interest. Don't say it's different, there are only 6 teams here, it's an island, vision is tunneled.
3. Everybody in this country is related. Somebody's cousin, brother, father or next door neighbor (that counts as a cousin here) is in pro ball.
By my count, there were 110 players from the Dominican Republic that ended last year on an MLB roster. Add in A-Rod and others that have the sudo-Dominican ties, then mix in the "cusp" players and assorted other minor leaguers with "names" and you've got a built-in rooting interest. A massive one at that.
4. They're all stars. Not just the MVP's and the official "All-Stars" but every last one of them. They are playing on the grandest stage this country has to offer and even if they've only had a cup of coffee in professional baseball, they are held in higher esteem. The dream of being an MLB player is so ingrained in the psyche it's borderline delusional.
5. It's a great place to drink beer and make tons of noise. That's the official past time of this island anyway. I mean who are we kidding?
6. They ARE fanatics.
7. Cheerleaders. (Remember, no certain order)
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Cleef, good for you
I just don't get excited about it because I am so used to watching major league games. Besides, I am not the bleecher bum type fan when I go to a stadium, so if I get little excited in a U.S. stadium, imagine me here watching these second rate teams playing.
I am used to seeing the best at every level, MLB, NBA and even College and High School Basketball. Even the Caribbean series in Puerto Rico will be a bore for me. Imagine watching teams from Mexico? C'mon give me a break. I remember one year their best player was a Dominican player who had been released 5 years prior from MLB.
But I'll tell you what. Here is something I get more excited about. In today's El Dia free news there is a report about Charlie Villanueva, a high school youngster from Dominican Republic who used to play for local games here, which I never attend either.
Charlie is a 6'9" Power Forward for Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J. one of my former home states when I was in the U.S. and if you look at ESPN's all America H.S. players he is rated at #3 in the nation only behind the now famous, infamous Lebron James, the new wizzard and enfant terrible of basketball. Charlie is the #1 power forward high school age kid in the world and is now signed to attend Illinois and join the Illini, one of the most powerful teams in the NCAA.
Only two Dominican players have reached this level, Tito Horford and Felipe Lopez. Yet, Charlie is rated higher than both. I see a potential fisrt round choice for the NBA in his 2nd. year in college.He is slated to participate in the Mcdonalds Classic for All Americans and I expect him and Lebron to be the stars.
That to me is more exciting than any minor league games in DR, specially when this kid goes to Illinois, watching a game at Quisqueya stadium compared to watching a Big Ten game is like watching the news in a Santiago station in comparison to CNN.
TW
I just don't get excited about it because I am so used to watching major league games. Besides, I am not the bleecher bum type fan when I go to a stadium, so if I get little excited in a U.S. stadium, imagine me here watching these second rate teams playing.
I am used to seeing the best at every level, MLB, NBA and even College and High School Basketball. Even the Caribbean series in Puerto Rico will be a bore for me. Imagine watching teams from Mexico? C'mon give me a break. I remember one year their best player was a Dominican player who had been released 5 years prior from MLB.
But I'll tell you what. Here is something I get more excited about. In today's El Dia free news there is a report about Charlie Villanueva, a high school youngster from Dominican Republic who used to play for local games here, which I never attend either.
Charlie is a 6'9" Power Forward for Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J. one of my former home states when I was in the U.S. and if you look at ESPN's all America H.S. players he is rated at #3 in the nation only behind the now famous, infamous Lebron James, the new wizzard and enfant terrible of basketball. Charlie is the #1 power forward high school age kid in the world and is now signed to attend Illinois and join the Illini, one of the most powerful teams in the NCAA.
Only two Dominican players have reached this level, Tito Horford and Felipe Lopez. Yet, Charlie is rated higher than both. I see a potential fisrt round choice for the NBA in his 2nd. year in college.He is slated to participate in the Mcdonalds Classic for All Americans and I expect him and Lebron to be the stars.
That to me is more exciting than any minor league games in DR, specially when this kid goes to Illinois, watching a game at Quisqueya stadium compared to watching a Big Ten game is like watching the news in a Santiago station in comparison to CNN.
TW
C'mon golo admitted you like basketball more than anything else!.
keep up those good article your post about news from DR.
Thans, Tony
keep up those good article your post about news from DR.
Thans, Tony
The 2002-2003 Aguilas would not have finished at the bottom of the league in MLB!! This was a fantastic team. And, this is important, Winter League Baseball is the unique opportunity to see the stars before they are stars. Raul Mondes? and Miguel Tejada on the bench! Bartolo Colon, just a sometimes starter...And see Arnaldo Mu?oz, now, on the cusp of greatness if pressure and the Chicago cold doesn't do him in,,,,,THAT is what winter ball is all about...
In the bigs, you can't go down on the field, before a game, and kid some of the guys about their golf game, or give a pep talk to a buddy. The ability to have a future World Series MVP (Gene Tenace) over for dinner, or play basquetball, on asphalt!, with major league stars-Dave Parker and a couple of others to remain anonomous, or know that guys like Rick Waits and Gene Garber and their families are your friends, not because you're a fan, but because your are friends...Or have Tony Pe?a give you a ride home after a game, or Damaso Garcia (Now very ill, God help him) drive up to see you to give you a ride in his new Porsche.....Priceless....
