The Eastern Stars

by Mark Kurlansky

  While Fernández focused on orphanages, Soriano built a baseball field in his old neighborhood by the Quisqueya sugar mill. It was like this all over the Dominican Republic. Pedro Martínez, who grew up near Santo Domingo, built churches—one Catholic and one Baptist—in the capital.

  The public likes to make heroes out of athletes, and in San Pedro, heroes who will make their poor town prosper at last. But heroics is a lot to expect from someone snatched away without education at age sixteen and handed fame and wealth at a dizzying speed while living in a world of unworldly men devoted to perfecting a boy’s game. Since the public has exaggerated expectations for these ballplayers, they develop an exaggerated sense of their own importance that they find very difficult to fit into reality once they stop playing. Doug Glanville, an ex-major leaguer himself, wrote in The New York Times in April 2008, “Most baseball players develop a special kind of shell that forms around them as their careers unfold. It probably isn’t that different from an egg shell. It’s fragile, but no one is really allowed inside until the player is ready to share his secrets, or until something terrible happens causing the protective layer to crack. Inside the player justifies his need to be secluded. He perceives that the court of public opinion will either build him up or tear him down. . . . So he uses this barrier to protect himself from the fickle judgments of the peanut gallery and to make it through his world.”

  For all their money, the best baseball players could hope for was to become what was known in the Dominican Republic as gente de segundo, the highest social class money can buy. It takes generations to be Dominican upper class. A lot of the big money in San Pedro still came from old sugar families like the Vicini Cabrals, possibly the wealthiest and most powerful family in the country. The dynasty was founded by an Italian immigrant, Juan Bautista Vicini, who came to San Pedro in the 1870s and was one of the early architects of the Dominican sugar boom. Cristóbal Colón was among the Vicini sugar mills. The Hazín family emigrated from Lebanon in the late nineteenth century, also got into sugar, solidified their position by close ties with Balaguer, and remained one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in eastern Dominican Republic; the Hazíns are based in San Pedro. The Barceló family started with Julián Barceló, who emigrated from Spain in 1905, and built a fortune mainly in agro-industry. They invested heavily in Juan Dolio beach hotels. Only about two dozen families own almost all of the large companies in the Dominican Republic. These are three of them. As a group they are even less known for their civic-mindedness than baseball players are.

  As for baseball, Major League Baseball claimed it generated $76 million in business annually in the Dominican Republic, which would make it a leading Dominican industry comparable to tourism in the jobs and revenue it provided. Major League Baseball claimed that its Dominican players sent home $210 million in 2003 alone and that it spent $14.7 million on 30 academies that provided, directly and indirectly, 2,100 jobs, many of them in San Pedro.

  Mayor Echavaría had a different way of looking at it. Even if major-league players spent money only on themselves and their immediate families, Echavaría argued, they were still investing in the town. “Sammy Sosa does a lot of things for San Pedro,” the mayor said. “When he first got his contract, he built a big house for his mother, and that is an investment in San Pedro. And he built 30/30. That’s an investment. Alfredo Griffin built Café Caribe, the disco on the Malecón. Most players invest here in real estate. It’s for their families, but it’s an investment. They mostly invest in goods and real estate.” To the mayor, even a shopping spree was a welcome investment.

  But he thought the most important contribution of baseball to San Pedro was that “baseball gives an activity to the poorest children and it changes their lives and the lives of their families.”

  George Bell wasn’t completely sure about the impact of baseball. Sitting at his desk in his small office crammed with fishing tackle, a large mounted marlin, and an array of golf trophies, he said, “They give too much money and it’s going to end up trouble: so much money and no education.” But when he, who dropped out of school at age seventeen to sign, was asked if he had any regrets about not finishing his education, he sat back in his chair, put his arms behind his head, and replied, “Not really. I’m very satisfied with what I did and what I’m doing.”

  At the gate at Tetelo Vargas Stadium, the rut between the street and the parking lot is so deep that it takes great care to drive a car in without scraping its nose. But the stadium itself was one of the best-maintained properties in San Pedro and looked even newer than it was.

