The Central American and Caribbean Games are a multi-sport regional championship event, held quadrennial, typically in the middle (even) year between Summer Olympics. The games are for 32 countries and five territories in Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, and the South American Caribbean countries of Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.
The second Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Havana, Cuba from 15 March to 5 April 1930. The event featured 596 athletes from nine nations, competing in ten sports. Women participated in the event for the first time.
The tenth Central American and Caribbean Games were held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from July 11 to July 25, 1966. These games were one of the largest ever with a total number of 1,689 athletes from eighteen participating nations.
The 14th Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Havana, Cuba from August 7 to August 18, 1982, and included 2,420 athletes from nineteen nations competing in 25 different sports. Some events were held in Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos, and the eastern end of the island.
The 17th Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Ponce, a city in southern Puerto Rico. The Games were held 19–30 November 1993, and included 3,570 athletes from 31 nations.
The 18th Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Maracaibo, Venezuela from August 8 to August 22, 1998, and included 31 nations and a total of 5,200 competitors.
The 23rd Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Baseball was contested at the 1930 Central American and Caribbean Games in Havana, Cuba. All of the games were played at the Estadio Cervecería Tropical, which was built especially for the games.
Baseball was contested at the 1938 Central American and Caribbean Games in Panama City, Panama. All of the games were played at the Estadio Olímpico Nacional.
Baseball was contested at the 1978 Central American and Caribbean Games in Medellín, Colombia. The games were played at the Diamante Luis Alberto Villegas, part of the Atanasio Girardot Sports Complex, between July 8 and 21. It would be the last major international baseball tournament hosted by Colombia until the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games; additionally, it is the only major baseball tournament to be played in Medellín, a region where association football has traditionally enjoyed far more popularity than baseball.
Baseball was contested at the 1982 Central American and Caribbean Games in Havana, Cuba from 8 to 16 August 1982. All of the games were played at the Estadio Latinoamericano.
The 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games, also known as the 24th Central American and Caribbean Games and commonly known as San Salvador 2023, was the 24th edition of the Central American and Caribbean Games, a quadrennial sports multi-sport event which was held from 23 June to 8 July 2023 in San Salvador, El Salvador.
Racquetball has been included at the Central American and Caribbean Games since 1990. Over that period Mexican players have dominated the podium, winning gold at every event in Men's and Women's Doubles, and winning gold in Men's and Women's Singles all but two times each. Mexico has also won every gold medal in the Men's and Women's Team events. Venezuela has the second most medals in men's events, while the Dominican Republic has won the second most medals in women's events.
Tennis has been an event at the Central American and Caribbean Games since 1926. It was not held in Panama City in 1970, but has otherwise been a permanent sport. Cuba's Juan Pino is the most successful Central American and Caribbean Games tennis player of all time, in terms of medals won (12).
The 2022 Central American and Caribbean Beach Games, officially the I Central American and Caribbean Beach Games, was an international multi-sport event held in Santa Marta, Colombia from November 19–26. It was the first time this event was realised. The games are overseen by Centro Caribe Sports.
The badminton competition at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games will be held in San Salvador, El Salvador from 25 to 30 July at the Coliseo Complejo El Polvorín. It was the seventh appearance for badminton at the Games.
The baseball competition at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games was held at the Parque Nacional de Pelota Saturnino Bengoa in San Salvador, El Salvador from 25 June to 1 July 2023.
Pedro Jiménez Díaz, nicknamed "Natilla", was a Cuban baseball pitcher. During his prime, he was considered one of the best amateur baseball players in Cuba.
Fernando Barradas Villavalso was a Mexican professional baseball pitcher and first baseman.
Carlos "Petaca" Rodríguez Araújo was a Colombian baseball pitcher. He is considered one of the greatest Colombian baseball players of all time.
