September 6 event in Paterson honors five-time Negro Leagues All-Star, Dominican baseball pioneer and scout whose career intersected with Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson and Martín Dihigo
PATERSON, N.J. — September 1, 2026 — Baseball history, Dominican heritage and community will come together Sunday, September 6, at historic Hinchliffe Stadium for the inaugural Rabbit Martínez Softball Heritage Cup, honoring Negro Leagues All-Star and Dominican baseball pioneer Horacio “Rabbit” Martínez.
Taking place just days before the September 15 start of Hispanic Heritage Month, the event has special significance in Paterson, home to New Jersey’s largest concentration of Dominican residents and one of the nation’s few surviving ballparks associated with Negro Leagues baseball.
The celebration begins at 2 p.m. with the Jersey Jackals’ regular-season finale, followed by a 3 p.m. VIP reception and tour of the Charles J. Muth Museum of Hinchliffe Stadium, featuring Rabbit Martínez memorabilia. At 4:30 p.m., the Heritage Cup will feature the Fort Lee Falcons of Fort Lee against hometown Las Estrellas de Las Hortensias of Paterson, a team composed predominantly of Dominican players.
The Falcons are part of the Fort Lee Adult Co-Ed Softball League, founded and operated by Max Martínez-Almenas, producer of Martinez Béisbol Films and grandson of Rabbit’s brother Antonio “Toñito” Martínez.
“This event connects history with the baseball communities that are still playing the game today,” Martínez-Almenas said. “Rabbit’s legacy is part of Negro Leagues and Dominican baseball history, but it also lives in the communities that continue to love and play the game.”
WHY RABBIT MARTÍNEZ MATTERS
– Negro Leagues Star: A five-time East-West All-Star with the New York Cubans and member of their 1947 Negro League World Series championship team.
– Connected to Baseball’s Greatest Names: Martínez is the only known Dominican professional player to have competed against both Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson and shared the field with stars including Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard, Monte Irvin and Paterson-raised Hall of Famer Larry Doby.
– Martín Dihigo Connection: Rabbit played alongside Cuban Hall of Famer Martín “El Maestro” Dihigo, regarded as one of baseball’s greatest all-around players, with the New York Cubans and in Cuba, where Dihigo also served as his player-manager.
– Player Advocate: In 1950, Martínez helped found FENAPEPRO, an organization representing Dominican professional players that played an important role in the return of professional baseball to the Dominican Republic in 1951 after a 14-year absence.
– Dominican-to-MLB Pioneer: As a New York and San Francisco Giants scout, Martínez helped identify, develop, and sign Juan Marichal, Felipe, Jesús and Matty Alou, and Manny Mota, and many others, helping establish a pathway for generations of Dominican Major Leaguers.
Rabbit was also one of four baseball-playing Martínez brothers, alongside Antonio “Toñito,” Aquiles and Julio “Julito” Martínez, who became prominent figures in Dominican and Latin American baseball from the 1930s through the 1950s.
“This is why we call it a Heritage Cup,” Martínez-Almenas said. “It is about making sure pioneers like Rabbit and his brothers are not forgotten, while giving a new generation the opportunity to understand the sacrifices, achievements and lasting impact of the people who helped shape baseball history.”
A portion of event proceeds will benefit the Charles J. Muth Museum of Hinchliffe Stadium. Families attending will also have an opportunity to receive a commemorative bilingual Rabbit Martínez baseball card, produced in partnership with the New Jersey Jackals, while supplies last.
Tickets are $10; children 3 and under are free. Information and tickets are available at MartinezBeisbolFilms.com.
A limited number of Founding Community Partner and sponsorship opportunities remain available.
EVENT INFORMATION
Sunday, September 6, 2026 — Hinchliffe Stadium, Paterson, N.J.
2 p.m. — Jersey Jackals Regular-Season Finale
3 p.m. — VIP Reception & Museum Tour
4:30 p.m. — Rabbit Martínez Softball Heritage Cup
Fort Lee Falcons vs. Las Estrellas de Las Hortensias
ABOUT MARTINEZ BÉISBOL FILMS
Martinez Béisbol Films preserves and shares the history of the Martínez baseball family and the connections among Dominican baseball, the Negro Leagues and Major League Baseball. Founder Max Martínez-Almenas is a member of SABR and the Negro Leagues Family Alliance and is developing a children’s book about Rabbit Martínez.
ABOUT THE NEW JERSEY JACKALS
The New Jersey Jackals are a professional baseball team competing in the Frontier League, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. Based at historic Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, the Jackals are committed to competitive baseball, affordable family entertainment and community engagement throughout Paterson and North Jersey.
Website: Jackals.com
ABOUT THE CHARLES J. MUTH MUSEUM OF HINCHLIFFE STADIUM
The Charles J. Muth Museum of Hinchliffe Stadium preserves and shares the history of one of America’s last surviving Negro League ballparks and the athletes, families and communities who helped shape its legacy. Through exhibits, artifacts, educational programming and community engagement, the Museum explores Hinchliffe Stadium’s important place in baseball, Paterson and American social history.
Website: MuthMuseum.org
