\Wednesday, December 10, 2014

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#BASEBALL patriarch James “Jim” Wood passed away on Tuesday at age 78 following a short illness.

#Woods was best known on the Bahamas’ sporting landscape as the long-standing president of the local governing body of his beloved sport, the Bahamas Baseball Association.

#A national icon who began his foray into the sport as a player became regionally renowned as an administrator. He played for many years and is one of the names most positively associated with the St Bernard’s baseball organisation.

#He was also an official of the Pan American Baseball Federation (or Confederacion Pan Americana de Beisbol-COPABE).

#Wood’s passing was noted by several members of parliament in the House of Assembly yesterday.

#Prime Minister Perry Christie said there were plans to figure Wood prominently into the newfound recognition of baseball, highlighted by the construction of the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium.

#“We just had the opportunity to recognise Jim Wood for being able to come together for the development of baseball with the construction of the new stadium and we wanted Jim Wood to be a part of that,” Christie said.

#“I want to lift his name up not just as a political figure but one who has made an invaluable contribution to youth development and baseball in this country.”

#Wood was a central figure in the controversial rift between the BBA and the Bahamas Baseball Federation.

#In October, the organisation signed a two-page agreement and at the time Wood said it was a proud moment to see the advancement in the development of Bahamian baseball.

#“I am ready to come out of baseball. But the only thing I really want to see is that the Bahamas Baseball Federation and the bodies declare that the Bahamas Baseball Association is the governing body for baseball in the Bahamas the way it has always been.”

#Wood said he and Kemp agreed to work together for the betterment of the sport and they came up with the two-page pack that they signed, ending the long and bitter dispute.

#“I’m relieved, to an extent, because there are other people involved in baseball who want to see us go forward,” Wood said. “Hopefully more kids can benefit and when we get ready to send a national team off, more players will come out because they won’t be told that if you go to the national team trials, you won’t be able to play in the other league anymore.”

#It was during the BBA’s election in 1986 that a dispute erupted between Wood and then commissioner Athama Bowe. That subsequently led to a tie during the vote for president. Another election was called to break the tie, but after Bowe declined to show up, Wood was elected.

#Since then, there have been many factions who tried to oppose Wood during his tenure. That eventually led to a split in the membership and the BBF was formed with Greg Burrows Sr serving as the first president.

#The last time the Bahamas had a true representation of a national team was under the federation at the World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, Canada, in 2011 when the Bahamas all-based collegiate national team, managed by Bertram Murray Jr, beat China 6-5.

#With the signing of the new agreement, Wood’s legacy will include a major step toward the Bahamas fielding national teams in the near future.

#In the political arena, Wood was MCM Emeritus council member of Free National Movement and the opposition also paid homage to his contribution in the House of Assembly yesterday.

#“We want to recognise Mr Jim Wood for his role in nation-building and youth development as a baseball icon, using the games to reach and influence many young lives,” MP for North Eleuthera Theo Neilly said. “He was also a long-standing member of the Free National Movement, an avid supporter of the party with a major role in its development.”

uesday, December 16, 2014

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#JAMES “Jim” Wood not only left a void in the sporting community, but a household of three generations of athletes who have all made their mark on the local and international scene.

#Wood, the long-time president of the Bahamas Baseball Association, died Tuesday at home on Sea Breeze Lane at the age of 78 after suffering from an apparent heart attack.

#Although the Ford, Rodgers, Armbrister and Seymour families have produced quite a number of siblings that have excelled in sports, Wood’s clan may have emerged as the leader of the pack with both male and female members making an impact.

#Starting the list is the oldest sister, Della Thomas, who shined as the first female to win a gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding Championships. Another sister, Oria Wood-Knowles was probably one of the most versatile female athletes in the country, having played the majority of the core sports, including basketball, volleyball, softball and athletics and netball.

#Other sisters, Julie, Seran, Kim and Erica all played mainly softball and volleyball at the high school level and to a lesser degree at the national level.

#The Wood brothers include Dave, Andre ‘Star’, Ken ‘Blackus’, Brad, Trevor ‘Knuck’, Rico and James ‘Jimbo’ Wood Jr, all of whom played baseball when it was in its heyday and crossed over to play softball as well. Andre Wood went on to play in the minor league as both an in and outfielder with various teams from 1978 to 1983.

#Dave Wood eventually excelled as a manager in baseball, both locally and with the men’s national team and today, he and Andre Wood are coaching at the Jordan Prince Williams High School, while Brad and his son, Brad Jr, are coaches at Charles W Saunders High School.

#Incidentally, Dave’s two sons, Marvin and Terran Wood, as well as Ken’s son Ken Jr and Brad Jr, are all making their presence felt in the New Providence Softball Association, which saw the return of Oria Wood-Knowles and her husband, Colin ‘Troppy’ Knowles back in the league as coaches on the women’s side.

#She also functions as a sports officer in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the secretary general of the BBA, working alongside her father.

#Many would remember Wood for the role he played as the president of the BBA for at least three decades. But it was during the BBA’s election in 1986, a dispute erupted between Wood and then commissioner Athama Bowe. That subsequently led to a tie during the vote for president.

#Another election was called to break the tie, but after Bowe declined to show up, Wood was elected.

