The Pitcher and the Dictator by Averell "Ace" Smith

Author:Averell "Ace" Smith [Smith, Averell Ace]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: SPO003030 Sports & Recreation / Baseball / History
ISBN: 9781496206695
Publisher: UNP - Nebraska
Published: 2018-02-06T07:00:00+00:00

Dr. Aybar took out his folded speech, which had been sitting in his pocket for nearly two weeks, and read it aloud: “We have gone to the Honorable President Trujillo and informed him of the victory of ‘Ciudad Trujillo,’ and we embraced each other in the greatest cordiality. Simultaneously we told the distinguished chief the necessity of his reelection, for the good of the homeland, for the present and for the future. We all embrace him.”22

They brought forward Trujillo’s eight-year-old son, Ramfis, or, to be exact, Colonel Rafael L. Trujillo Martínez. To wild cheers Aybar presented the colonel with the championship trophy, in appropriately florid language: “Colonel, champions already, I offer you this trophy as the highest award of the city that is honored by the august name of your distinguished father. Our city embraces you.”23

All at once the nine noticed that Paulino’s men had melted away. Mas estricto control was over and done. Nuevos rumbos was now yesterday’s news. Satchel, Cy, Schoolboy, Cool Papa, Harry, Leroy, Josh, and Sammy cut loose. It was open season on bars, hotels, fiestas, and casas de chicas. Not only was no one afraid any longer to sell them a drink; hell, they were plying them with free hard stuff quicker than they could drink it.

When the nine attained a semblance of sobriety, they were treated to a picnic at one of Trujillo’s plantations.24 Bert “Buffalo” Hunter, one of the Negro League jumpers for the Águilas, found love in the Dominican Republic during the Campeonato. He married a Dominican woman and stayed on the island, using it as a base to play in the Mexican leagues during the early 1940s.25

The very next day the little dentist held a closing press conference aimed at the American press. Aybar, whom Satchel described as “one of those fellows who never stops once he starts talking,” opined, “It is the general opinion here that all the imported players in this city are the best in the world. It is my personal opinion that if our team which won the championship met any white league team, our team would win.” 26

Then Aybar fibbed: “Money makes no difference. Baseball is spiritual in every aspect, as indulged in by the Latin races.” The little dentist finished with an oblique shot at American racism: “This is the most hospitable town in Latin America. All courtesies will be shown visitors—especially colored Americans.”27

*

The men arrived at the presidential palace on the Wednesday before the championship game. They were told to wait. Waiting meant standing, sweating, and worrying outside Trujillo’s office. Nearly half an hour had gone by when the door suddenly opened. Trujillo motioned for them to come in for a short talk about the upcoming reelection campaign.

Everyone in the room knew they hadn’t yet won the championship. What Trujillo really must have meant was “when they did, as expected, win the championship.”

The rest of the meeting was devoted to the details of the reelection campaign—things like publishing a manifesto, planning mass rallies, organizing the provinces, ensuring the blessing of the churches.

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