  Most days of the year there was either some kind of a game or practice going on, with a good possibility that some kid on that field was a future major-league player. Which was why, although the stadium might have seemed empty, there were always a few serious-looking older men in the seats, some with folders or papers, sometimes one behind home plate with a speed gun to measure pitches: scouts for the major leagues.

  If you had good hand-eye coordination, if you could run fast, if you could throw a ball hard, if you were extremely tall or left-handed or, even better, both, you had a chance of rescuing your entire family and becoming a millionaire. Why wouldn’t you try?

  Once July 2 approached, anyone with a sixteen-and-a-half-year-old boy in the family had the hope of a better life.

  San Pedro is not about baseball for everyone. For some it is still the city of Gastón Deligne and Pedro Mir. When merengue star Juan Luis Guerra wrote his popular song about San Pedro, “Guavaberry,” he did not even mention baseball. He sang about the Malecón, watching the sunset, meeting women, and drinking guavaberry. And it is true that it is very pleasant at the end of the day on the Malecón, looking past the rocks and the palm trees, watching the last rays of a hot sun light the bright turquoise sea, glowing against the backdrop of a dark-blue sky. It’s even better while sipping guavaberry.

  Macorisanos know this and appreciate it. But most of them need to be rescued. And there is only one way that will happen.

  Asked that chronic San Pedro question, Why does this town produce so many baseball players? José Canó said, “Because we don’t have anything else here and we aren’t tall enough for basketball.”

  APPENDIX ONE

  The First Seventy-nine: Major League Baseball Players from San Pedro de Macorís

  Since 1962, Macorisanos have been entering the ranks of Major League Baseball with such frequency that between 1980 and 2008 there were only two years when at least one new Macorisano didn’t debut as a major leaguer. The dates of birth and even in some cases the names given here are the official data and may not reflect the true ages and names of players.

  1962

  Amado Samuel

  Amado Ruperto Samuel debuted in the major leagues on April 10, 1962, for the Milwaukee Braves, and played his final game on July 11, 1964, for the New York Mets, playing a total of three seasons in the majors. He was born on December 6, 1938, in Santa Fe and played shortstop, second base, and third base.

  Manny Jiménez

  Manuel Emilio Rivera Jiménez debuted in the major leagues on April 11, 1962, for the Kansas City Athletics and played his final game on May 27, 1969, for the Chicago Cubs. He was born on November 19, 1938, in San Pedro de Macorís. He played 214 games as a left fielder and 22 games as a right fielder. After playing for the Athletics, the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted him in the minor-league draft on November 29, 1966. He was traded to the Cubs on January 15, 1969, and he ended his seven-season career playing for the Cubs. In 1962 his batting average was .301, the highest in the American League. In his best year, 1968, it went up to .303.

  1963

  Pedro González

  Pedro Olivares González debuted in the major leagues on April 11, 1963, for the New York Yankees and played his final game on September 27, 1967. He was born on December 12, 1937, in Angelina. He was primarily a second baseman. The Yankees signed him prior to the 1958 season. He finished his major-league career playing for the Indi
ans. He was known for his defense, making 31 errors in five seasons.

  Rico Carty

  Ricardo Adolfo Jacobo Carty was born on September 1, 1939, in Consuelo. He primarily played outfield. The Milwaukee Braves signed him as a free agent on October 24, 1959. He debuted in the major leagues on September 15, 1963, for the Milwaukee Braves (the future Atlanta Braves) and played his final game on September 23, 1979, with the Toronto Blue Jays. From 1972 through 1978, he was traded by the Braves to the Texas Rangers, purchased by the Chicago Cubs, purchased by the Oakland Athletics, purchased by the Cleveland Indians, drafted by the Blue Jays, traded to the Indians, traded back to the Blue Jays, traded to the Athletics, and purchased by the Blue Jays. He played a total of fifteen seasons in the major leagues and his best season was in 1970, playing for the Braves: he was given the batting title of the National League with a .366 batting average, 25 home runs, and 101 RBIs. For his career, he had 278 doubles, 890 RBIs, and 204 home runs. He had a batting average of .300 or higher in 1964 (.330), 1965 (.310), 1966 (.326), 1969 (.342), 1970 (.366), 1974 (.363), 1975 (.308), and 1976 (.310).

