Panamanian Baseball

Baseball arrived with the railway and the canal and became the country's sport, and Panama has produced major leaguers steadily since the 1950s: Rod Carew, born in Gatún on a train, went on to a career good enough that the national stadium carries his name, and Mariano Rivera, from a fishing village on the Azuero coast, is generally considered the finest relief pitcher who ever played. The national tournament runs from January to March with teams representing the provinces, which gives it a regional edge that a club league would not have. Games are cheap, loud and played in front of provincial crowds who take it personally.

What you actually see

• The provincial tournament - January to March, province against province.
• Estadio Rod Carew - the national stadium in Panama City.
• Puerto Caimito - the fishing village Mariano Rivera came from.
• The crowds - drums, horns and regional rivalry.

When to go

The national tournament runs from January to March, which is also the dry season. Games are mostly evenings and weekends. Tickets are cheap and generally available at the gate except for finals.

Honest expectations

The standard is provincial rather than professional and varies widely between teams. Stadium facilities outside the capital are basic. Schedules change at short notice and are published locally. Outside the January to March window there is very little to watch.

Nearby

The national stadium is in Panama City; provincial grounds are across the country.