Basketball History in Dominican Republic

Although the arrival of basketball to the Dominican Republic was erroneously attributed to American Marines who took the country in 1916, the fact is that Dr. Cocco Pastoriza Salvador was the first national figure who practiced organized basketball and who introduced him to the country. 

Born in 1892 (shortly after James Naismith invented the game) young Cocco Pastoriza went to study in the United States. Since high school, he enrolled at the University of Maryland. There, he was part of the team "varsity" and even became captain of the whole. 

Whenever Salvador returned to the country in the holiday period came with its own useful playing basketball. Among these, non pierced hoop who helped him train in the country. 

Cocco Pastoriza Since 1911 began to teach the game to their friends and some Puerto Plata Santiago to visit occasionally. 

Petromacorisano A version of historian Adolfo Piris Miguel Mendoza pointing in the first basketball game was held in San Pedro de Macoris in 1914 and acted in that historic meeting young Americans who came from colleges, Puerto Rico and elsewhere, which is not doubt that this town was a great potential in the economy and maritime movement, as discussed below. But we insist that we understand much more accurate version of Cocco Pastoriza because we provide data, documents and situations that we understand real. 

Organized teams were named Azules and Colorados, composed of the cream of the native youth and resident Santiago de los Caballeros. 

Society gave the sporting event monitoring. This essay first championship organized in the Dominican Republic was treated. 

Was the great day of the historic meeting, according to Don narrated santiaguense tutors and youth, motivated by the novelty of the game, for the dance that day, and because the press will had given great importance, packed the hall Gym Recreation Center to watch the game that had been set for eight p.m. defenses.; 

Front Homero Garcia and Andres Brugal -Chito- (captain, to boot), and the center Teodoro Gómez(captain).; 

Federico Valverde center, and front Nicolas Vega and Miguel Vega. 

The meeting was dominated by the Blues, with a closed marker with very low score.