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As of Thursday, November 14, 2013

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Antoan Richardson

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#ANTOAN Richardson has moved one step closer to playing in the Major League of Baseball again, this time in the farm system of one of the most popular franchises in all of sports.

#The New York Yankees signed Richardson to a minor league contract this week, with an invite to spring training.

#Richardson spent last season in the Minnesota Twins organisation, but did not get the elusive “call up” to the majors, despite his productivity.

#The 30-year-old outfielder, who played in nine games for the Atlanta Braves in 2011, was a member of the Twins’ Triple-A International League Rochester Red Wings and their Double-A Eastern League’s New Britain Rock Cats last season.

#For the year, he hit .285/.402/.371 with both the Rock Cats and the Red Wings.

#In his nine-year minor league career, Richardson has established a reputation as a player with a high on-base percentage. He has 318 steals in minors, 39 last season.

#For his career he has hit .278/.399/.347.

#Originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 27th round of the 2001 amateur draft, Richardson stayed at American Heritage School in Delray Beach, Florida, until he was drafted for the third time, this time by the San Francisco Giants in the 35th round in 2005.

#He went on to play in the pipelines with both the Giants and the Atlanta Braves until the Braves called him up to the MBL, where he made his debut on September 4, 2011.

#In a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Richardson pinch-hit for starting pitcher Randall Delgado, and singled to centre field on the first pitch he saw in the fifth inning.

#Speaking with the Tribune following the end of his latest minor league season, Richardson discussed the trials of a career in the minors.

#“It comes to consistency. I know I still have a good opportunity to get to the majors. It’s just a matter of me staying prepared and being ready at any moment to receive that call. Going through the minor league system, it’s not an easy task and it takes a lot of will and perseverance,” he said.

#“Having received the call before, a lot of the younger guys definitely look up to me and seek my advice on certain things and I just try to let them know, the number one thing is to stay focused and keep everything in perspective,” he said.

#“I always remember a quote Ryan Howard said to me and it keeps me inspired, he said to ‘treat every play, every inning, every game, every season like a major league season.’ It helps because no matter where you play you have to stay at your best while you look for that opportunity.