#Even though the sport continued under the longstanding dispute, a fraction eventually broke away and formed the Bahamas Baseball Federation with Jeff Williams and Senator Greg Burrows as some of the leading figures.

#After years of trying to resolve the dispute, Wood led the BBA as they joined forces with the BBF, led by Craig ‘Salty’ Kemp to finally sign a two-page agreement with the Bahamas Baseball Federation.

#The move will allow both bodies to continue to function separately, but they will come together to collaborate on the selection of the national teams.

#The sport may never get back to the glory days, but Wood left an indelible mark, not only as the BBA president, but for the role he played in bringing up his children and the countless players whom he groomed through the Heineken St Bernard’s baseball team over the years.

#His influence was so important that there was hardly a time when any of his children or grand children were performing that he and sometimes, his wife, Eva, were there in the stands cheering them on. May his soul rest in peace.  

Friday, March 24, 2017

Brent Stubbs

#By BRENT STUBBS

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#IT IS not how you start, nor how you get there. Most importantly, it’s how you finish.

#• The Finish Line, a weekly column, seeks to comment on the state of affairs in local sports, highlighting the highs and the lows, the thrills and the spills and the successes and failures.

#THE WEEK THAT WAS

#FOR some time I’ve been writing, agitating for the re-amalgamation of baseball in the country. 

#Primarily, I was insisting on it because I felt the split between the Bahamas Baseball Association and the Bahamas Baseball Federation did more harm than good for the players who are the beneficiaries of the efforts of those in charge of those organisations.

#There were several attempts before the December, 2014 death of Jim Wood, the man who anchored the BBA through a dramatic 30-year period in which the sport suffered as our national teams declined in their participation on the international scene.

#Many criticised Wood, but he stuck with his gut feeling that one day there would be harmony in the sport again.

#Minister of Sport after Minister, from Peter Bethel, Neville Wisdom, Charles Maynard, Desmond Bannister to Dr Daniel Johnson, were all vocal in their expressed desire to see some resolution.

#After the split in the BBA that led to the formation of the BBF, immediate past president Craig ‘Salty’ Kemp made one last pitch to put the affairs of the sport back in order with an agreement that the BBF continue to operate with their tournaments and league play, while the BBA would be responsible for the formation of the national teams.

#There was supposed to be the meeting of the minds, but nothing happened before Kemp’s term was up and subsequently Wood passed away. The BBF was then taken over by former secretary general Teddy Sweeting, while the mantle was left in the hands of Sam Rodgers, Wood’s trusted and loyal vice president.

#On Tuesday, Rodgers and his executives finally welcomed a large faction of the BBF into their fold as the Junior Baseball League of Nassau, the Eleuthera Junior Baseball League, the Grand Bahama Little League and the Grand Bahama Senior Baseball all the came on board.

#They came together as they “joined hands for a better baseball” in the Bahamas.

#Indeed, it was a new day for the sport as the executives realised that the sport was bigger than them. It’s all about the players, who they have to provide the opportunities and avenues to compete.

#I commend the BBA for taking the stand to unite the others who came on board, namely Terran Rodgers as a vice president; Larry Forbes, vice president for the North Eastern Bahamas; Steven Adderley, vice president for the Northern Bahamas; Shane Albury as secretary and Andrew Saunders, Joseph Moss, Sandy Morley, Alonzo Pratt, Veancor Darville as directors, along with former Major Leaguer Ed Armbrister as their baseball ambassador and Martin ‘Pork’ Burrows as Umpire in Chief.

#They join a cadre of officers, led by Sam Rodgers, and including Stanley Mitchell, Oria, Dave, Andre and Marvin Wood, who remained steadfast in their commitment to work with the late Jim Wood over the years that the dispute existed.

#The BBF, still active with memberships from Freedom Farm and the Legacy Baseball League in Grand Bahama, will continue to stage their National Championship as the BBA has indicated that they have no plans of disputing it under their new agreement.

#I also want to commend Senator Greg Burrows, Jeff Williams and Jeff ‘Sangy’ Francis, who had the vision to formulate the federation to provide that opportunity for the players to play.

#They’ve done a tremendous job in keeping the sport alive and, in the process, the Bahamas saw a resurgence of players playing at the professional level through their efforts.

#But I think it was disheartening, as Sam Rodgers so amply stated, to see that the Bahamas could assemble nine players to participate for Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic last year.

#Imagine, if collectively, all of the factions had come together, the Bahamas could have been the architect of its own national team by now to compete at that level. Not that they didn’t do it as the dispute lingered on, but it was obvious that what the BBA was doing wasn’t working.

#At some point, there had to be a compromise.

#With the addition of JBLN and those leagues from Grand Bahama, at least the BBA will have a base to work with. There are a number of players from these organisations who have players either competing in high school, college or the pro ranks, who are affialiated with their organisations.

#So it gives the BBA more leverage in selecting its national teams.

#The BBF, in fairness, has produced a large number of players too who are excelling, but if the Bahamas is going to assemble its own team, all roads have to go through the BBA, who still holds the sanctioning rights with COPABO (the Pan American Baseball Confederation) and the International Baseball Federation (IBF).

#I hope this would be the first step in the re-amalgamation of the sport for the betterment of baseball in the country.

