European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 20, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday february 20. 1990 the stars and stripes Page 25 intensity doctors dominican Ball by Fred Bayles a National writer san Pedro de Marjoris. Dominican Republic the irresistible logic or 10-year-old Jose Manuel ends the debate among the boys hanging out at Estudio to Teclo Varga san Pedro s baseball stadium. The noisy discussion was prompted by Anortha Mancano s question which is More important school or baseball As the stadium s corrugated roof platters in the late afternoon Breeze most of the youngsters shout Pelota Ball in Spanish. But Jose has a better answer. School is important because there you learn to  he says. Then when it comes time to sign with a team. I can write my  to understand that this painfully Skinny Barefoot kid sees the inevitability of baseball in his future is to offer some explanation of the baseball madness that pervades everyday life in this poor Caribbean country. Everywhere there arc signs of the National obsession boys play with Sticks and homemade balls in Santo Domingo s Barrios teen agers execute flawless Dou ble plays on sugar Mill diamonds groomed by wandering cows the Countryside is dotted with baseball academics where Young men spend Days in dodgers. Astros and Blue jays Mufti learning curve balls and English their nights in Barracks dreaming of the big league. Other countries May have lots of sports but Here there is Only one pc Lola. The Only thing we know How to do is play  says Juan Samuel of the los Angeles dodgers who grew up on a dirt Street near san Pedro s stadium. The kids in the states can go to school and have a Nice life. Here baseball is your Only  there is reason for Jose to believe in that Chance at Al Grande Carpa the big show. Seventy seven dominicans were in the majors last year at least 18 from this sugar Mill City stars like Samuel. George Bell. Alfredo Griffin and Tony Fernandez. Such players arc National heroes. Dodger Veteran Manny Mota. A senior statesman of dominican Ball is called by reporters to comment on per Stroika. He grills presidential candidates on their sports backgrounds during his weekly television show. They arc nervous not  he says with a laugh. But the intensity of baseball so appreciated Here is sometimes considered strange in the states. Joaquin Andujar ejected from a 1985 world series game for charging an Umpire was said to have later demolished a clubhouse toilet with a Bat. Bell the 1987 american league map. Staged an Outfield sit in when demoted to designated Hitler. Pascual Perez who missed a pitching Start by gelling lost on he Way to Atlanta s stadium threw a Ball into the cubs dugout last year after he was hit by a line drive. Thai s  said Montreal manager Buck Rodgers. Never a Dull  we All want to  says Mariano Duncan a former dodger now with Cincinnati. We take baseball seriously. Here we Lake it deep  Here baseball is More than a sport. Itis a socioeconomic Force that resounds throughout the Island. The Bolas an strikes Are familiar to Nort americanos. But much of what happens on and off Field is part of a unique culture. It s definitely different Down  says Greg Biagini. Manager of the Ori Oles Rochester club who skippered the san Pedro Estrellas in this year s Domin ican Winter league. On opening night. I killed a cow on my Way  Biagini notes the season record is two cows to non pauses. At least that s this team s  he says As clarification. Dominican mystique if a City the size of Muncie ind., abysmal playing conditions arc said to produce Slick Fielding dominican or Icaria cars. These our Sam practice in Santo Domingo. Began producing a steady Stream of Star infield cars. You d expect a mob of scouts to Rush town Square. That s what has happened in san Pedro and in the country itself. Dozens of scouts including some from Japan Range the Island for Talent. Before just a few clubs had scouts. Now everyone is looking says Manny Lantigua a san Diego padres  you have to look  theories arc Many to explain Why baseball introduced Here by occupying . Forces Early in the Century is better in the dominican. Among them genetics. The Wisdom is dominicans arc smaller Tirier quicker a Natu ral Edge for infield cars. The truth is dominicans like every nationality come in All sizes from 6-foot-2 Gilberto eyes a Montreal Catcher to Pittsburgh infield or Rafael billiard a 5-foot-6 vet eran with slightly Oriental features. I m chinese he claims further con fusing the Issue. Because a Glove and Bat Cost an average month s wages kids use tree Branch bats gloves fashioned from milk Cartons balls of stuffed socks and occasionally limes. The Field May be a Street or an ill kept Diamond. These disadvantages the Wisdom