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Friday, July 18, 2008
Curacao a Hotbed for American Baseball
A Dutch colony for 300 years before gaining independence as part of the Netherlands Antilles in 1954, Curacao still has close links to Holland. While many islanders feel strong ties to the U.S., American influences are not as pervasive on Curacao as on other Caribbean islands, especially those where English is the native language.
But when it comes to sports, Curacao is firmly in the U.S. camp. While soccer is very popular, baseball diamonds filled with kids are as numerous as in nearby Venezuela and other Caribbean hotbeds of the sport like Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
In recent years, several top Curacao prospects have signed with Major League teams in the States, a trend that has grown since Andruw Jones played for the Atlanta Braves starting in the 1990s.
Jones was traded over the winter to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but now a hot new Braves pitcher from Curacao, Jair Jurrjens, is pitching well for the Atlanta team and stoking the baseball dreams of youngsters across the island.
“We’re all really excited about Jair and baseball,” said Junius Isenia, a tailor and clothing designer in Willemstad, the island’s capital. “He’s showing a kid from the islands can get the job done.”
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