Naw, Mr. Golo, you don't get the big picture.....It's like Cleef and others, especially Dolores, have said: It's all about the intimacy of the games and the passion of the fans....
A very happy HB
In the bigs, you can't go down on the field, before a game, and kid some of the guys about their golf game, or give a pep talk to a buddy. The ability to have a future World Series MVP (Gene Tenace) over for dinner, or play basquetball, on asphalt!, with major league stars-Dave Parker and a couple of others to remain anonomous, or know that guys like Rick Waits and Gene Garber and their families are your friends, not because you're a fan, but because your are friends...Or have Tony Pe?a give you a ride home after a game, or Damaso Garcia (Now very ill, God help him) drive up to see you to give you a ride in his new Porsche.....Priceless....
Naw, Mr. Golo, you don't get the big picture.....It's like Cleef and others, especially Dolores, have said: It's all about the intimacy of the games and the passion of the fans....
A very happy HB
Yeah
And what about the rudeness of the Dominican fans, who are worst than Philly fans. And the violence in and out the the parks. Look at what just happened to that stupid jerk Aramboles guy who got his head rearranged by some Leones players for jumping in the field trying to be rude.
Now they are making a hero and a victim out of him so he can sue the players and get some money. I am sure when he jumped he probably tried this to get his head knocked off so he can get himself out of unemployment's agony. I am glad he got his frontal bone transplanted to his neck for being a jerk. Plus Aguilucho fans are a bunch of hicks with cowboy boots and all. They are just as bad as Licey fans, the biggest cry babies in the world.
TW
And what about the rudeness of the Dominican fans, who are worst than Philly fans. And the violence in and out the the parks. Look at what just happened to that stupid jerk Aramboles guy who got his head rearranged by some Leones players for jumping in the field trying to be rude.
Now they are making a hero and a victim out of him so he can sue the players and get some money. I am sure when he jumped he probably tried this to get his head knocked off so he can get himself out of unemployment's agony. I am glad he got his frontal bone transplanted to his neck for being a jerk. Plus Aguilucho fans are a bunch of hicks with cowboy boots and all. They are just as bad as Licey fans, the biggest cry babies in the world.
TW
Thank you Hillbilly, you hit it right on, The aguilas players are soe of the best well mannered men I have ever met. Respestful to my family, especially moms (yes plural). Omar Ramirez is an old family friend, Luis Polonia has come through in times of need, when Manny played for the aguilas in 1994-95 he was the same as well as Trovin Valdez. Alberto Castillo did a great job of helping my mom through the crowd after their 1996 championship so that we could get out of there at 5:30 in the morning.
All in all the aguilas fans are full of heart no matter where they reside, and I have yet to see more than one cowboy hat, and there is no such thing as a fair weather aguilucho.
All in all the aguilas fans are full of heart no matter where they reside, and I have yet to see more than one cowboy hat, and there is no such thing as a fair weather aguilucho.
Can't compare the excitement in college sports to Major League anything.
Although it's big business and money is ruining college athletics rapidly, there is truly nothing like big time college rivalries and the excitement they elicit. I've been to Freedom Hall in Louisville to see a basketball game and to the old "Cage" at UMASS to see games. I never ever thought I'd see so much excitement at a sporting event again.
I then saw all the Dominicans go crazy in Fenway for Pedro when he was absolutely the best pitcher in baseball and that was really something. I thought I knew what it felt like to be at a World Cup soccer match; flags, horns, cow bells, incoherent spanish (or just Dominican spanish, whatever), screaming and yelling.
Then I came here and saw Aguilas and Licey play for the winter championship and I was floored. These were the first games in a 7 game series and if there was a double play in the second inning the fan reaction - to me - was comparable to what I'd imagine Fenway to be like if Pedro struck out all 24 Yankees to win game 7 of the World* Series.
Then I go to a regular season game this year between Aguilas and Licey and it may as well been another game 7.
That type of fan emotion and involvement is a sight to see.
Point being, if you love baseball, there is absolutely nothing that can compare with an Aguilas game against any and all comers.
Although it's big business and money is ruining college athletics rapidly, there is truly nothing like big time college rivalries and the excitement they elicit. I've been to Freedom Hall in Louisville to see a basketball game and to the old "Cage" at UMASS to see games. I never ever thought I'd see so much excitement at a sporting event again.
I then saw all the Dominicans go crazy in Fenway for Pedro when he was absolutely the best pitcher in baseball and that was really something. I thought I knew what it felt like to be at a World Cup soccer match; flags, horns, cow bells, incoherent spanish (or just Dominican spanish, whatever), screaming and yelling.
Then I came here and saw Aguilas and Licey play for the winter championship and I was floored. These were the first games in a 7 game series and if there was a double play in the second inning the fan reaction - to me - was comparable to what I'd imagine Fenway to be like if Pedro struck out all 24 Yankees to win game 7 of the World* Series.
Then I go to a regular season game this year between Aguilas and Licey and it may as well been another game 7.
That type of fan emotion and involvement is a sight to see.
Point being, if you love baseball, there is absolutely nothing that can compare with an Aguilas game against any and all comers.