Opinion: Kudos To The Founders Of Maxd Sports Academy

Permalink: http://sportsinthebahamas.com/blog/2013/09/13/stubbs-opinion-kudos-to-the-founders-of-maxd-sports-academy/‎(opens in a new tab) Edit As of Friday, September 13, 2013 Brent Stubbs By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net IT wasn’t so long ago that a bitter dispute within the Bahamas Baseball Association led to the formation of the Bahamas Baseball Federation and subsequently the operation of both Freedom Farm and the Junior Baseball League of Nassau in the eastern district of New Providence. Not so long ago, former minister of youth, sports and culture Neville Wisdom used a bull dozer from Bommer George Trucking to break down the Churchill Tener Knowles National Softball Stadium at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre that ultimately led to the demolition of the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium and the mini-baseball fields. This seemed like umpteen years ago. Today, the dispute has left both the BBA and the BBF heading towards an impasse. Today, both Freedom Farm and JBLN continue to have an impact on the growth and development of baseball, but more to the extent of the junior programme which has played a vital role in helping to get a number of players off to high school and colleges in the United States. Four of those players who have benefitted from their involvement in the junior programme by going through the ranks of high school, college and the professional circuit, are back home making an even greater contribution with the establishment of the Maximum Development Sports Academy. Kudos to Geran Sands, Greg Burrows Jr, Antoan Richardson and Albert Cartwright. The long-time friends, who all had visions of playing together in the major leagues, have come together for the creation of the first of its kind in the former Tropical Shipping building on East Bay Street. MaxD, as it’s affectionately called, provides an avenue for players between the ages of 11-17 years to hone their skills with the view of getting them off to the USA where they can get the opportunity to eventually become pro players as well. It’s something that is long overdue in the Bahamas, not just for baseball, but for all of the core sports like track and field, tennis, basketball, swimming, boxing, softball and golf. Under its unique concept, MaxD has opened its door between the hours of 7am to noon for the students to be tutored in on-line home-based educational classes conducted by the Leadership Academy. After lunch, the 21 athletes enrolled since the new school began on September 2, are taken through their baseball drills by the quartet and their fitness routine by Natasha Brown from 1:30-5:45pm. Although it took a huge sacrifice on the part of the four individuals listed above, it’s something that is definitely needed in the country. One can only wonder had the dispute been resolved and if there was a replacement for the Andre Rodgers Stadium would it come down to the formation of MaxD. The academy is ideally located in a huge building that can accommodate all that the principals want to achieve. And there is future plans for the construction of a baseball field with an artificial turf in Tropical Shipping’s abandoned warehouse on the waterfront overlooking the beauty of Atlantis. The venue will be ideal with its background to attract teams – high schools, colleges and pros – to come to the Bahamas to compete. I have to admit that with the beautiful waters we have to display, any venue set up will be an added plus for our visitors. The Bahamas Football Association experienced that in May when they hosted the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualifier. Just imigine what the Bahamas can accomplish by hosting a series of other sporting events. We’ve had athletes who left to attend academies and high schools in the USA and some have also gone to Cuba. Jamaica is also offering similar academies for track and field. Other countries like the Dominican Republic have some type of programme for baseball. Now it’s time for us to showcase our kind facilities. Keep up the good work Sands, Burrows, Richardson and Cartwright. CONDOLENCES It seemed as if it was only yesterday that I saw the late Lenny Powell when he was on the sidelines watching the 2013 Bahamas National Championships in April at Mario’s Bowling Lanes. Now we’re mourning his death. At the time, Powell was his usual jovial self, making his smart remarks and reminding me of the time when he was one of the top bowlers to watch. Who would have thought that today we would be reflecting on his life. It just goes to show, as the Bible reminds us, that we don’t know the day or the hour, when our time will come. At least the bowling community can take the time out and remember him now as they hosted their City Bowling League Championship Shootout that wrapped up on Thursday night at Mario’s. Powell, a former national bowling champion, is just one of the many sporting personalities who have passed away in recent times. To all those who are mourning, I extend condolences on behalf of The Tribune Sports Department. May God sustain you all in this your time of bereavement.

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Friday, September 13, 2012

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Despite having his 2012 London Olympics 4 x 400 metre relay medal stolen, and rebounding from an injury in April that ended his season, quarter-miler Demetrius Pinder said he’s still upbeat as he continues to train hard in Bradenton, Florida.

Pinder, 24, is training with American world champion LaShawn Merritt at the IMG Academy that is on the Gulf Coast of Florida where they are working under the supervision of Loren Seagrave.

“Everything is going great,” Pinder said. “I’ve really been putting in a lot of work trying to get back on the track. My legs are fine and I’ve gotten over the injury. I’m just working hard and trying to get ready for next year.”

Pinder, who pulled up on the home stretch of the men’s 200m at the inaugural Chris Brown Bahamas Invitational in April at the new Thomas A Robinson Stadium, had to shut down the remainder of his season, causing him to skip the trip to the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia.

“I was really looking for some big things before the injury,” he said. “But I was really disappointed when I got hurt.”

Prior to competing in the meet, Pinder had moved to Florida to train with his good friend and rival Merritt and Seagrave. This was his first full season competing on the circuit after graduating from Texas A&M where he had an impressive four-year sting for the Aggies.

With the offseason training now in gear, Pinder said he’s looking forward to regaining his form that enabled him to make it to the final of the men’s 400m at the Olympics with Brown. While Brown got fourth, Pinder had to settle for seventh before they both ran the first and second legs as the Bahamas team, including Michael Mathieu and Ramon Miller, went on to upset the United States in the relay.

It was the first time in 60 years that the USA had lost the relay at the Olympics after they competed without Merritt, who went down with an injury in the rounds of the 400m. The USA, with a healthy Merritt on anchor, regained their top spot in Moscow as the Bahamas failed to make it to the final with injuries to Pinder, Mathieu and Miller.