#I know Jim Wood, with his son-in-law Collin ‘Troppy’ Knowles on his side, must be looking down and smiling, saying that his labour was not in vain.

#THE WEEK AHEAD

#Over five days of intense competition over the weekend, we saw our track and field athletes pour themselves out in representing their schools at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s National High School Championships and the Bahamas Association of Athletic Association’s Test Event for the third version of the IAAF World Relays.

#Now the BAAA is looking for many of those athletes to return to the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium next weekend to compete again. At stake, spots on the national team that will represent the country at the CARIFTA Games in Curacao over the Easter holiday weekend.

#In recent years, we’ve seen the athletes placing more emphasis on competing for their schools and not as patriotic about coming out to wear the aqua marine, gold and black at the biggest junior meet in the region.

#Close to 700 athletes from more than 40 schools from throughout our archipelago competed for their respective schools. Let’s see how many we will get for the trials next Friday and Saturday. 

#Maybe, the Ministry of Sports can look at providing some more accommodation incentives for those athletes from Grand Bahama and the Family Islands, who excelled last week, so they can come back to town to compete. But that shouldn’t be the only reason.

#We need to see more national pride demonstrated from our athletes if we’re going to regain our position as either the number two nation behind the reigning powerhouse Jamaica, or we will continue to battle with Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados and Grenada, just to name a few for third, fourth or fifth.

#CONGRATS

#TO MILLER

#Let me take this time, while I’m at it, to congratulate Shaun Miller on being elected as the new president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Coaches.

#Miller, the head coach of Speed Dynamics, who served as relay coach for the 2016 Olympic Games in which his daughter Shaunae Miller-Uibo won gold in the women’s 400 metres, said he accepted the challenge from the other coaches to run the organisation that was previously headed by Curtis Pride.

#And first and foremost on his agenda is ensuring that the BAAC has the proper funding in place.

#I agree with Miller that if we are funding our elite athletes, there should be some enumeration in place for the coaches, who have to provide their time and energy with those athletes. 

#Let’s put in a proper system where the coaches are compensated based on their level of achievements with their athletes from the youth to the elite competition. Maybe, just maybe, we might see better performances from our athletes as we move “forward, upward, onward and together,” as mandated in our nation’s motto.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WITH the passing of his mentor and former leader Jim Wood two years ago, Sam Rodgers has assumed the role as president of the Bahamas Baseball Association.

#And Rodgers, who was accompanied by one of the vice presidents Stanley Mitchell at the announcement of the latest development for the construction of the new Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium yesterday, said he intends to keep the memory of Wood alive as he heads the embattled organisation that seeks to exist without any membership, but remains the governing body for the sport.

#Wood died on December 9, 2014 and in January 2015, Rodgers was placed in charge of the BBA. He said at present, he’s trying to complete the administrative structure.

#It’s no secret that before Wood died, there was a lot of contention between the BBA and the Bahamas Baseball Federation, which has primarily carried the sport on the ground by doing primarily what the BBA should have been doing. Rodgers said they are looking at a compromise between the two bodies as they chart the way forward.

#“We have decided so far that we will not run any leagues that will interfere with the BBF,” Rodgers said. “What we have decided to do is look at baseball from our angle from the international tournament perspective.

#“So once we have those tournaments lined up, we will sit down with the BBF and their president Teddy Sweeting and see how we will integrate these tournaments because they have the players. So they will be responsible for getting the players together and we will be responsible for the international tournaments.”

#Although the BBF has been agitating for a change to both the Bahamas Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, the two highest sporting bodies in the country, Rodgers said he doesn’t see why there is a problem with the picture he’s painting.

#“If we both decide to run a league, when it’s time to pick a national team, I could decide to pick all the players from my league, then that would be a problem,” he said. “So we in the BBA have decided that we will not run any league to compete with their league.

#“But when we have to go to the international tournaments, we will select their players to take part in these tournaments. We will run some academies, which will be designed for players who are not playing in their league. We will get them on the field and help to develop them so that they can then be integrated into the BBF leagues.”

#No doubt with the construction of the new Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, there is expected to be some contention over the use of the facility, which will be operated by the National Sports Authority.

#Rodgers said they don’t see any problems.

#“We heard that the stadium will be up and running in a few months. I think we can utilise the stadium, along with the Ministry of Youth, and make it a profitable one,” Rodgers said.

#“Most of the time when I travel, people have been asking me when are we going to host an international tournament because they want to come to the Bahamas.

#“So I think it would be a smooth transition for us. We hope to bring tournaments of different age brackets here and I don’t have a problem bringing teams here to compete. So we will be happy to integrate with the BBF and corporate Bahamas so that we can properly entertain the teams when they come here to play in the new stadium.”

#Hopefully, the BBF will get to voice their opinion on the issue in Friday’s edition of The Tribune.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

#THE Bahamas Baseball Federation’s 14th Grand Bahama Port Authority Andre Rodgers National Baseball Championships is currently underway at the EMERA Baseball Complex in Grand Bahama.

#The championships got started yesterday but the official opening ceremonies is set for 7pm Friday. That will be followed by a live 11-12 game at 8:30pm on Cable Bahamas. The tournament will wrap up on Sunday.

