Matagalpa baseball

Teeth gnashing on tobacco; sneakered feet kicking dirt; the tangy, sweet smell of used leather, and the muted thud of a baseball hitting a glove. Baseball often elicits intense passions and strong cultural significance among a community.  This dedication and enthusiasm to the game is exemplified in Nicaragua, where baseball is considered the national sport.

Nicaraguan teams compete in the National Series, an event that is breathlessly followed by fans across the country.  Doing well brings intense pride to the team’s hometown and a heightened sense of fellowship between members of its community.

Of course, playing at this level requires financial support.  Paying for basic necessities, associated with training and participation, is crucial to success. This has unfortunately fallen out of the reach of some.  Matagalpa, primarily a coffee growing community, saw the amount of funds available to all aspects of community development diminish as a result of the coffee crisis. Despite the incredible talent of its players, its regional team could not find the support it needed.

Noticing this void, the municipal government partnered with several local organisations, such as CECOCAFEN, to form the Foundation for Sports in the Northern Region.  They sought to increase and gain new sources of funding, to bring the joy of the sport back to the community.  As most of you will recall, Cooperative Coffees was a proud sponsor of this effort.  A huge Cooperative Coffees banner was hung in the local stadium, and the cheers of fans that year saw the team make the final 7-game series.  Though they ultimately lost out to the Leon Boer, the sense of community and tradition being passed on to young and long-time baseball devotees alike was incredible. 

The team’s success has since continued.  They won the championships last year, and Matagalpa locals are as enthusiastic and devoted to the game as ever. 

With the Annual General Meeting being held in Matagalpa this year, it might be interesting to renew Cooperative Coffees’ show of support.  In the past couple of years, natural wear and tear has had its effect, and the stadium (and the Coop Coffees banner) could use a bit of sprucing up. They have asked us if we would be inclined to provide some financial support to the team, and in exchange, they will fix the Cooperative Coffees sign.  They are looking for somewhere in the order of $3000, though a contribution of $1500 would be a great way to express how excited Cooperative Coffees was, and continues to be, associated with this great, local passion.