Amós Iglesias Van Pelt
The introduction of baseball to Puerto Rico highlights how this beloved sport took root and flourished on the Caribbean Island. Its origins come back to the late 19th century when a young man named Amos Iglesias Van Pelt played a pivotal role in bringing the game to Puerto Rican shores. Born on July 12, 1879, in Brooklyn, New York, Amos was the son of Emilio Iglesias, a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Charlotte Amelia Van Pelt, originally from Brooklyn. This blend of cultural influences set the stage for Amos to bridge two worlds and introduce baseball to his father’s homeland.
Amos learned to play baseball as a child while living in the United States. At 16, he moved to Puerto Rico, where he noticed the absence of baseball as a recreational activity. One day, while walking through «La Granja,» a neighborhood in Puerta de Tierra, San Juan, he encountered a man holding a bat and a ball. Curious, Amos approached him and inquired about his name. The man introduced himself as Braulio Sánchez, a Cuban who had learned to play baseball in his home country.
Sánchez explained that other young Cubans on the island also knew the sport. With Sánchez’s assistance, Amos connected with these individuals and began organizing a team of Cuban players. On the other hand, with the support of three Puerto Ricans—Dr. Manuel del Valle, Engineer Eduardo Saldaña, and Jesús Cabañas, who had spent time in Cuba, started teaching baseball to Puerto Ricans. This collaborative effort eventually led to the formation of two teams: Borinquen, comprised of Puerto Rican players, and Almendares, consisting of Cuban players.
The first official baseball game in Puerto Rico occurred on January 9, 1898, at the Velodrome of Stop 15 in Santurce. Amos Iglesias was the pitcher for Borinquen and Caballero (first name unknown) for Almendares. Unfortunately, the game was suspended due to rain in the third inning, with the score 3-0.
This historic moment not only marked the introduction of baseball to Puerto Rico but also set the stage for the sport to become a cornerstone of the island’s cultural identity. Over the years, baseball has become a beloved pastime, producing world-class athletes and fostering a sense of pride and unity among Puerto Ricans. The first game at the Velodrome serves as a reminder of the humble beginnings of a tradition that continues to thrive today.