#“Join the BBF and see who will be the next Antoan Richardson, Jervis ‘Champ’ Stuart, Anfernee Seymour, Luscious Fox, Byron Murray, Todd Isaacs, Jasarado Chisholm, Larry Alcine Jr, Reshard Munroe and Kyle Simmons,” the federation wrote in a press release.

#The federation is expecting Major League Baseball scouts to evaluate the talent and host a try-out showcase for the selection of players to participate in the first MLB Summer Training Programme.

#Leagues taking part in the tourney this weekend are:

#Freedom Farm Baseball League – 5 Divisions Coach Pitch Ages 7-8 / BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 / BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15 / BBF High School Division Ages 16 thru 18.

#Eleuthera Junior Baseball League of Rock Sound – 1 Division BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15.

#Grand Bahama Little League – 4 Divisions Coach Pitch Ages 7-8 / BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 / BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15.

#Grand Bahama Amateur Baseball Association – 2 Divisions BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15 / BBF High School Division Ages 16 thru 18.

#Legacy Baseball League – 4 Divisions Coach Pitch Ages 7-8 / BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 / Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15.

#Junior Baseball League of Nassau – 5 Divisions Coach Pitch Ages 7-8 / BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 /BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15 / BBF High School Division Ages 16 thru 18.

#North Abaco Baseball League – 3 Divisions BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 / BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15.

#The sponsors for the nationals are: Grand Bahama Port Authority – Title Sponsor; Insurance Management – BBF Coach Pitch – (Ages 7/8); Gatorade – BBF Major Division – (Ages 11/12); FOCOL – BBF Junior Division – (Ages 13 thru 15); Summit Insurance – BBF High School Division – (Ages 16 thru 18); D’Albenas Agency and Pelican Bay Hotel.

Baseball Nationals Underway

Baseball Nationals Underway

As of Thursday, June 23, 2016

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#THE Bahamas Baseball Federation’s 14th Grand Bahama Port Authority Andre Rodgers National Baseball Championships is currently underway at the EMERA Baseball Complex in Grand Bahama.

#The championships got started yesterday but the official opening ceremonies is set for 7pm Friday. That will be followed by a live 11-12 game at 8:30pm on Cable Bahamas. The tournament will wrap up on Sunday.

#“Join the BBF and see who will be the next Antoan Richardson, Jervis ‘Champ’ Stuart, Anfernee Seymour, Luscious Fox, Byron Murray, Todd Isaacs, Jasarado Chisholm, Larry Alcine Jr, Reshard Munroe and Kyle Simmons,” the federation wrote in a press release.

#The federation is expecting Major League Baseball scouts to evaluate the talent and host a try-out showcase for the selection of players to participate in the first MLB Summer Training Programme.

#Leagues taking part in the tourney this weekend are:

#Freedom Farm Baseball League – 5 Divisions Coach Pitch Ages 7-8 / BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 / BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15 / BBF High School Division Ages 16 thru 18.

#Eleuthera Junior Baseball League of Rock Sound – 1 Division BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15.

#Grand Bahama Little League – 4 Divisions Coach Pitch Ages 7-8 / BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 / BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15.

#Grand Bahama Amateur Baseball Association – 2 Divisions BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15 / BBF High School Division Ages 16 thru 18.

#Legacy Baseball League – 4 Divisions Coach Pitch Ages 7-8 / BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 / Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15.

#Junior Baseball League of Nassau – 5 Divisions Coach Pitch Ages 7-8 / BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 /BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15 / BBF High School Division Ages 16 thru 18.

#North Abaco Baseball League – 3 Divisions BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 / BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15.

#The sponsors for the nationals are: Grand Bahama Port Authority – Title Sponsor; Insurance Management – BBF Coach Pitch – (Ages 7/8); Gatorade – BBF Major Division – (Ages 11/12); FOCOL – BBF Junior Division – (Ages 13 thru 15); Summit Insurance – BBF High School Division – (Ages 16 thru 18); D’Albenas Agency and Pelican Bay Hotel.

As of Thursday, June 23, 2016

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#THE Bahamas Baseball Federation’s 14th Grand Bahama Port Authority Andre Rodgers National Baseball Championships is currently underway at the EMERA Baseball Complex in Grand Bahama.

#The championships got started yesterday but the official opening ceremonies is set for 7pm Friday. That will be followed by a live 11-12 game at 8:30pm on Cable Bahamas. The tournament will wrap up on Sunday.

#“Join the BBF and see who will be the next Antoan Richardson, Jervis ‘Champ’ Stuart, Anfernee Seymour, Luscious Fox, Byron Murray, Todd Isaacs, Jasarado Chisholm, Larry Alcine Jr, Reshard Munroe and Kyle Simmons,” the federation wrote in a press release.

#The federation is expecting Major League Baseball scouts to evaluate the talent and host a try-out showcase for the selection of players to participate in the first MLB Summer Training Programme.

#Leagues taking part in the tourney this weekend are:

#Freedom Farm Baseball League – 5 Divisions Coach Pitch Ages 7-8 / BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 / BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15 / BBF High School Division Ages 16 thru 18.

#Eleuthera Junior Baseball League of Rock Sound – 1 Division BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15.

#Grand Bahama Little League – 4 Divisions Coach Pitch Ages 7-8 / BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 / BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15.

