Nicaragua has unveiled its long-awaited baseball stadium in Managua, replacing the former baseball field built in 1948. The new structure will hold up to 15,670 people and is the country’s first stadium constructed to Major League Baseball, MLB, standards and codes.
The stadium took almost two years and US$36 million to build. The facility can hold 1,000 cars, large screens to view games, advanced technology and a security system that enables game-goers to evacuate within 10 minutes.
The stadium, the Estadio Nacional Dennis Martínez, took the name, Denis Martinez, after Nicaragua’s former MLB player.
Born in Granada (May 14, 1955), José Dennis Martínez Ortíz, nicknamed “El Presidente” (The President), was the first Nicaraguan baseball player (pitcher or position player) to play in the
majors. During a 23-year baseball career, Martínez compiled 245 wins, for the most wins by a Latin American pitcher in the MLB, 2,149 strikeouts, and a 3.70 earned run average.
Martínez pitched for the Baltimore Orioles (1976–1986), Montreal Expos (1986–1993), Cleveland Indians (1994–1996), Seattle Mariners (1997) and Atlanta Braves (1998).
The match was sold out as the least expensive tickets cost an equivalent of US$2.
The game was played in the rain and ended with a 2-2 tie.
Photos of the historic inauguration of the Estadio Nacional Dennis Martínez from El19digital.com
Article originally appeared on Today Nicaragua and is republished here with permission.
