he presence of Blatinos in America. These websites also establish a grassroots foundation for Dominicans and other Blatino groups to seek out support and let them know that they are not alone (Lopez, p.142).Regardless of all the major setbacks and obstacles Dominicans have had to face, they still have had a positive impact on American society. The easiest most recognizable contribution Dominicans have made is in the field of baseball. Many Dominicans have come to play major roles in American baseball. One such player that stands out is Sammy Sosa of the Chicago cubs, who was running neck and neck in the home run race with Mark McGwire. Also Ozzie Virgil became the first Dominican native to reach the major leagues, joining the Giants in 1956. Since that time, nearly 200 Dominicans have made an impact on the major leagues. In 1983, Juan Marichal became the first Dominican native to be named to the Hall of Fame. The legacy of Dominican players in the major leagues is very rich, and there are still many making history now. Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez, 27, signed the most lucrative contract in baseball last year, getting $75 million over the next six years. Sammy Sosa of the Cubs, with a June-long burst of home runs, put himself in the race to break Roger Maris single-season home run record (Calderon, p.263). But Dominican contributions are not only found in the sports arena. In New York City and New Jersey there are over 23,000 business owners, 6,000 grocery stores, 500 supermarkets, 1,200 beauty salons, all Dominican owned. These business help contribute to the economy with an influx of new money (DeAnda, p.155).Dominicans have also began to show their political power. Guillermo Linares has become the first Dominican-born elected official in the United States. In 1979 he developed the first Dominican non-profit organization, the Community Association of Progressive Dominicans. He was also elected three times to the school board, where h...
