WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — As soon as inside Peligro Sports activities, one factor above all else is obvious: in the event you ever want a baseball cap, jersey or a T-shirt for one of many six groups in La Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana, the Dominican winter baseball league (or LIDOM, as it’s recognized), that is the place to be.
And that’s uncommon.
On the subject of LIDOM gear, whether or not you’re a diehard fan born and raised within the Dominican Republic, a part of the Dominican-American diaspora in the USA, married right into a Dominican household or only a collector who can by no means have sufficient baseball caps, discovering merchandise, particularly the caps, is approach tougher than it must be.
Choices for merchandise are restricted. You may go to a dwell recreation and verify the stadium shops or attempt your luck at a Dominican mall. You may go to the official LIDOM web site, but it surely typically sells out. Or, simply barely much less enjoyable than a visit to the Dominican Republic, you may go to Peligro Sports activities, a baseball merchandise mecca centered round LIDOM, MLB, the World Baseball Traditional and Latino pleasure. (Can’t make it to Washington Heights? Peligro can also be on Amazon and eBay).
LIDOM hits full swing within the late fall and winter, nestled between the ultimate out of the World Sequence and pitchers and catchers reporting for MLB spring coaching. The league’s six groups — Tigres del Licey, Estrellas Orientales, Leones del Escogido, Toros del Este, Gigantes de Cibao and Águilas Cibaeñas — jockey for the highest 4 positions within the standings to qualify for the spherical robin match that determines a champion every season. That champion then represents the Dominican Republic within the Caribbean World Sequence. A number of generations of Dominican baseball gamers have performed in LIDOM through the years at first and ends of their professional baseball careers from Miguel Tejada (Águilas) to Elly De La Cruz (Licey).
Earlier than opening Peligro’s doorways, a show window greets prospects with two mannequins decked out within the full uniforms of Dominican baseball titans Águilas and Licey, the island nation’s two hottest groups and LIDOM’s most intense rivalry. It’s Santo Domingo vs. Santiago. A conflict of blue and gold with a wealth of titles between the 2. Suppose New York Yankees vs. Boston Purple Sox or San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, after which sprinkle quite a lot of sazón on it. Licey is the present LIDOM champion, having received back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024 and has (for now) surpassed Águilas for many in LIDOM historical past with 24 to Águilas’s 22.
The mannequins communicate with out saying a phrase. At Peligro Sports activities, se habla LIDOM.
Jose Mateo, the proprietor of the store, arrived in Washington Heights from his hometown of La Vega, Dominican Republic in 1989, bringing with him his love of Dominican winter baseball. He began his first enterprise in 1991, a semi-prelude to Peligro Sports activities known as Peligro Sandwiches. The highest draw was the “chimi,” a toasted Dominican specialty, however there have been additionally arcade video games to be performed and baseball playing cards to be purchased and traded. A neighborhood highschool baseball star and fellow Dominican named Manny Ramirez was a daily buyer and now a long-time buddy of Mateo’s (a signed and framed Ramirez jersey hangs in his workplace). When the report store subsequent to Mateo’ sandwich enterprise went up on the market, he purchased it with the intent of turning it right into a sporting items retailer.
Between 2009 and 2010, after years of renovation and funding, Peligro Sports activities was born, providing a mixture of LIDOM caps, jerseys and different memorabilia, baseball bats and gloves, sneakers, and WBC merchandise. That fireplace, sky blue Mexico fitted from the WBC? Peligro’s received it.
Mateo remembers the pre-internet days of the early ‘90s when Dominicans in New York needed to go to extremes for LIDOM recreation recaps and field scores. Some would await days after a recreation till Dominican newspapers had been delivered to New York. Others, who couldn’t wait that lengthy, would buy telephone playing cards to make long-distance calls to kinfolk within the Dominican Republic who might give them dwell updates of video games over the telephone.
Ardour for LIDOM baseball in New York was plain each then and now, giving Peligro an ongoing function in Washington Heights’ vibrant Dominican group.
“(Peligro Sports activities) occurred with a bit little bit of enterprise imaginative and prescient,” Mateo stated in Spanish. “I noticed (Dominican followers in New York) had wants for (LIDOM) merchandise as a result of nobody else had them anyplace, and the Dominican group (in Washington Heights) was rising. Folks would ask the place they may get this (hat) and that (T-shirt). Extra than simply me being a fan of Dominican baseball, I noticed as a lot as I like (LIDOM merchandise) different individuals can prefer it too.”
Mateo is a LIDOM encyclopedia for anybody who enters Peligro Sports activities with questions on the league’s merchandise. And never simply because LIDOM can also be a household affair for him. His cousin, Wellington Cepeda, is the supervisor of Gigantes de Cibao, the final crew to win a LIDOM title earlier than Licey’s present reign.