“I’m really training so I can get back to give the Bahamas a chance to get back on top next year,” Pinder said. “Everything was going good with my training until the medal was stolen. But I’m not going to let this get me down. It’s going to get me even more motivated to do some big things for the Bahamas next year.”

Pinder was referring to the medal being removed from the console of his 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 that was parked outside of his Springs at Palma Sola Apartments on Wednesday morning. The Police Department have launched an intensive investigation and his story has been carried extensively through a number of media and social networks.

“I’m really disappointed because it was a medal that I had dedicated to my sister,” said Pinder of his older sister, Claudia, who died while he was in a training camp in England preparing for the games. “But I’m not going to let this get me down. I’m going to use this as a motivation for next year.

“You can expect for me to do some big things. I’m having some great training sessions right now. I’ve gotten over the injury and my legs are feeling much better now. So I’m really looking forward to coming back next year and turning things around for the Bahamas.”

He noted that he’s excited about the training sessions he’s having with Seagrave. He’s even more enthused because he has a good training partner in Merritt to work with.

Pinder is gearing up for the 15th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Gdansk/Sopot, Poland, March 7-9 before he comes home to compete at the inaugural IAAF World Relays at the TAR Stadium May 24-25.

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10 September 2013.

by Rogan Smith

The government will spend $3 million to $5 million to host the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Relays next year and an additional $3 million to $5 million the following year, according to Youth, Sports & Culture Minister Dr. Daniel Johnson.

According to the minister, 700 of the best athletes from around the world will participate in the two-day event, which will be held on May 24 and May 25.

Up to 500 jobs and opportunities will be available as a result, he said.

Prime Minister Perry Christie announced Monday that his government has agreed to underwrite the costs of the events.

“You’re looking at between $3 million and $5 million per event in terms of setting it up properly,” he said.

“We have a return on investment only about two to one, so we’re expecting the economic impact to be at least double that for us as a country. The advertising impact of this for two days to be on major networks around the world, carried by 52 countries is about a similar amount. So we really have done the economic work behind the scenes and it’s a fairly good investment and the returns should be impressive.”

Bahamas Association of Athletics Associations (BAAA) President Mike Sands said he is pleased that The Bahamas will host an event of this magnitude.

“On behalf of the BAAA we are very excited that the IAAF had the confidence in the BAAA and The Bahamas to award this historic event to The Bahamas. A lot of work has been going on behind the scenes and we are now unveiling it as we speak today. Beginning today we will be moving fast forward for the event, which is scheduled to take place on May 24 and May 25 this year. We will be meeting on a regular basis as we have been to ensure that this event comes off [successfully] as a host country,” he said.

Prime Minister Christie said these events represent a “giant step” towards establishing The Bahamas as a sports tourism destination.

“We are really taking a comprehensive approach to ensuring not only that we execute the games properly, but we get Bahamians involved so that we excite the imagination of the young Bahamian – these potential athletes – and we cause them to know that one day if they work hard and train hard they will be able to perform in the stadium as they will see the best in the world next year,” he said.

Minister Johnson said some renovations will have to be carried out in advance of the event.

He also gave assurances that there would be sufficient hotels to accommodate the large crowds.

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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WHEN the new school year begins on Monday, Government Secondary Schools Sports Association president Alfred Forbes doesn’t anticipate any changes in their coaching ranks. But he said the athletes can look forward to a change in the line-up of the disciplines.

The GSSSA, which caters to 12 junior and senior high schools, will be reverting back to their old schedule where volleyball is played first and softball is last on the agenda. This year, however, Forbes said the association will also be making an attempt to introduce baseball into the system for both the junior and senior high school division

“We started last year with softball and ended with volleyball, but this year we will be starting with volleyball and ending with softball,” Forbes said. “Once volleyball is finished, we will move to basketball. Then we will start soccer in January, track and field in February and in April, we will round off with softball.

