When it was announced on Tuesday that President Leonel Fern?ndez had signed a decree to dissolve a foundation ("patronato") managing three baseball stadiums and give management of the stadiums to the Sports Ministry (SEDEFIR), both the Dominican Professional Baseball League and the head of the foundation expressed complete surprise. Yet, as the numbering of the decree cited in the press (343-97) suggests, the presidential decree was issued as long ago as October 17, 1997. It was even published in the Official Gazette on October 31, 1997, issue number 9966, page 41. So why, asks the news daily El Siglo, was it a surprise to so many involved with the nation’s favorite sport, and why was it never announced nor applied by SEDEFIR before now? The paper calls on Sports Minister Juan Marichal to explain how he could let two winter baseball tournaments pass without applying the presidential decree.
