The Centro Leon is inviting to its “See You at the Ballpark” exhibition with a special dedication to the DR’s only member of the US National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, Juan Marichal. The exhibition coincides with the 25th anniversary of Marichal’s admission to the Hall of Fame and with the 50th anniversary of the Caribbean Series.
Centro Leon’s general director, Rafael Emilio Yunen, describes the exhibit as a journey through the history and organization of baseball in the Dominican Republic, and a look at how Dominicans have adopted the sport as their signature cultural expression.
?Baseball?, says Yunen, ?is more than a game in the Dominican Republic, and has become a vital element in daily life in the country, which was the impetus for putting together the exhibition?.
The exhibit covers the beginnings of baseball in the Dominican Republic all the way to the great accomplishments of its players in the Major Leagues. The rustic and popular versions of the game are shown, its impact on every day language, in addition to the prowess of the many professional players that have starred in Major League Baseball and their impact on the national economy. The exhibit also covers the winter league and the Caribbean Series, plus the behind the scenes heroes of local baseball, including the sportcasters and organizers. Trophies, rings and other historic objects from players such as Pedro Martinez, George Bell, Ricardo Carty, the Javiers (father Julian and son Stanley), Pena, Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa and, of course, the only Dominican in the Hall of Fame, Juan Marichal.