  1964

  Rick Joseph

  Ricardo Joseph was born on August 24, 1939, in the Santa Fe sugar mill. He died on September 8, 1979, in Santiago, Dominican Republic. He played primarily third base but also first base, left field, and one game as a second baseman. Joseph debuted in the major leagues on June 18, 1964, for the Kansas City Athletics. He played one season and then left Major League Baseball, returning in 1967 to play for the Philadelphia Phillies for four seasons until he ended his career in 1970.

  1965

  Elvio Jiménez

  Felix Elvio Rivera Jiménez was born on January 6, 1940, in Santa Fe. He is the brother of Manny Jiménez. An outfielder, his first game in the major leagues, played on October 4, 1964, was also his final game in the majors. He had a .333 batting average in that one game.

  1969

  Rafael Robles

  Rafael Robles was born on October 20, 1947, in San Pedro de Macorís. The San Francisco Giants signed him prior to the 1967 season and then gave him up to the Padres in the 1968 expansion draft. He debuted in the major leagues on April 8, 1969, for the San Diego Padres and played his final game on June 10, 1972. He played shortstop, except for one game in which he played third base. His three-season career was entirely with the Padres. He died on August 13, 1998.

  Santiago Guzmán

  Santiago Donovan Guzmán was born on July 25, 1949, in the Angelina sugar mill. A right-hander, he was the first major-league pitcher from San Pedro de Macorís. The Cardinals signed him prior to the 1967 season. He debuted in the major leagues on September 30, 1969, for the St. Louis Cardinals, and played his final game on April 18, 1972. In a total of four seasons, all for the Cardinals, he had a 4.50 ERA.

  1973

  Pepe Frías

  Jesús María Andújar Frías was born on July 14, 1948, in Consuelo. He played shortstop, second base, third base, outfield, right field, center field, and left field. The San Francisco Giants signed him on September 18, 1966, and the Expos signed him as a free agent on August 27, 1969. He debuted in the major leagues on April 6, 1973, for the Montreal Expos. He was traded to the Atlanta Braves on March 31, 1979, to the Texas Rangers on December 6, 1979, and to the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 13, 1980, and played his final game on August 26, 1981, for a total of nine seasons in the major leagues. Frías was a great defender and committed only 5 errors as second baseman and 10 errors as shortstop.

  Rafael Batista

  Rafael Sánchez Batista was born on October 20, 1947, in Consuelo. A first baseman, he debuted in the major leagues on June 17, 1973, for the Houston Astros and played his final game on April 27, 1975. He played in the major leagues for only two seasons, for a total of 22 games. In 1975 he had a .300 batting average.

  1976

  Joaquín Andújar

  Joaquín Andújar was born on December 21, 1952, in the La Barca section of San Pedro de Macorís. A right-handed pitcher, he was signed by the Cincinnati Reds on November 14, 1969, and was traded to the Astros on October 24, 1975. He debuted in the major leagues on April 8, 1976, for the Houston Astros. He was traded to the Cardinals on June 7, 1981, and pitched his best seasons with them. He won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1982, received a Gold Glove in 1984, won 20 games in 1984 and 21 games in 1985, and won the World Series in 1985. In December 1985 he was traded to the Oakland Athletics and then back to the Astros, for whom he pitched his final game on September 30, 1988. He played a total of thirteen seasons in the major leagues, with a 3.58 ERA. He had to retire early because of leg problems.

  Santo Alcalá

  Santo Anibal Alcalá was born on December 23, 1952, in Villa Providencia, San Pedro de Macorís. A right-handed pitcher, the Reds signed him prior to the 1970 season. He debuted in the major leagues on April 10, 1976, for the Cincinnati Reds. His career was cut short by an injured pitching arm. During his two years in the majors he struck out 140 batters and had an ERA of 4.76. He pitched his final game on September 25, 1977, for the Montreal Expos.

