San Pedro de Macorís
Encyclopedia
San Pedro de Macorís is a municipality
Municipalities of the Dominican Republic
The provinces of the Dominican Republic are divided into two or more municipalities with the exception of the Distrito Nacional which consist of only one municipality Santo Domingo...

 (municipio
Municipio
Municipio and Município are terms used for country subdivisions. They are often translated as municipality.-Overview:...

) and the capital of the San Pedro de Macorís province in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

.

Demographics

As of the 2002 census the municipality had 217,141 inhabitants, 193,713 living in the city itself and 23,428 in its rural district
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...

s (Secciones).

For comparison with other municipalities and municipal districts, see the list of municipalities and municipal districts of the Dominican Republic.

History

San Pedro de Macoris was founded in the late 19th century by Cubans
Cubans
Cubans or Cuban people are the inhabitants or citizens of Cuba. Cuba is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...

 who were fleeing their country's War of Independence. They brought their extensive sugar cane farming knowledge and contributed to making the sugar industry the most important economic activity in the area. San Pedro de Macorís reached its peak during the first quarter of the 20th century, when its sugar production enjoyed high prices on the international market as a result of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

. Many Europeans
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 settled here, making it a very cosmopolitan urban center. Pan American
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...

 flew its seaplanes in regularly (Eastern Macorís has the privilege of being the first Dominican city to receive seaplanes, in its Higuamo River), at a time when this port enjoyed more commercial activity than the capital city of Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...

.

San Pedro de Macorís pioneered many areas such as the first firefighting corps, the first national baseball championship, the first town to have telephone and telegraph centers, the first racetrack and the first boxing coliseum, among others. The first sugar factory was founded by Juan Amechazurra, milling for the first time on January 9, 1879.

By 1894 there were many factories in the province that reached a high level of progress. The rapid industrial development placed the young city among the main ones of the Republic.

The intellectual culture surged at the same pace with schools and the press; among the first newspapers were "Las Novedades," "Boletín," "La Locomotora" and "El Cable."

Culture

Some of the distinguished poets from San Pedro de Macorís include René del Risco, Pedro Mir
Pedro Mir
Pedro Julio Mir Valentín was a Dominican poet and writer, named Poet Laureate of the Dominican Republic by Congress in 1984, and a member of the generation of "Independent poets of the 1940s" in Dominican poetry.His father, a Cuban mechanical engineer, migrated from Cuba to the Dominican Republic...

, who held the title of National Poet; Esterbina Matos, Ludín Lugo, Juan Brayan and Mateo Robinson, among others.

In regards to drinks, Macorís produces the "Guavaberry", a drink based on the araijan fruit, which is consumed during Christmas and has a sweet taste, not unlike a wine. It is frequently consumed in rum as an infusion. Although the species grew in Hispaniola already its use was introduced and spread by immigrants from the Eastern Caribbean where colonists had discovered it as a substitute for myrtleberry
Myrtaceae
The Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...

-infused schnapps.

Name

The name San Pedro came before that of Macorís. There are three versions regarding the origin of the name: the first attributes it to the fact that there is a San Pedro Beach in the city port; the second sees it as a tribute to General Pedro Santana, who was President at the time; and the third simply said it was in order to distinguish it from San Francisco de Macorís, a city in the north.

San Pedro de Macorís has been poetically referred to as "Macorís of the Sea", "The Sultan of the East" and many call it the "Capital of the East".

Sports

The city is home to the Estrellas Orientales
Estrellas Orientales
Estrellas Orientales is a baseball team in the Dominican Winter League. Based in San Pedro de Macorís, the team has historically struggled, winning championships only in 1954 and 1968.-Retired numbers:-Trivia:...

 in the Dominican Winter Baseball League, who play at the Estadio Tetelo Vargas
Estadio Tetelo Vargas
Estadio Tetelo Vargas is a multi-use stadium in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic. It is currently used mostly for baseball matches and hosts the home games of Estrellas Orientales. The stadium holds 8,000 people....

.

San Pedro de Macoris is well-known as the birthplace of a disproportionate number of professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 players. According to Baseball-Reference
Baseball-Reference
Baseball-Reference.com is a website providing statistics for every player in Major League Baseball history. The site is often used by major media organizations and baseball broadcasters as a source for statistics.-History:...

, 76 players in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 history were born in San Pedro de Macoris.http://www.baseball-reference.com/bio/D-R-_born_place.shtml The city is often referred to as "The Cradle of Shortstops."

When immigrants were brought in as contract labor for sugar plantations from the Eastern Caribbean they brought the sport of cricket. They formed teams and played against each other. The ownership and management of many of the sugar estates was American. The cricket teams were offered money by their players plantation managers to switch sports and they did. Native Dominicans picked up the game watching teams composed of Eastern Caribbeans.
Players from the city with at least 400 games played or 250 innings pitched in the Major Leagues include:

  • Manny Alexander
    Manny Alexander
    Manuel De Jesús Alexander is a professional baseball infielder who currently plays for the Philadelphia Phillies Of Major League Baseball. He has played for the Baltimore Orioles , New York Mets , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox , Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres...

