The influence of baseball on Panamanians can be traced back to the 1840s as well as during the construction of the Panama Canal. Some of the most prominent players in the history of baseball came from the country. Great examples are Frankie „Pee-Wee“ Austin and Pat Scantlebury.
Planting the Seeds of Baseball in Panama
Panama is a country with a rich history and culture. Its baseball roots can be found as early as the 1840s. American traders and railroad workers played this game in their spare time, influencing Panamanians. Another notable historical point that can be considered crucial to sparking the country’s interest in the sport was in the early 1900s.
More specifically, it was between 1903 and 1914 when the Panama Canal was being built. During that time, locals were influenced by American workers and their passion for baseball. Later in the 1940s, military teams and even MLB teams would train around the US-owned zone of the Canal, even further spreading the sport’s popularity.
This resulted in a big interest in a professional form of the sport. Unfortunately, at that time, Panamanians faced hardships due to their racial heritage. Fortunately, some of the more talented players went to the U.S. to hone their skills and participate in the Negro Leagues.
A few of the most notable talents from those leagues were Frankie „Pee-Wee“ Austin, Clyde Parris, Archie Braithwaite, and Leon Kellman. The most popular player is Pat Scantlebury, who had a long pitching career for the New York Cubans.
Rapidly, baseball became Panama’s national sport. Nowadays, nearly all of its citizens are interested in baseball to some degree, and it is by far the most popular sport in the country. Major League Baseball is so beloved that people would wager on the outcome of events. You can say that Panama is full of surprises as it also has a well-developed gambling scene.
With the new 2022 legislation, all forms of online gambling in Panama are legalized. This means that any Panamanian over the age of 18 who would like to place a wager on their favorite team can do it through a legal online/mobile platform, such as the ones found in the betting.us MLB betting rankings.
Founding of The Panamanian Professional Baseball League (PPBL)
The Panamanian Professional Baseball League was founded in 1946, and it attracted players from the Negro Leagues for its winter season. In 1948, the PPBL joined organized baseball, which is an outdated term for Major League Baseball, and it operated continuously until 1972.
Due to economic and political instability in the country in the 1960s, the PPBL suffered. Due to lack of local support, it merged with the Nicaraguan League for the 1961-62 season. In the coming years, the league decided to play only with Panamanian players to cut costs, which unfortunately lowered the overall quality of the sport. In 1972, the PPBL collapsed.
In 2001, a new professional baseball league, known as Probeis (Liga Profesional de Béisbol de Panamá), lasted only for one season. Later, in 2010, executives from the Los Angeles Dodgers and the MLB decided to re-launch the Panamanian baseball league, which lasted for only one season. Fortunately, the popularity and passion for the sport were re-ignited in the country, and in 2011, the league returned for good under the name Probeis and is still active.
Most Notable Baseball Players from Panama
It’s no secret that Panama is home to some of the most prominent players in baseball history. Nowadays, the country is considered to have one of the most promising pools of future talent just waiting to be discovered. Here are some of the most popular Panamanian baseball players in history:
- Rod Carew – second baseman, first baseman, and designated hitter from 1967 to 1985 for the Minnesota Twins and the California Angels.
- Mariano Rivera – relief and closer pitcher for the New York Yankees from 1995 to 2013.
- Manny Sanguillen – catcher in 1967 and then from 1969 through 1980. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, and Oakland Athletics.
- Carlos Noriel Lee „El Caballo“ – left fielder and first baseman. Played in MLB from 1999 up to 2012 with five teams: Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, and Miami Marlins.
- Ben Oglivie – left fielder in the MLB with the Boston Red Sox (1971-1973), Detroit Tigers (1974-1977), and Milwaukee Brewers (1976-1986).
Events and Talent Scouting
Thanks to the MLB’s large influence and crucial part in shaping Panama’s sports landscape, baseball evolved into the country’s national sport. With the rise of some of the most notable league players coming from Panama, more and more talent is being scouted there.
Both representatives of the Probeis and MLB are actively looking for young talent, both children and young adults. A great example is MLB’s Play Ball event, where everyone gets to play and enjoy the love of the sport and have the opportunity to be discovered as a potential rising athlete. Young adults have the opportunity to play for a scholarship.