“We are trying to get baseball in the system for the boys. We are working with the Bahamas Baseball Federation and the Ministry of Sports through Greg Burrows. We are trying to see if we can at least introduce baseball for boys this year. We have been playing softball for too long for boys and there’s no scholarships available for softball for boys.”

Forbes said last year, we went through a trial period to see if they can be in line with the other local high school bodies like the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools and the Grand Bahama High School Sports Association so they could coincide with the hosting of the Bahamas Softball Federation’s annual Austin ‘King Snake’ Knowles High School Softball Tournament.

“We wanted to make sure that all of our teams are prepared for that tournament, which is a major one for the schools. But the availability of the gyms was a difficulty for us at the end of the school year when we played volleyball last year because they were being used for the school examinations,” Forbes said.

“Last year, the volleyball season was so tight. We were only able to play one or two weeks. And with the daylight saving time coming into effect in October, we will have more time for the teams to get to the park when we play at the end of the school year and we won’t be challenged as we were last year.”

By moving softball back to the end of the calendar year, Forbes said the GSSSA will have sufficient time to iron out all of the knits to ensure that they can get ready next year for the introduction of baseball into their system. Hopefully, in the 2014/15 school year, they can look at the inclusion of flag football into their programme.

The GSSSA is expected to begin their new season around the third week in September. However, Forbes said they won’t know for sure if there were any late changes in coaching personnel or any new additions from the recent graduation of teachers from the College of the Bahamas until everybody reports to school on Monday.

In any event, Forbes said based on what happened last year, they don’t anticipate any big coaching movement. “Everything looks to be intact. We came off a good year and so we are looking forward to another successful year,” he said.

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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#GRAFTON Ifill III may have taken a path in life that few athletes have followed, but he left behind a lasting impression on the third of his five appearances at the Carifta Games as one of the top sprinters in the Caribbean.

#In 2001, as a member of Team Bahamas at the 30th games in Bridgetown, Barbados, Ifill posted a double victory in the under-17 boys 100 metres in 10.67 seconds and the 200m in 21.86. Fellow Bahamian Oscar Greene got the silver in the century in 10.72 and the bronze in the half-lap in 21.94.

#What was more significant was the fact that Jamaican sensation Usain Bolt had to settle for the silver in the deuce in 21.81, which marked the last time that he was beaten in the top junior regional track and field meet before he went on to global acclaim on the senior circuit.

#“I don’t remember a lot of it, but I do remember getting out fast and covering a lot of ground very quickly in that race and I came off the bend ahead of the field and it was pretty much over after that,” said Ifill in an interview with The Tribune yesterday. “It was definitely a special race.”

#More than 20 years before that in Barbados, Ifill’s father, Grafton Ifill Jr, represented the Bahamas in the half-lapper as well as the triple jump. But he left the games empty handed and his performances haunted him throughout the years until he was finally able to revive the success through Ifill III.

#“Through my entire track career, he channelled all of his energy of his shortcomings into my career and I was able to go back to Barbados at the same Carifta Games with him and my grandfather, Grafton Ifill Sr (who was there during Ifill Jr’s appearance) to win the 200 that in our view was the medal that he left behind,” the younger Ifill said.

#“That’s why I threw up my hands because the race and the victory was so special. The fact that Usain (Bolt) was in the race didn’t really surface until years later. But it was very special, even before we realised what a success he has turned into.”

#The following year in 2002 in the Bahamas, Ifill III moved up to the under-20 boys division where he had to settle for the silver in both the 100 and 200 behind the Trinidad & Tobago’s double dynamic duo of Darrel Brown and Marc Burns respectively, while Bolt remained behind in the under-17 division where he dominated the 200 and 400.

#As fate would have it, Ifill III suffered a slight injury when Bolt climbed up the ladder to repeat the 200-400 feat in the under-20 boys division in 2002 in Trinidad & Tobago. Ifill III was unable to renew the rivalry with Bolt, although the two were at the 2004 games in Hamilton, Bermuda. Ifill III picked up the bronze in the 100 and Bolt claimed another title in the 200.