#Grand Bahama Amateur Baseball Association – 2 Divisions BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15 / BBF High School Division Ages 16 thru 18.

#Legacy Baseball League – 4 Divisions Coach Pitch Ages 7-8 / BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 / Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15.

#Junior Baseball League of Nassau – 5 Divisions Coach Pitch Ages 7-8 / BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 /BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15 / BBF High School Division Ages 16 thru 18.

#North Abaco Baseball League – 3 Divisions BBF Minor Ages 9-10 / BBF Major Ages 11-12 / BBF Junior Division Ages 13 thru 15.

#The sponsors for the nationals are: Grand Bahama Port Authority – Title Sponsor; Insurance Management – BBF Coach Pitch – (Ages 7/8); Gatorade – BBF Major Division – (Ages 11/12); FOCOL – BBF Junior Division – (Ages 13 thru 15); Summit Insurance – BBF High School Division – (Ages 16 thru 18); D’Albenas Agency and Pelican Bay Hotel.

Friday, January 19, 2018

Brent Stubbs

#By BRENT STUBBS

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#THE Bahamas Baseball Federation’s decision to cease all operations and allow the Bahamas Baseball Federation to carry out their mandate as the governing body for baseball in the country is a move that should be commended.

#Over the years, several attempts have been made under a number of ministers of sports, but this move was made without any government interference as the federation leadership felt it was time for them to cease their operations.

#Teddy Sweeting, who served as secretary general when the federation was formed in 2003 under the presidency of Greg Burrows, sat in the chair as the president when the decision was made during their annual general meeting in December.

#It must have been a hardline stance for Sweeting to take, following efforts of his predecessor, Craig ‘Salty’ Kemp, who had actually signed an agreement with the BBA to reunite prior to the death of its long-time president, the late Jim Wood.

#The BBF took the stance after members of the Junior Baseball League of Nassau, the Eleuthera Junior Baseball League, the Grand Bahama Little League and the Grand Bahama Senior League made a decision to rejoin the BBA in March 2017.

#Still holding out and continuing to function separate and apart from the BBA is Freedom Farm.

#It’s unlikely that Burrows, who heads the organisation, will be added to the mix. The past occurrences that led to the breakaway is still a hot item on their agenda, so don’t expect them to deviate their decision.

#There are some who commend the federation for making the move and there are others who condemn them, but in the best interest of the sport, all parties need to come back together under one umbrella.

#As Sweeting pointed out in his interview with The Tribune, the International Baseball Federation had advised them that the Bahamas is too small to have a division at the top of the governing body and they should come together and form just one body.

#The federation, under Sweeting’s leadership as secretary and president, made great strides in helping to develop the sport through the introduction of the National Baseball Championships in 2003, the same year that they were formed.

#The championships was able to provide the level of competition that was lacking in the country where all of those islands playing baseball had an opportunity to come together and compete, albeit at the junior level.

#As a result of the various leagues that played under the federation banner, a lot of young men got exposed to a higher level of the game and were able to either leave high school to complete their education in the United States, earned athletic scholarships to colleges or received professional contracts.

#Some of those players were on display two weeks ago when Todd Isaacs Jr and Lucius Fox staged the successful inaugural ‘Don’t Blink’ Home Run Derby on Montagu.

#The downfall of the BBA is that since the inception of the BBF, there has been a drastic decline in the senior programme, due mainly to the dismantling of the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium. But over the past two decades, there has not been any senior league played, except for the games that both Freedom Farm and JBLN incorporated into their programme, while Grand Bahama continued to provide the avenue for their senior players to perform.

#Sam Rodgers, who assumed the role of president after the death of Wood, said it’s their intention to work with all parties concerned for the betterment of the sport.

#Hopefully this decision by the BBF will help to reunify the sport.

#In making the announcement, Sweeting said they agreed to the following three points:

#• Suspend all national operations until the Bahamas Baseball Association’s elections are held in 2020.

#• Encourage all baseball leagues (members of the BBF and non-members) to seek membership in the Bahamas Baseball Association.

#• BBF to support the BBA, wherever needed, with the hosting of the 2018 National Baseball Championships.

#Over the years, Wood was adamant that they wanted to reengage all parties and hold elections so that everybody can have a say in the direction of the sport.

#As a result of the revised constitution that will only allow the member associations and not the executives to vote, Sweeting said they gladly decided to cease operations and prepare for the next elections tentatively set for 2020.

#In the meantime, there is obviously a lot of concern about the continuation of the national championships, which will now be the responsibility of the BBA.

#Last year, Rodgers said the BBA does not have any intention of running any leagues, but will only be looking at competition at the national and international level.

#So it’s going to be interesting to see if the nationals are on their agenda and if it gets the attention that it did under the federation. It will be disheartening if it doesn’t come off, or if it is not successfully ran.

#In recent years, Freedom Farm has declined to participate in the nationals so this might be a good time to get them back into the mix and eventually reengaged in the affairs of the BBA.

#CARIFTA Fever

#With just about two months to go for the return of the CARIFTA Games, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations is encouraging the general public to come out and purchase their tickets.

#The biggest regional games, organised by NACAC, will take place over the Easter holiday weekend and is expected to attract, if not all, the majority of the 27 member countries.

