In 1931, John, along with eight other local players, established the Iquique Baseball Association, becoming Chile's first governing body for the sport.

Early baseball practices in Iquique took place on makeshift fields, using subpar equipment provided by Sakurada.

Despite these humble beginnings, baseball soon started to spread to other cities in northern Chile, including Tocopilla, Antofagasta, and Chuquicamata.

The 1980s were a golden era for baseball in Chile, particularly due to the disillusionment with the national football team's performance in the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

Between 1998 and 2004, baseball faced a severe decline, verging on extinction from the professional sports scene in Chile.