goes build skill and character. If you can play shortstop on our Field you deserve to be in the big leagues Biagini said. The Ball takes hops that Are  another Wisdom says dominicans Excel because they play All the time. Her baseball weather reigns year round. The sugar Mills that provide employment and social Structure also provide equipment and Fields. There arc Little leagues sugar leagues factory leagues even police  the sugar Mills have some pro Gram to keep the people doing something in the dead times says Ralph Avila. Head of the dodgers latin american program. The Only thing they can do is go to the Field and play  is also the matter of dominican spirit. They Don t quit. They Don t give up if things Are going bad save Karl Kuehl. Director of player development at Oakland. But while dominicans May be out standing athletes . Clubs find them lacking in the area of baseball strategy and tactics. They can run. Throw and hit their natural skills Are great. Bui their knowl Edge of Structure in t Worth a  Kuehl said. That is who Oakland is joining  of . Clubs with training facilities Here to prepare dominicans for big league Ball. Among them is Las Palmas. The dodgers 50-acre Academy a kind of sports prep school with Barracks for 40. Satellite dishes computers videotaped instruction a Manns Mota Field and a Tommy Lasorda dining room. Here recruits Are fed in Quality and Quantity Ahmic Island standards. They act my Sicul treatment lessons in English. Spanish and american culture. One classroom has a blackboard lesson on placing a Telephone Call and posters showing the Best place statistically to swing in the strike one. Understandably. Las Palmas is As sought alter As Harvard. More than9.000 have tried out there some Are invited some walked Miles to plead their Case at the Gate. Most of those accepted Are released after 30 Days. Many times the parents will come to the Gate and beg us to take their son  Avila said. Tough enough Tough and neat Are words that pop up often in George Bell s Conversa Tion. It was Tough growing up in a five Roo House with four siblings in Santa be one of the sugar Mill towns that ring san Pedro. It was neat playing baseball with homemade equipment at age 5. It was Lough playing with older kids who whacked him for missing a play but it was neat trying to be the Best. It was Tough at age 17, to break into . Ball at Helena mont., a place he Only knew of from comic Book westerns. All of a sudden i was there looking for gunfight cars he says. It was  not All neat. Bell remembers living on convenience store Candy because he could t speak English. I did t know what to  he says. I would have Money in my pocket and i would be hungry but i did t know what to  of that has changed. English Les sons Are now part of the daily regimen. When i started language was a big  says Manny Ada. An outfielder with the astros Columbus. Cia., minor league club. If of did t understand Acoach he did t ii he does t speak English he said this Guy is stupid now every Rookie team has a Spanish speaker and they pay for English  hell sees this As an improvement but wonders about the american i action of dominican Ball. He sees computers and video tapes taking something from the  coaches and instructors Are try ing to do everything in High tech. But computer is not going to  lie save. Baseball is a different Sporl. You Plav on  s observations came on a sunny sunday in the Vard of his Home As passersby on the Busy san Pedro Street waved and shouted  the Bell manse includes several buildings a satellite dish and a Pond stocked with wooden ducks. The Bridge Over the Pond is dusted with the Fine sugar Mill grit thai covers every thing  the Street past an empty lot where pigs Root garbage piles is Andu Jar s Home and construction company thai employs 200 people. Alfredo grif Fin s Home is next  the players Are immensely popular. Andujar is known to approach Young a Lavers distribute equipment and give a half hour of instruction. Bell is a favorite among the local kids for doing similar kindnesses. He and Griffin also Dis lib ule food and fund  shrugs this off. La is Bellcar when people Don l know he  All dominican players Are Success stories. Many never make it beyond the farm clubs. One of Bell s Broth cars drives new York taxi Samuel s brother works in a new Jersey  percent of the kids who gel released slay in the  Samuel said. A lot gel into drugs. Your friends there will get you in  risk of failure in the land of the Nort americanos can l Blunt the dreams of riches and baseball glory in Youn players like Franklin Lorenzo an 18 year old Catcher from Haina who comes to the United Stales this year to play in the dodgers  looks bored when asked about the uncertainties he faces. I Don l worry he said. I know How to play