Woman to make baseball history in Puerto Rico
An island known for producing Major League stars such as Javier Baez, Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor and Yadier Molina will play host to history on Sunday, when Diamilette Quiles becomes the first woman to play in the Superior Double A League -- the top league in the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation, which is the governing body of leagues and teams from across the island.
“It’s a great opportunity to show the caliber of play we have in our baseball league for women and show that there are women that can play with men,” said Hector Rosa, the director of communications for the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation. “It’s a chance to demonstrate our inclusion and inspire others to play baseball. There are no rules that say she can’t play with the men. She’s a good player with lots of experience and talent. We have already been approached by other women who want to do the same next year.”
This is the 80th season of the Superior Double A League, which has 42 teams, one of which is owned by Molina. The 33-year-old Quiles is expected to take over at first base in the fifth inning on Sunday for the four-time national champion Utuado Mountaineers, and the stakes will be high from the get-go. The regular season is coming to a close, and although the Mountaineers already have qualified for the postseason, the club is trying to lock down home-field advantage in the opening round.
“I am very happy, this is one more achievement in my career,” Quiles said, per a story on the official website of the World Baseball Softball Confederation. “I am always proud when I get the chance to represent my people in Utuado. Whenever I compete, I always give the best of me.”
As Rosa noted, Quiles is no stranger to playing on a big stage, having been part of two Women’s Baseball World Cups as a member of the Puerto Rico women’s national team.
She is also a member of a five-team women's league in the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation, and in 2009, she became the first player to hit a homer over the fence in league history.
Quiles’ big moment on Sunday will come slightly less than three years after Kelsie Whitmore and Stacy Piagno signed with the Sonoma Stompers of the independent Pacific Association and became the first women to play professional baseball since the 1950s.
Quiles may face some difficulties, as many trailblazers do, but in the eyes of Rosa, she is well equipped to endure whatever comes her way.
“It’s a historic moment and we know there will be a lot of pressure, but she can handle it,” Rosa said. “She doesn’t want any special treatment and she made sure we told her opponents to ‘bring it on.’ She doesn’t want anybody to take it easy or do anything they don’t normally do. No easy pitches and no favors. She’s coming to play hard, so they need to be ready, too.”
MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez contributed to this story.