Endless Vacation...

The Boys of Winter

Baseball writer Tom Boswell once wrote a popular book, How Time Begins on Opening Day. For many baseball fans, it does. Baseball lovers tend to hibernate after the World Series and don't come out again until spring training starts in Florida and Arizona.

It doesn't have to be that way. Winter baseball in the Caribbean-especially in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico-offers the perfect fix for baseball fans. It's a pleasant way to survive until spring training; the winter season runs from October through February. And although it's our national pastime, 'el beisbol' is a passion on many of the islands, too.

Nowhere is Caribbean baseball bigger than in the Dominican Republic. There are now more Dominican players in the minor and major leagues than are supplied by any other Caribbean or Latin American country-as well as any single state in the United States. One town, San Pedro de Macoris, is called the "Shortstop Connection. " Big-time Dominican exports have included Juan Marichal, the Alou brothers, Cesar Cedeno and Manny Mota.

The Dominican Republic is the winter home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays, too; many other U. S. teams hold tryouts there for talented youngsters. The league is well organized, and its fans are knowledgeable. Baseball vacationers from the United States may think they're at Fenway Park-until the lineups are announced in Spanish.

The press coverage of Dominican baseball is extensive, and it's quite easy to find a game. Tickets are inexpensive and can usually be purchased at the stadium on the day of the game. Dominican stadiums vary in size and style, but most are comparable to minor league ballparks in the United States.

The Dominican League currently has five teams, with two based in Santo Domingo and one each in La Romana, San Pedro de Macoris, and Santiago. The best locale for baseball and sun is in or around Santo Domingo, as there are many direct flights into the city from the United States.

The Caribbean leagues feature as many talented players as do the U. S. ones. More than 80 percent of the players are under contract to a U.S. major-league team and are either natives wintering at home or stateside pros refining their moves.

Puerto Rico is next in line for fans in search of preseason baseball. Its league is a popular home for players from the United States, as well as for island natives.

The land that gave us Roberto Clemente is a perfect place for catching the action of both next season's sluggers and many current Puerto Rican pros.

Six teams participate in the winter leagues: the San Juan Metros, Santurce Cangreueros, Caguas, Ponce, Arecibo and Mayguez. San Juan is the home plate for Puerto Rico's field of play. Two of the country's popular teams, the San Juan Metros and the Santurce Cangreueros, are based in the city.

As in the Dominican Republic, baseball coverage is excellent in Puerto Rican newspapers and games are easy to find and attend. Any of the country's ballparks is a great place for a cold beer and some hot roasted peanuts to accompany a hotly contested game of 'el beisbol'.

Caribbean baseball is the perfect answer to that long lull between the October classic and the rites of spring. Getting to the Dominican Republic or to Puerto Rico for a little sun and lots of baseball is a dream vacation for any baseball lover.

TRAVELER'S ADVISORY

The best contacts for information about Caribbean baseball are the tourism offices:

Dominican Republic Tourist Information Center, 485 Madison Ave. , New York, NY  10022; (212) 826-0750.

Puerto Rico Tourism Company, 575 Fifth Ave. , 23rd Floor, New York, NY  10017; (212) 599-6262.

Other areas south of the border also have organized winter leagues. The best bets are Mexico and Venezuela:

Mexico Government Tourism Office, 405 Park Ave., Suite 1002, New York, NY  10022;  (800) 262-8900.

Viasa Airways (Venezuela's national airline), 1101 Brickell Ave., Office Tower 600, Miami, FL  33131;  (800) 327-5454.