#Jamaica is the perennial kingpins, having dominated the three days of competition for the past 33 years. In fact, the Bahamas was the last country to win the title in 1984.

#This will mark the eighth time that the Bahamas has hosted the games, which was started in 1972 by Austin Sealy. And each year, the fans have shown their support in Team Bahamas trying to dethrone Jamaica.

#Tickets are already on sale and are priced at $5 for general seating, $10 for bronze, $15 for silver and $20 for gold. There is also three-day packages that consist of $50 for gold seats, $40 for silver and $25 for bronze. There are no three-day packages for general seating.

#Get your tickets and come out and cheer on Team Bahamas in their quest to dethrone Jamaica here at home once again.

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Teddy Sweeting

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#After helping to steer a resurgence in the sport over the past 15 years, the Bahamas Baseball Federation has decided to cease all operations and allow the Bahamas Baseball Association to carry out its mandate as the governing body.

#BBF president Teddy Sweeting confirmed through a press release that during their annual general meeting on December 2, the membership agreed to the following:

#• Suspend all national operations until the Bahamas Baseball Association’s elections are held in 2020.

#• Encourage all baseball leagues (members of the BBF and non-members) to seek membership in the Bahamas Baseball Association.

#• BBF to support the BBA, wherever needed, with the hosting of the 2018 National Baseball Championships.

#When contacted for further clarification, Sweeting said it was a hard line decision, but one that they all agreed to in the best interest of the sport.

#“We wanted to take a look at the constitution in respect to amending the constitution so that once members join, only members will be allowed to vote for the leadership,” Sweeting said.

#“We got them to amend the constitution and now we want them to go and properly set up the process so that members can now join and get ready for the next election.”

#As a result, Sweeting said the BBF has decided to cease all operations and will allow the BBA to function as the governing body on the local and international scene. Since the BBF was formed in 2003 with Greg Burrows serving as the initial president, they were able to host a successful national championships and carried a number of junior national teams to compete in various international competitions.

#However, the federation, which had Craig ‘Salty’ Kemp serving as its second president before Sweeting took over from him, was not able to get into any of the major international tournaments like the Central American and Caribbean Games, which ultimately lead into qualification for the Olympic Games.

#As the governing body for baseball in the country, the BBA, under its former president Jim Wood, who passed away in December 2014, still held the international sanctioning. Since Wood’s death, Sam Rodgers has assumed the leadership of the BBA. He served as the interim president before he was voted in during the last elections held in 2016.

#Over the last two years, the BBA has been working on bringing all of the fractions back under their fold with the BBF opting until now to join.

#It’s not known if Freedom Farm, which is still headed by Burrows, will follow suit. There are also one or two organisations in Grand Bahama that have not indicated as yet if they intend to join the BBA.

#Sweeting, who served previously as the secretary general under the presidency of both Burrows and Kemp, said they were advised by the International Baseball Federation that the Bahamas is too small to have a division at the top of the governing body and they should come together and form just one body. “We only formed the Bahamas Baseball Federation back in 2003 because we were never assured that just the leagues will have the authority to vote for who they wanted to lead baseball,” Sweeting said.

#“That was why the decision was made to form the Bahamas Baseball Federation. Once it was formed, we went on with an aggressive programme to revitalise the sport and we have seen a resurgence of the sport over the past two decades.”

#With the BBA constitution now revised, Sweeting said the BBF agreed to cease all of its operations and will now allow their members to support the BBA and prepare for the elections whenever its called at the end of the four-year term in either 2019 or 2020.

#With the formation of the BBF came the National Baseball Championships, which has been held in Grand Bahama to coincide with the inception of the federation in 2003.

#Sweeting said it’s their hope that the BBA will continue to provide the opportunity for the young baseball players from New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco and Eleuthera to come together and compete for the rights to be called the national champions.

#Last year during the 15th year in hosting the biggest baseball tournament in the country, the federation honoured Antoan Richardson, the last of six Bahamians to play professionally in the Major League.

#During its merger last year with some of the splitter groups in baseball, Rodgers and his administration indicated that they will be responsible for hosting a national tournament and sending the national teams off to compete, but they will not engage in a league as was previously the case because the BBF was formed.

#Sweeting said the BBF will be prepared to assist the BBA in ensuring that the nationals continue this year.

#As for his involvement in the past, Sweeting said that after working in the trenches for the past 20 years, he has decided to gracefully bow out and let the vision of the BBA unfold.

#“Whenever the elections are called, I will then make a decision on whether or not I will come back and serve in any capacity,” the former high school and collegiate baseball player turned banker by profession pointed out.

#Looking back at what the federation has achieved since its formation in 2003, Sweeting said they had a productive operation and were able to watch as a number of young men got the opportunity to attend high school in the United States and got promoted to college and others have excelled to the professional ranks.

#In December 2016, Sweeting said he got a chance to watch as nine of their Bahamian players suited up for Great Britain as they participated in the qualifying round of the World Baseball Classic, losing out in the championship game that would have advanced the team to the WBC Tournament.

#Then two weeks ago, Sweeting said Todd Isaacs Jr and Lucius Fox got to combine their talent in producing the inaugural ‘Don’t Blink’ Home Run Derby on Montagu.

