Sugar: This Movie Is a Home Run

April 18, 2012

The other day I was helping two customers who had familiar accents. Taking a rare chance, I asked if they were from the Dominican Republic. That’s the D.R. for those familiar with the place, the food, and most of all, the wonderful people. 

While I was joking with these two men about eating Dominican rice and yucca, I discovered that they are here to play college baseball. The exchange immediately made me think about a wonderful movie simply titled Sugar.

In the D.R., most of the Major League Baseball teams have farm teams called academies. These are compounds where Dominicans between the ages of 16 and 21 compete and train in hopes of making it in the majors. The film is about Miguel 'Sugar' Santos who is signed to an American minor league team and heads to Iowa to begin play.

Sugar is a gifted athlete with big dreams and aspirations. You will agonize when he struggles and cheer for him when he succeeds, as he tries to find his way in a country and language that are both foreign to him. It is rated R for some of the adult content but well worth the time you will spend watching it.

And by the way, never, ever call Dominican rice Spanish rice.

Mike T.
South Independence Branch