#While Ifill III went on to college and eventually retired from the sport before he landed a successful job on Wall Street, bolt decided to stay at home and train and has now emerged as the biggest name in the sport since the legendary American sprinter/long jumper Carl Lewis.

#“I wouldn’t make a read through it whatsoever. I was more prepared and executed better on that particular day and in that meet,” Ifill said. “In subsequent meets, you saw what he did relative to the rest of us and there’s no doubt in my mind that he is a phenol, so I wouldn’t make a read as to what would have happened if I had stayed in the sport.

#“In my view, I’m really happy with the path that I took. For many athletes, I took the road less travelled and having an academic balance, it allowed me to take a path to blaze new trails and hopefully inspire other people in terms of what other things that we can do with sports.”

#Ifill, 27, is currently employed in Cross Access Sales at Goldman Sachs in New York – the number one investment bank on Wall Street.

#With the games returning to the Bahamas for the first time since Ifill III last competed in 2004, he said it’s going to be quite a thrill for the Bahamian people, especially as the new Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium will be christened with the hosting of its first major international meet.

#“I would have really loved the opportunity to perform in this new stadium,” Ifill III said. “But I could speak to the fact that performing in front of the home crowd is something special and it’s an experience that our athletes should be pretty happy about.”

#For those athletes who have been selected to the 70-member team to represent the Bahamas this weekend, Ifill III advised them to carry the Bahamas’ name well on their chest.

#“It’s going to be very important to defend the home track,” he said. “Jamaica is going to do what they have to do and they are what they are and in many aspects, defending the home turf is more important than just winning medals. I think a lot of it will be just showing a lot of heart and leaving it all out on the track, in the field or in the pit.

#“If we’re not winning, you want to just make whoever is ahead of you really earn it. What they will realise is that a few of them will go on to be Olympians, set records and win medals. But for many of them, this is going to be the highest achievement that they would have set, so they have to really enjoy the ride and don’t take it for granted.”

#Like he did, Ifill III said he hopes that the athletes can leave their own legacy behind that people will be able to look back on in years to come and talk about what they achieved.

#“At some point, it’s going to all come to an end and the only thing that you will have is your memories,” he said.

#Ifill, who captured about 10-12 medals including relays during his five appearances in the games, graduated from St Augustine’s College and enrolled in Clemson University for his freshman year. After taking a year off to train professionally, he transferred to the University of Pennsylvania before he started working at UBS Investment Bank for a few years and then three years ago he moved to Goldman Sachs.

#“I started early in track and field and I was able to have some great experiences early in my career that set me up,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to have my parents supporting me to get a good academic background and that afforded me some other opportunities, so I couldn’t dream of being in a better place right now.”

#Ifill III is scheduled to visit home today to lend his support to Team Bahamas during the games this weekend.

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Friday, August 31, 2012

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

They may not have gotten all of the sporting bodies back together again, but for the first time in many years, all of the school leagues will be operating under the same sporting calendar, which will better facilitate the Ministry of Education with the execution of their National High School Championships and Pilot Programmes in the various disciplines.

Evon Wisdom, who heads the Sports Unit in the Ministry of Education, said it’s a move that should benefit sports in general in the Bahamas.

“The GSSSA (Government Secondary Schools Sports Association) and the Secondary Sports Association in Grand Bahama will have a unified schedule with the BAISS (Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools),” Wisdom said. “Softball will be the first athletic event for high school inter-collegiate athletes.

“That will be followed by cross country, basketball, soccer and then volleyball, which will round out the season. That’s the same schedule as the BAISS is on. The only other sport that they participate in that we don’t do is swimming. But we’re pretty much on the same schedule as they are.”

Wisdom noted that the new Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald recently held a meeting with Eugene Bonimy, who represented the BAISS, Mrs Adderley, who represented the GSSSA and Kenton Rolle of Grand Bahama, who substituted for Norris Bain and the Small Schools Association, headed by Pastor Dave Adams.

