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100 Years of Caribbean Baseball in Black & White
- A photo essay
More than half a century before Jackie Robinson was signed to play professional baseball by Branch Rickey in 1945, blacks, whites and of course, Latinos, were playing high-quality professional baseball in the Caribbean. The Puerto Rican baseball organization was a major economic force in the region, offering as much as eight dollars a week to its players at the turn of the century. Over the years, some of the best players in the world, of all colors and nationalities, have played in the Caribbean leagues: for the whites, to keep sharp; and for the blacks, because the Caribbean offered an economic opportunity.
Many people have not had an introduction to this colorful history which we proudly present, that of Caribbean Baseball and a bygone era in the glorious history of baseball. Our presentation of "100 Years of Caribbean Baseball: in black and white" is meant to educate and entertain, to open the eyes of many, to inspire others, and for Latinos, it is meant to fill them with pride... as they learn of our rich history.
This exhibit will first be presented in Puerto Rico during the Caribbean World Series and will visit key U.S. Hispanic markets during 1999. We wish to thank our sponsors, especially AXA/Equitable, for their support in helping King Paniagua develop this important vision of our shared cultural
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