Mateo factors out that LIDOM’s baseball cap state of affairs is exclusive. If you wish to put on the identical caps that the gamers put on on the sector (a standard need for any baseball fan), you’ve received to concentrate. New Period, the official maker of each MLB crew’s caps, is the present producer for 4 of LIDOM’s six groups: Gigantes, Toros, Estrellas and Águilas.
San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. might be seen in earlier LIDOM seasons sporting an Estrellas uniform alongside his father, former St. Louis Cardinal Fernando Tatis Sr., who manages the crew. One other former Cardinal and Puerto Rico World Baseball Traditional crew supervisor Yadier Molina (just lately named LIDOM supervisor of the 12 months by the Santo Domingo Sportswriters Affiliation), now wears the black and yellow cap of Águilas. That star energy mixed with New Period’s model recognition because the official cap of the grandes ligas is a strong mixture for followers when contemplating a purchase order.
“What individuals like most are the New Period caps,” Mateo stated. “They’ve received más move.”
Licey and Escogido have their hats manufactured by a Dominican firm known as 4Fans, and with Licey successful consecutive championships and Escogido managed by Albert Pujols that native model is getting a lift.
“It might be 4Fans, it might be one other firm, (LIDOM) followers are nonetheless going to get it,” Mateo stated. “There was a time when each crew (in LIDOM) used New Period for his or her caps. However similar to right here in the USA, typically sports activities groups (within the Dominican Republic) change the businesses that make their uniforms. Escogido and Licey haven’t used New Period for years, however I really feel they’ll return to New Period quickly.”
Maintaining with the enterprise logistics of LIDOM’s cap manufacturing generally is a difficult dance at instances. Typically Mateo has ordered immediately from LIDOM. Different instances New Period. 4Fans being within the combine means he’ll all the time need to make multiple name if he needs each LIDOM cap in inventory at Peligro Sports activities.
Ordering LIDOM jerseys is equally complicated, in keeping with Mateo. Mexican firm Arrieta makes the jerseys for Estrellas, Águilas and Gigantes. Escogido’s jerseys are manufactured by Wilson. Licey has jerseys manufactured by Wilson and Arrieta. Mateo hasn’t bothered making an attempt to promote Toros jerseys as a result of the crew doesn’t have a lot of a following in New York, however you will get Toros caps at Peligro.
The preferred LIDOM jerseys at Peligro Sports activities? Águilas. Which Mateo attributes to the crew’s historical past of success and lots of of Washington Heights’ Dominican residents hailing from El Cibao, the place Águilas fandom is commonplace.
One jersey that would quickly be a greatest vendor for Peligro is that of Juan Soto — however not simply his New York Mets jersey. Soto has reportedly requested the Mets if he might play for Licey sooner or later. If that occurs, Mateo might see lots of the Soto followers who purchased Yankee caps at Peligro Sports activities when Soto was traded to the Bronx returning for Soto Licey jerseys, given his recognition in New York’s Dominican group. Mateo stated lots of the Soto followers who purchased Yankee caps have already returned to buy Mets caps.
Peligro Sports activities permits its prospects to personalize bought jerseys with names and numbers on the again, though Mateo factors out that no LIDOM crew places participant final names on the again of its jerseys (that’s prime actual property for promoting). If a buyer needed a Licey jersey with “Soto” on the again they may request it for as easy a purpose as their very own final title being Soto. However Mateo is holding off on proactively making any Juan Soto merchandise for now.
“Supposedly, Soto may play 5 or 10 video games (for Licey),” Mateo stated. “Out of respect I received’t make a Soto jersey till a deal is completed. Not all cash is welcome cash. However from the second I can (legally), I’ll. I don’t wish to break the nice relationships I’ve constructed with LIDOM. (A Soto Licey jersey) can be an amazing influence for the league and for me as a businessman. Soto is in his second proper now. Many (famous person) Dominican gamers play in LIDOM when their careers are coming to an finish. It could be unimaginable if it might occur.”
¡Una familia de GANADORES… Una familia de CAMPEONES! @JuanSoto25_ 💙 #LiceyFamily 👑 pic.twitter.com/dNBOq8fOKK
— Tigres del Licey (@TigresdelLicey) January 8, 2025
Mateo has been in Washington Heights for over three many years and promoting LIDOM merchandise greater than half of that point. From the titans to the contenders and pretenders, he says LIDOM continues to be good enterprise for him due to the fervour he believes the Dominican Republic will all the time have for baseball and the pleasure these baseball followers share of their nation.
“It’s a method to establish the place you’re from,” Mateo stated. “Latinos, much more so the youth, like to say ‘I’m Dominican,’ ‘I’m Puerto Rican.’ Every individual needs to characterize their nation. The Dominican league is so sturdy in recognition, the individuals really feel it of their soul. Folks wish to present the place they’re from and the place their allegiances are.”
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(All photographs: David Betancourt)