“The minister insisted that he wanted to see championship events in these major sports, especially in the senior high and junior high levels, not the primary level,” Wisdom said. “In order for that to happen, it meant that we had to be playing the same sport at the same time in some extent.

“We know that we had a big problem with softball being last on the sporting programme for the GSSSA and Grand Bahama, while it’s first on the BAISS schedule and vice versa with volleyball. We found it was difficult to even do an invitational event that would decide a national champion in these two particular sports.

“So for the first time in many, many years, we are going to cause for that to happen. Based on rankings and how they finish in their leagues, we will send out invitations to the various school associations. We are looking at the format right now, but I think it will be for first, second and third from the various bodies.”

The Family Island schools will have a slightly different criteria for their participation, which will probably be in the form of their own championships to determine who will represent their islands.

The first event on the calendar for the Ministry of Education will be the Austin ‘King Snake’ Knowles National High School Championships which, as usual, is set to be held November 7-9 at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. The event is organised by the Bahamas Softball Federation.

“For the first time in years, you have a unified association,” Wisdom said. “They won’t be playing against each other, but for the first time, the actual core sport will be played at a specific time in a given season throughout the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.”

It’s a move to facilitate all of the sporting bodies playing high school sports at the same time that will conclude with a National High School Championships.

Last year, the ministry hosted a pilot programme for volleyball in Grand Bahama, which will now become a full fledge championship. The championship, according to Wisdom, will return to Grand Bahama because of the success that they achieved in its initial year.

In a press release, the ministry announced the following:

• The Ministry of Education wishes to announce that for the first time in many years both the public and private schools on the Islands of New Providence and Grand Bahama will follow the same sport format.

• This milestone was reached under the able leadership of Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald, talks between presidents of various Principals Associations were held over the summer, at the Ministry of Education

• This milestone does not facilitate the schools playing each other in the regular season, but opens the door for concluding National High School Championships in each of the core sports.

• The Ministry of Education is currently in talks with various District Superintendents in our Family Islands regarding the unified High School Sports format also. The format is as follows:

Softball (Boys & Girls Championships) – to be held in New Providence.

Cross Country (Boys & Girls Pilot Programme) – to be held in New Providence.

Basketball (Boys Pilot Programme) – to be held in New Providence.

Basketball (Girls Championship) – to be held in Grand Bahama.

Track & Field (Boys & Girls Championships) – to be held in New Providence.

Soccer (Boys & Girls Pilot Programme) – to be held in Grand Bahama.

Volleyball (Boys & Girls Championships) – to be held in Grand Bahama.

At least one of the relevant bodies noted how pleased they were to see the unification of the sporting schedule.

“What we are trying to do in conjunction with the Ministry of Education is to establish national high school championships,” Forbes said. “So we want everybody to be on the same page with regards to the sporting calendar so that at the end of each sport, we can have high school nationals.

“I think it’s a move in the right direction because for too long we have been talking about doing it. With the new ministry in place, they are all willing to do so. With their assistance, we can look forward to doing it this year. Everything is in place and we are looking forward to a good year.”

As for the movement of physical education teachers and coaches, Forbes noted that as far as he knows, only Edna Forbes has moved from CV Bethel, while Audrey Martin has also been moved from CC Sweeting to North Andros High.

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May 27, 2011

The Nassau Guardian

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Gary Campbell has compiled a noteworthy amount of Bahamian cricket records. He has been closely observing the game for 32 years since he began playing at the age of nine and along the way he has put in many hours of research.

One area of concentration for Campbell of course, was batting.

There have been many Bahamians who were terrific at batting in cricket, but overall, Eddie Ford stands clearly at the top. Many who have been a part of the Bahamian sporting scene over the last five decades, credit Ford with being the most versatile athlete The Bahamas has ever produced.

A case could be made for Fred ‘Papa’ Smith, Tom ‘The Bird/Berruti’ Grant, Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt, Roy Armbrister, Leonard ‘Boston Blackie’ Miller and a few others but if a national poll was taken and Ford emerged the winner, I doubt anybody would be annoyed.