#“I want to congratulate them for putting on a first-class event for the public,” said Sweeting of the derby that featured both local pro and international baseball pro players.

#“That was the vision of the federation when we got started in 2003 to see as many Bahamians excel in the sport. We are so delighted to see them come back and put on such a memorable one for the fans.”

#Sweeting said he is now hoping that the membership of the federation will continue to make its contribution to the sport as they work with the association.

#“I’m just going to take a break and see how it all unfolds,” Sweeting said. “I think I’ve done my part and I feel it’s the best decision for the sport and so I will just wait and see what happens from here.

#“As I take a step back from baseball, I thank God for blessing me with the necessary leadership skills, vision, fortitude and, most importantly, patience over the years.”

Thursday, September 3, 2020

Sam Rodgers

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#SAM Rodgers, who stepped up and took over the reigns of the Bahamas Baseball Association in 2016, said he was delighted to step in and steer the sport in the right direction.

#Rodgers will be seeking another four-year term in office when the BBA holds its virtual annual general meeting and election of officers on Monday, September 28 that will be overseen by Shane Albury an Bertie Murray Jr.

#All nominations must be submitted to Albury by WhatsApp 552-0653 or email Shanealbury@gmail.com or Murray Jr at WhatsApp 424-1549 or email Bertram.Murray@heineken.com by Friday, September 18 at 5pm.

#On Monday, September 21, a list of the nominated persons will be sent out to all leagues.

#According to Rodgers, so far there are only three leagues who are eligible to vote in the elections, inclusive of Grand Bahama Baseball League, Freedom Farm and the Junior Baseball League of Nassau.

#“We’re not sure about Central Andros.

#“We are just waiting on some documents from them to see if they fit the criteria in the constitution to be eligible to vote,” Rodgers said.

#“There is a criteria in the constitution that states whether or not you are eligible to vote.”

#Grand Bahama and both Freedom Farm and JBLN out of New Providence have met the criteria with the required amount of players, coaches and officials, in order to be eligible to vote under the constitution.

#“I don’t think it would affect the elections because I’ve spoken to all of the members already and they understand the constitution and they agreed to it from last year,” Rodgers said.

#With the new term running through 2024, Rodgers said he will have his name in the hat for the post of president, but he has not yet completed his slate of officers to run with him.

#In the meantime, he said he doesn’t know if anybody would be challenging him, even though there were a lot of people who were eager to run for office prior to him taking over from the late Jim Wood four years ago.

#“As far as I know, we don’t have any division within the BBA,” said Rodgers for his decision to continue on as president. “All of the leagues have decided to abide by the rules and regulations of the BBA.

#“So as far as I know, there is no division within the BBA in the Baahamas. Everybody understands what we are trying to achieve. A lot of people have their thoughts about what could be done, but in order to make change within the organisation, you have to be involved on the inside to make the changes.”

#Prior to taking over as the president, Rodgers served under Wood, who was criticised by many for heading the top body in the sport in the country, but the BBA at the time didn’t have any members.

#Both Freedom Farm and JBLN as well as leagues in Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Abaco, Inagua, Bimini and Andros were formed, but not all of them were a part of the BBA.

#Subsequently, the Bahamas Baseball Federation was formed by Greg Burrows and included Craig ‘Salty’ Kemp and Theodore Sweeting, which helped to provide an umbrella for most of the leagues to play together with the implementation of the National Baseball Championships that was played annually in Grand Bahama.

#During that time, the Bahamas also produced a number of players who either left to continue high school and onto college or got to sign contracts through their affiliation with the MaxD and IElite programmes, which involved former players like Geron Sands, Greg Burrows Jr, Albert Cartwright and Antoan Richardson, now the first base coach with the San Francisco Giants in his post career as the sixth Bahamian to play in the Major League.

#Additionally, Burrows and Cartwright played significant roles in Bahamian players almost completing the entire starting roster for Great Britain as they were joined by Ali Knowles, Jasrado Chisholm, Kyle Simmons, Todd Isaacs, Reshard Munroe, Byron Murray and Champ Stuart for the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualifier in Brooklyn, New York.

#The players had to play for Great Britain as the Bahamas was not eligible to compete in the tournament on its own.

#While the federation boasted of having the majority of the players, the association still held the international sanctioning rights, forcing a compromise between the two bodies when Rodgers stepped up to take over the reigns from Wood.

#Now, these elections could be one of the critical held in the history of the sport as it seeks to cement the return of all of the sporting leagues and associations together again.

#The new administration, when elected, will have a chance to utilise the new national baseball stadium, which is being built by the Government of the Bahamas with a projected target to be completed at the end of the year.

f Thursday, September 3, 2020

Sam Rodgers

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#SAM Rodgers, who stepped up and took over the reigns of the Bahamas Baseball Association in 2016, said he was delighted to step in and steer the sport in the right direction.

#Rodgers will be seeking another four-year term in office when the BBA holds its virtual annual general meeting and election of officers on Monday, September 28 that will be overseen by Shane Albury an Bertie Murray Jr.

#All nominations must be submitted to Albury by WhatsApp 552-0653 or email Shanealbury@gmail.com or Murray Jr at WhatsApp 424-1549 or email Bertram.Murray@heineken.com by Friday, September 18 at 5pm.

