From Nemesio to Moncada: Major League Baseball and the Development of a Baseball Identity in Latin America

Abstract

Baseball is one of the most popular sports in the world, and it has grown to be the most popular sport in a number of Latin American countries. However, that was not always the case. Through this paper, I am doing a study of the growth of baseball in Latin American countries such as the Dominican Republic, Vene-zuela, Cuba and others. Due to the abundance of talent in the region, Major League Baseball has established training facilities and a definitive scouting pres-ence in Latin American countries. I trace the development of baseball through the present day. Through research as well as interviews with knowledgeable sources, this article will give a modern day working approach to studying base-ball players in and from the region.