Home|Sports|Abaco well represented at baseball nationals; treated to Fusion afterwardsSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJune 28, 2023 8 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The sport of baseball is alive and kicking on one of the most northerly islands in The Bahamas.

Abaco, the second largest island in The Bahamas, is best known as a yachtsman’s paradise, but this past weekend, youngsters from that island were swinging for the fences and making names for themselves at the Bahamas Baseball Association’s (BBA) Andre Rodgers National Baseball Championships.

The championships, which were spread out over four venues due to disruption from rain, was completed on Sunday. The Freedom Farm Baseball League won three of the six divisions – the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) captured two and the Grand Bahama Little League (GBLL) secured the other.

The Abaco Youth Baseball and Softball League played in two bronze medal games and had great representation in two others. They competed in the 10-and-under (10U), 12-and-under (12U), 14-and-under (14U) and 16-and-under (16U) divisions.

They played for the bronze in the 14U and 16U divisions, losing out to GBLL and JBLN, respectively.

“We’re so proud of those boys. They went out there and competed against the best competition in The Bahamas and they held their own against them,” said Troy Feaste, president of the Abaco Youth Baseball and Softball League. “For a lot of them, this was their first set of competition for the year, other than what they face in Abaco. It remains a work in progress with them.

“The important thing is that they are developing, and we could see the improvement. The level of competition they faced this past weekend is welcomed. Overall, they played very well. They gave it their all and competed fiercely against more established leagues like Freedom Farm and JBLN. We were able to evaluate them and we could see where they got better. We’re already planning for next year,” he added.

After completing four days of competition, the 50-member crew from Abaco were treated to Sunday brunch at Fusion Superplex by Buttons Formal Wear, a past sponsor of a team in local baseball league play. Buttons Formal Wear won four senior national baseball titles in the 1990s.

Tommy Stubbs, who played the catcher’s position on all of those teams and his team at Buttons Formal Wear, provided the treat for the young Abaconians on Sunday. His wife, Makeva, brother, Danny, and daughter, Ashley, greeted the youngsters at Fusion Superplex.

“Tommy Stubbs, thank you for your support and hospitality at Fusion on Sunday night,” said Feaste. “Our boys had a good time after participating in the Bahamas Baseball Association’s nationals. We, in the Abaco Youth Baseball and Softball League, salute Buttons Formal Wear and we appreciate your support.”

Feaste also offered thanks to Fusion Superplex for accommodating them.

As for the baseball nationals, he said that Abaco will be well represented again next year when the event is held in the nation’s second city – Freeport, Grand Bahama.