San Pedro de Macoris, located a one hour's drive east of Santo Domingo, was founded in the late 19th century by Cubans who were fleeing their country's War of Independence. They brought their extensive sugar cane farming knowledge and contributed to making the sugar industry the most important economic activity in this area. The city reached its peak during the first quarter of this century when sugar production enjoyed high prices on the international market as a result of the First World War. Many Europeans settled here, creating quite a cosmopolitan urban center. There was even a time when the port enjoyed more commercial activity than Santo Domingo's. A decline in sugar prices and destruction from Hurricane Georges in 1998 put the area down for a time but it has since experienced resurgence. Today San Pedro de Macorís is a city of approximately 125,000 inhabitants and enjoys a very bustling Malecón (Oceanside boardwalk). The city has a renowned university, Universidad Central del Este , and an undisputed contribution to Major League Baseball. This town and its surrounding area have supplied the greatest number of Major League players in the world. The winter league games, held November through February, are a huge attraction at the local stadium, Estadio Tetelo Vargas .