  • Joaquín Andújar
    Joaquín Andújar
    Joaquín Andújar is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who became one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball while playing with the St. Louis Cardinals in the mid-80s.-Early years:...

  • George Bell
  • Daniel Cabrera
    Daniel Cabrera
    Daniel Alberto Cabrera Cruz is a Major League Baseballright-handed starting pitcher who is currently a free agent. He is one of the taller pitchers in the league, standing at 6' 9" and 270 lb....

  • Robinson Canó
    Robinson Canó
    Robinson José Canó Mercedes is a Dominican baseball player who currently plays as a second baseman for the New York Yankees.-Family and early life:...

  • Héctor Carrasco
    Héctor Carrasco
    Héctor Pacheco Pipo Carrasco is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher...

  • Rico Carty
    Rico Carty
    Ricardo Adolfo Jacobo Carty is a former professional baseball player. Nicknamed Beeg Boy, he played mostly as an outfielder in Major League Baseball from to...

  • Luis Castillo
  • Jesús Colomé
    Jesús Colomé
    Jesús Colomé de la Cruz is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher with the Colorado Rockies organization.-Oakland Athletics:...

  • Johnny Cueto
    Johnny Cueto
    Johnny Brent Cueto [KWAY-toe] is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds.-Minor league career:...


  • Mariano Duncan
    Mariano Duncan
    Mariano Duncan Nalasco is a retired second baseman and shortstop who played for several Major League Baseball teams during his 12 year career. He was the infield coach and 1st base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers under Managers Grady Little and Joe Torre...

  • Tony Fernández
    Tony Fernández
    Octavio Antonio Fernández Castro , better known as Tony Fernández, is a former Major League Baseball player most noted for his defensive skills setting a record for shortstops with a .992 fielding percentage in 1989.-Career:...

  • Pepe Frias
    Pepe Frias
    Jesús María "Pepe" Frías Andújar is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played from 1973-1981.-External links:...

  • Pedro González
    Pedro González (baseball)
    Pedro González Olivares is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. In 407 career games with the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians , he had 264 hits with a batting average of .244.-External links:...

  • Pedro Guerrero
  • José Jiménez
  • Manny Jiménez
    Manny Jiménez
    Manuel Emilio Jiménez Rivera is a former Major League Baseball left fielder. He played for the Kansas City Athletics...

  • Manuel Lee
    Manuel Lee
    Manuel Lora Lee is a former shortstop and second baseman for Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays , Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals...

  • Josias Manzanillo
    Josias Manzanillo
    Josías Manzanillo Adams is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in the major leagues from -. He is the 17th of 18 children....

  • Guillermo Mota
    Guillermo Mota
    Guillermo Reynoso Mota is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He stands tall and weighs . He throws and bats right-handed. Mota has played for the Montreal Expos, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Florida Marlins, the Cleveland Indians, the New York Mets, the Milwaukee Brewers and the San...


  • José Offerman
    José Offerman
    José Antonio Offerman Dono is a former professional baseball player who played professional baseball for nearly 20 years...

  • Rafael Ramírez
    Rafael Ramírez (baseball)
    Rafael Emilio Ramírez Peguero , is a former professional baseball player who played in the major leagues primarily as a shortstop from 1980-1992...

  • Ben Rivera
    Ben Rivera
    Bienvenido "Ben" Rivera Santana is a retired professional baseball pitcher. He played three seasons in Major League Baseball from - for the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves. He was a member of the 1993 National League Champion Phillies...

  • Juan Samuel
    Juan Samuel
    Juan Milton Samuel is a retired second baseman who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Philadelphia Phillies , New York Mets , Los Angeles Dodgers , Kansas City Royals , Cincinnati Reds , Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays...

  • Julio Santana
    Julio Santana
    Julio Franklin Santana is a relief pitcher who played most recently in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies.-External links:...

  • Alfonso Soriano
    Alfonso Soriano
    Alfonso Guilleard Soriano is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Chicago Cubs....

  • Sammy Sosa
    Sammy Sosa
    Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....

  • Fernando Tatis
    Fernando Tatis
    Fernando Tatís, Jr. is a Major League Baseball utility player, who is currently a free agent. He previously played for the Texas Rangers , St. Louis Cardinals , Montreal Expos , Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets...

  • Salomón Torres
    Salomón Torres
    Salomón Torres Ramirez is a former Major League Baseball player. He began his career in with the San Francisco Giants, and also played for the Seattle Mariners, Montreal Expos, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Milwaukee Brewers.-San Francisco Giants:Torres is best known for starting the last game of the...

  • José Valverde
    José Valverde
    José Rafael Valverde is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. His nickname is Papa Grande...

  • Junior Lake
    Junior Lake
    Junior Lake is a lake located on Vancouver Island north of Great Central Lake, north east of Oshinow Lake....



External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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