Ford’s cricket background makes a strong argument for him. He has played professional baseball and arguably is the best centerfielder in our history. He has scored 100 points in a single basketball game. He has been one of our best softball players.

However, cricket is in my view, his top sport.

Campbell was bursting with pride when he talked about Ford who has been his mentor in cricket.

“There hasn’t been any player like Eddie. What I always liked about him is that fact that he was there to teach and help everyone. I made sure to stay around him and gain as much as I could about cricket,” said Campbell.

According to Campbell’s list, Ford is the game’s leading centurion. He has 40 centuries, followed by his brother Mario with 37, Whycliff Atkinson with 28, Kevin Ford with 20 and Ken Rodgers with 16 to round out the top five.

Eddie Ford also has the top league single-game batting mark.

In 1951, S.J. Symington who competed for the Civil Service Team, knocked in 162 runs to set the new modern day record. He didn’t remain ahead for long. Later that season, batting for St. Agnes, the legendary Tan Bain produced 167 runs not out.

That record would stand for 29 years. In 1980, Eddie Ford, for St. Bernard’s, had 180 runs not out. Four years later, he established the record that still exists for league play, 221 runs.

Ford does not own the highest single game effort ever done in the country however. In a match against an English side during the CARICOM Tournament in 1999, Atkinson knocked in 230 runs.

In league play, Rodgers, also of St. Bernard’s, is second at 210 and Mario Ford registered 207 runs while playing for the T-Bird Flyers to sit at No. 3 all time in the country.

The statistical milestones compiled by Campbell add a special flavor to our cricket history. No doubt, they will result in renewed interest in the sport, by players, fans and others within the Bahamian sporting family.

(To respond to this column, kindly contact Fred Sturrup at frobertsturrup@gmail.com)

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May 26, 2011

The Nassau Guardian

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Old records will indicate that although the Bahamas Cricket Association (BCA) was established somewhere around the late 1920s or early 1930s, the sport was being played in The Bahamas from in the 1850s. The bulk of cricket activity was in New Providence but the game was prominent also in some of the Family Islands, particularly Eleuthera, Harbour Island and Inagua.

Gary Campbell has done a lot of research and is desirous of a forum to bring much of the game’s exciting history to light. He was always a historian of sorts. Campbell informed that as a young cricket player, he began compiling newspaper clippings mostly about his very own exploits and then he got seriously into the act.

It’s a time-consuming process but Campbell believes if more people understand the “true history” of cricket, the game will reclaim the popularity of yesteryear.

“I’m fascinated with the game of cricket. I have played it and loved the game for a long time. I have enjoyed my years playing. I feel proud of what I have accomplished as a young player and afterwards, in batting and bowling and particularly in representing my country, but in my mind, there is so much more to cricket than individual accomplishments.

“Cricket was a strong point for our society back in the day. Cricket cemented the family. As a boy, I noticed that many families came out to watch cricket. It kept people together and the game connected different families. Socially, our country was much better then. Everybody knew each other directly or through families related to players. The family spirit was a big part of the legacy of cricket.

“Those of us involved with cricket have an obligation to work toward building the game again and getting it back to where it was. If we can do that we will have a much better country,” said Campbell, as we talked recently about the noble game.

He is intent upon making his contribution to a resurgence of the quality aspect of cricket through compiling historic data to educate generations of Bahamians about the sport. Campbell’s strong cricket background includes youth play from the age of nine.

At 14, he was playing for Beck’s Brewers and began developing a solid reputation for bowling and batting. Campbell recalls a missed opportunity that today, perhaps is one of the big motivating factors for him in his drive to help bring cricket back into the spotlight.

“It was during the late 1980s. The Somerset Cricket Club came in and played here. I found out later that the Somerset group was impressed enough with three Bahamians to extend an invitation to the association to have us travel to England to play at the secondary level. We were not informed of the situation. I was just 18 at the time and when I found out, I was very disappointed,” said Campbell.

