People of the Dominican Republic capital and its patron saint, Saint Dominic. Hence the residents were called "Dominicanos" (Dominicans), which is the adjective form of "Domingo", and the revolutionaries named their newly independent country "La República Dominicana". It was often referred to as the "Republic of San Domingo" in English language 19th Century publications. The first recorded use of the word "Dominican" is found in a letter written by King Phillip IV of Spain in 1625 to the inhabitants of the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo. In this letter, which was written before the arrival of French settlers on the Western side of the island,
Sport in the Dominican Republic Sport in the Dominican Republic Sports are a central part of the culture of the Dominican Republic, and have been practiced in the whole territory since the native inhabitants were living in the island. Sports play a key role in the culture and makeup of Dominican Republic society. Baseball is the most popular sport on the island and Major League Baseball has been recruiting players from the Dominican Republic since the 1960s. Association football is the second sport of the country. Baseball is the most popular sport in the Dominican Republic today. After the United States, the Dominican Republic has