#On Monday, September 21, a list of the nominated persons will be sent out to all leagues.

#According to Rodgers, so far there are only three leagues who are eligible to vote in the elections, inclusive of Grand Bahama Baseball League, Freedom Farm and the Junior Baseball League of Nassau.

#“We’re not sure about Central Andros.

#“We are just waiting on some documents from them to see if they fit the criteria in the constitution to be eligible to vote,” Rodgers said.

#“There is a criteria in the constitution that states whether or not you are eligible to vote.”

#Grand Bahama and both Freedom Farm and JBLN out of New Providence have met the criteria with the required amount of players, coaches and officials, in order to be eligible to vote under the constitution.

#“I don’t think it would affect the elections because I’ve spoken to all of the members already and they understand the constitution and they agreed to it from last year,” Rodgers said.

#With the new term running through 2024, Rodgers said he will have his name in the hat for the post of president, but he has not yet completed his slate of officers to run with him.

#In the meantime, he said he doesn’t know if anybody would be challenging him, even though there were a lot of people who were eager to run for office prior to him taking over from the late Jim Wood four years ago.

#“As far as I know, we don’t have any division within the BBA,” said Rodgers for his decision to continue on as president. “All of the leagues have decided to abide by the rules and regulations of the BBA.

#“So as far as I know, there is no division within the BBA in the Baahamas. Everybody understands what we are trying to achieve. A lot of people have their thoughts about what could be done, but in order to make change within the organisation, you have to be involved on the inside to make the changes.”

#Prior to taking over as the president, Rodgers served under Wood, who was criticised by many for heading the top body in the sport in the country, but the BBA at the time didn’t have any members.

#Both Freedom Farm and JBLN as well as leagues in Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Abaco, Inagua, Bimini and Andros were formed, but not all of them were a part of the BBA.

#Subsequently, the Bahamas Baseball Federation was formed by Greg Burrows and included Craig ‘Salty’ Kemp and Theodore Sweeting, which helped to provide an umbrella for most of the leagues to play together with the implementation of the National Baseball Championships that was played annually in Grand Bahama.

#During that time, the Bahamas also produced a number of players who either left to continue high school and onto college or got to sign contracts through their affiliation with the MaxD and IElite programmes, which involved former players like Geron Sands, Greg Burrows Jr, Albert Cartwright and Antoan Richardson, now the first base coach with the San Francisco Giants in his post career as the sixth Bahamian to play in the Major League.

#Additionally, Burrows and Cartwright played significant roles in Bahamian players almost completing the entire starting roster for Great Britain as they were joined by Ali Knowles, Jasrado Chisholm, Kyle Simmons, Todd Isaacs, Reshard Munroe, Byron Murray and Champ Stuart for the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualifier in Brooklyn, New York.

#The players had to play for Great Britain as the Bahamas was not eligible to compete in the tournament on its own.

#While the federation boasted of having the majority of the players, the association still held the international sanctioning rights, forcing a compromise between the two bodies when Rodgers stepped up to take over the reigns from Wood.

#Now, these elections could be one of the critical held in the history of the sport as it seeks to cement the return of all of the sporting leagues and associations together again.

#The new administration, when elected, will have a chance to utilise the new national baseball stadium, which is being built by the Government of the Bahamas with a projected target to be completed at the end of the year.

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#FRANCO Miller’s Crestwood Prep debut was just as good as advertised.

#The highly sought after recruit for the class of 2018 is spending this season at the prep school in Toronto, Canada, before he makes the leap to the collegiate ranks and was a high scoring team leader in their first preseason tournament.

#Miller averaged over 20 points per game and led Crestwood to a 3-1 finish at the Father Henry Carr Early Bird Classic.

#He opened with 22 points in a win over Thornlea Prep and followed with 21 points in another win over the Central Tech Blues.

#The 6’2” guard spent much of the summer playing under coach Ro Russell for the Grass Roots Elite Club where his performance on the AAU circuit garnered offers from several Division I programmes.

#Russell was hired to head the programme at Crestwood in 2016 and Miller followed suit.

#Crestwood will make its transition this year into the National Preparatory Association for the 2017-18 season.

#The programme will be tested right away as Crestwood will compete in the Southeast Division against powerhouse programmes such as St Michael’s College, Toronto Basketball Academy, and Central Tech Prep.

#Miller’s play on the AAU circuit has attracted official offers from Montana State University, the University of Wyoming, St Bonaventure University and the University of Illinois at Chicago. There are also several other programmes that have expressed interest.

#His most noteworthy performance came at the Fab 48 Invitational in Las Vegas, Nevada, in July where he averaged over 20 points per game with Russell’s Grass Roots Elite Club. In a 77-71 loss to BTI Select he scored 23 points, added five rebounds, two assists and three steals.

#He also had 22 points, five assists, four rebounds in a 74-70 win over the Simply Fundamental Basketball Club.

#At the local level with the Tabernacle Baptist Falcons, Miller had a season filled with accolades highlighted when he was named as the Most Valuable Player of the 34th Annual Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic. His 27 points led the Falcons to a 58-52 win over the CI Gibson Rattlers. He also led the Falcons to a Grand Bahama Secondary Schools Sports Association senior boys’ title and finished as runners-up in the second annual Bahamas National High School Basketball Championships.