Santo Domingo.- In an afternoon filled with emotions and respect, the Leones del Escogido paid a well-deserved tribute to the Cooperstown immortal and glory of Dominican sports, Don Juan Marichal, in an act held this Saturday at the Quisqueya Juan Marichal Stadium, prior to the match against the Águilas Cibaeñas.
The recognition is part of the dedication of the 2025-2026 season of Dominican fall-winter baseball to the legendary pitcher, considered the greatest pitcher that the Dominican Republic has produced.
The ceremony was led by the president of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (LIDOM), Vitelio Mejía Ortiz, and the main executives of the Leones del Escogido, José Miguel Bonetti and Eduardo Najri, who highlighted the legacy, trajectory, and impact that Marichal has had both on and off the field.
“Don Juan Marichal is synonymous with excellence, discipline, dignity, and national pride. This season is dedicated to a true symbol of the best that Dominican baseball can represent to the world,” Mejía expressed in his central words of the act.
The tribute takes place at a special moment for LIDOM, which with this dedication seeks to highlight the historical figures who have elevated the name of the Dominican Republic in international sports.
Both Bonetti and Najri highlighted that “El Escogido, as a capital team that also represents the history of national baseball, is honored to recognize a figure of the stature of Don Juan Marichal.”
The act concluded with Marichal making a symbolic first pitch, received by the chosen captain Jimmy Paredes, representing the bridge between the greatness of the past and the promising future of Dominican baseball.
With this recognition, the 2025-2026 season continues to consolidate its commitment to the identity, legacy, and history of one of the sports most beloved by the Dominican people.
During the ceremony, the Lions presented a recognition jersey signed by the Escogido players to the former pitcher, highlighting his immense contribution to the development of professional baseball and his constant promotion of the values of the sport. The audience, standing, gave a standing ovation to the “Monster of Laguna Verde”, who thanked the gesture visibly moved.
“I feel honored, excited, and deeply grateful for this distinction. This league, this stadium, and this country have always been in my heart. Seeing that after so many years our work is still recognized is a blessing,” said Marichal to the media and fans present.
The event also included a moving video summary of his career, projected on the stadium’s giant screen, with images of his glorious days with the San Francisco Giants, the team with which he shone in the Major Leagues, and his contributions to Dominican baseball after his retirement.
Marichal, the first Dominican to enter the Cooperstown Hall of Fame in 1983, was the first Latin pitcher to achieve that honor. His legacy includes 243 victories in the Major Leagues, a no-hitter, multiple All-Star Game appearances, and a pitching style that marked an era.