Wycliff Atkinson and Andy Ford were the other two young Bahamians who were selected by Somerset. Campbell says there are lots of players with similar raw talent who can be nurtured. He is of the view that there should be a concentration by the BCA on United Kingdom cricket scholarships. It was quite refreshing to chat with Campbell and recognize the deep interest he has in boosting his sport.

I applaud his dedication. Hopefully he will get an appreciable amount of support for his cricket research/compilation project.

(To respond to this column, kindly contact Fred Sturrup at frobertsturrup@gmail.com)

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By Brent Stubbs

Monday, February 23, 2009

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By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net IT has been a big adjustment from the Bahamas to Kenya but distance runner Oneil Williams said he’s enjoying his stay there as he continues his training in preparation for a shot at qualifying for the London Olympics in August. Williams has spent the past four months training in Kapsabet, Kenya. He left the Bahamas on November 3, 2011, and is expected to return home in time for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ Scotiabank National Open Track and Field Championships at Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium June 22-23. “The training in Kenya is on another level and I would recommend any serious distance runner to train here,” said Williams when contacted during a break from training yesterday. “I came over here expecting to beat the ladies at first but the first month of training in altitude, I was getting beat by the ladies. I did not see any improvement until the second month when I started beating the ladies. The ladies I train with run half and full marathons at the world class level for example 1:08 and 2:24 respectively and that’s beating our national records.” When he originally arrived in Kenya, Williams said it was raining just about every day which prevented him from training. But he noted that they are into their sunny season which is more conducive for him to train. “The rain did not stop the training so much that I could not compete. I had several races already which show good improvement,” he said. “I ran my first 8k race in a time of 35 minutes because of the altitude and disappointment settled in. My last 8k race was in 26:47 which was a big improvement at altitude. It’s really funny because I beat most of my training partners.” When he arrived, Williams said his team-mates were not sure if he was an athlete because he was considered to be “fat.” But after he started working out and performing up to par with them, he’s now being called upon to lead the practice sessions. Williams is currently training with coach Aziz, the former coach of Jelimo Pamela, the current Olympic women’s 800 metres champion from Beijing, China. “Everyday I train twice or three times and tend to do a little extra to get a head of the guys,” he said. “There is a 40-minute run in the morning before heading to the field at 10(am) and then another 40 in the evening is a typical day. “The morning and evening runs are done on the dirt road which leads into the forest. The speed session is also done on the 400m dirt track.” At present, Williams is the only foreigner in their training camp but he noted that, in another town called Iten, there are a number of foreigners training there. “I saw Paula Radcliffe, the women’s world record holder in the marathon and Asbel Kiprop, the world and Olympic champion,” he said. At present, he is staying with the Kirwa family, but for his last six weeks in Kenya, he intends to train in Iten where the altitude is higher. Kapsabet’s altitude is 6,499 compared to Iten’s 8,000 feet above sea level. When asked if he misses home, Williams quickly stated: “Well not really. I made a sacrifice which no Bahamian in history has done and that’s coming to Kenya to train and also compete with the best distance runners in the world. Honestly, I don’t expect any competition at home. The only thing I would have been able to do is run against the clock.” When he comes home for the trials, Williams said he hopes that he will be able to get someone to help him through the first 800m in 1:54 so that he can go after the Olympic qualifying time of 3:35.50 in his specialty in the 1,500m. “When I qualify for the 1,500m I will either turn my attention to the 5,000m or the 800m because I would like to hold most of the Bahamian distance records before my career is done,” he said. So far, Williams said he’s enjoying his stay in Kenya. “I would love for Kenya to be my training ground for the rest of my career and I plan on running for five to six more years,” he said. “I like training in Kenya although the language barrier still creates a problem but I am learning Swahili so I will be fine.” Williams has expressed his thanks to the majority of the people who have helped to make his trip to Kenya possible. They include his adopted father Dionisio D’Aguilar, his boss at Grant Thornton Paul Gomez, Harrison Petty, his two adopted mothers Dawn Knowles and Kay Smith and his family and friends “who all believe in me.”