  Juan Ramón Bernhardt

  Juan Ramón Coradin Bernhardt was born on August 31, 1953, in San Pedro de Macorís. He debuted in the major leagues on July 10, 1976, for the New York Yankees and played his final game on April 8, 1979. He primarily played as a designated hitter and third baseman.

  Alfredo Griffin

  Alfredo Claudino Baptist Griffin was born on October 6, 1957, in Consuelo. The Indians signed him on August 22, 1973. He played shortstop, second base, and third base, and was also a designated hitter. He debuted in the major leagues on September 4, 1976, for the Cleveland Indians. In 1978, while playing for the Cleveland Indians, he had a .500 batting average. On December 5, 1978, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays to play shortstop. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1979. On December 8, 1984, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics. In 1985 he received a Gold Glove for his fielding skills. On December 11, 1987, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. On March 19, 1992, he started playing with the Blue Jays as a free agent. On October 3, 1993, he played his final game for a total of eighteen seasons in the major leagues, in which he hit 245 doubles and 78 triples, had 527 RBIs, and stole 192 bases.

  Ignacio “Al” Javier

  Ignacio Alfredo Wilkes Javier was born on February 4, 1954, in Consuelo. He played outfield, left field, and right field. The Astros signed him in 1971. He debuted in the major leagues on September 9, 1976, for the Houston Astros and played his final game on October 1, 1976, an 8-game single-season major-league career.

  1978

  Arturo DeFreitas

  Arturo Marcelino Simon DeFreitas was born on April 26, 1953, in San Pedro de Macorís. He played first base and right field. The Reds signed him on May 27, 1970. He debuted in the major leagues on September 7, 1978, for the Cincinnati Reds, and played two seasons for the team. His final game was on June 27, 1979.

  Alberto Lois

  Alberto Lois Pie was born on May 6, 1956, in Consuelo. He played outfield, left field, and center field. The Pittsburgh Pirates signed him in 1974. He debuted in the major leagues on September 8, 1978, for the Pirates and played his final game on September 29, 1979. His career, only fourteen games in two seasons, was ended by debilitating injuries from a car crash.

  Pedro Guerrero

  Pedro Guerrero was born on June 29, 1956, in Santa Fe. A first baseman, he was signed by the Cleveland Indians on January 15, 1973; they traded him to the Dodgers the following year. He debuted in the major leagues on September 22, 1978, for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was awarded the title of Most Valuable Player in 1981. His Dodger year of 1982 was his best: he had 32 home runs, 100 RBIs, and a .304 batting average. He played for the Dodgers for eleven of the sixteen seasons of his career. He played for five seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was then traded to the Cardinals on August 16, 1988, and signed as a free agent with them on January 7, 1992, playing his final game on October 4, 1992. He had career
totals of 267 doubles, 215 home runs, and 898 RBIs, and an overall .300 batting average.

  1980

  Rafael “Rafelin” Ramírez

  Rafael Emilio Peguero Ramírez was born on February 18, 1958, in Angelina. He was signed to the Atlanta Braves by Pedro González in September 1976. Primarily a shortstop, he debuted in the major leagues on August 4, 1980, for the Atlanta Braves. He played a total of thirteen seasons in the major leagues: eight seasons with the Braves and five with the Houston Astros. He played his final game on October 3, 1992. He hit 224 doubles, stole 112 bases, and had 484 RBIs.

  1981

  George Bell

  George Antonio Bell was born on October 21, 1959, in Santa Fe. The Philadelphia Phillies signed him on March 7, 1978. He played outfield, left field, right field, third base, and second base, and was a designated hitter. He debuted in the major leagues on April 9, 1981, for the Toronto Blue Jays, and played his final game on October 2, 1993, for the Chicago White Sox. He played nine seasons with the Blue Jays, one with the Chicago Cubs, and two with the White Sox. During those twelve seasons he had a batting average of .278, hit 265 home runs and 308 doubles, and had 1,002 RBIs. In 1987, while on the Blue Jays, he became the first Dominican to be named Most Valuable Player in the league. He was also the first player in the major leagues to hit three home runs on an opening day.