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‘BJ’ Murray to play in the Arizona Fall League

Simba FrenchSend an emailSeptember 21, 2022 68 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

In just his second professional season since being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2021 in the Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft, Bahamian Bertram ‘BJ’ Murray got a call to play for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League on Sunday.

It is a huge step in the right direction for the 22-year-old as he looks to get to the majors. Murray is currently playing for the pennant-winning South Bend Cubs in the Midwest League Championship as they take on the Lake County Captains in High-A Baseball. The Captains lead that best-of-three series 1-0. The second game was played last night, but there wasn’t any result available up to press time.

The Arizona Fall League is a six-week league that features some of the best talent in the farm system. Mesa features players from the Oakland Athletics, Cubs, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees. It gets underway on October 3.

The third baseman was called up from the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in Single-A in June to the South Bend Cubs.

He finished with a batting average of .273 in 56 games for the Cubs in the regular season. Murray posted 51 hits, five home runs, eight doubles and one triple. The former Florida Atlantic University (FAU) standout had 28 runs batted in (RBIs) and 22 runs scored. His on-base percentage was .388 and he had a slugging percentage of .406 for an on-base plus slugging (OPS) percentage of .794. He was able to steal eight bases.

Overall, this past season, he accumulated a batting average of .286, thanks to a .305 average for the Pelicans. He was able to finish with 61 RBIs, 10 home runs and 106 hits. He ended his season strong, especially in September. He went 10-for-30 and was able to finish with a batting average of .333 during the month. Murray had one home run and scored five runs during the month. Murray’s best game of the month was in the final game of the season when his Cubs took down the Cedar Rapids, 9-2. In that game, Murray was impressive, going 3-for-4 and scoring one run. He was able to steal a base.

In the four postseason games, he is averaging a batting average of .462 and has gone 6-for-13. He has two runs scored and two RBIs to go along with eight total bases. His on-base percentage in the postseason is .563 and his slugging percentage is .615 for a 1.171 OPS.

In the first game in the championship against the Captains, the infielder was impressive at the plate, going 3-for-4, scoring two runs and hitting two doubles.

The Bahamian and the Mesa Solar Sox will kick off the Arizona Fall League on Monday October 3 against the Scottsdale Scorpions at 6.35 p.m.

Bahamians Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm Jr. and Lucius Fox Jr., who were the seventh and eighth Bahamians to be called up to the majors, both played in the Arizona Fall League. Chisholm is a starting infielder with the Miami Marlins and Fox got his call-up with the Washington Nationals but has since been sent down to the club’s Triple-A affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings.

https://thenassauguardian.com/bj-murray-to-play-in-the-arizona-fall-league/

PRO baseball player Chavez Fernander in action for Great Britain. Photo: Great Britain Baseball

As of Tuesday, September 20, 2022

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D’Shawn Knowles in action for Great Britain. Photo: Great Britain Baseball

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Team Great Britain has dominated competition thus far at the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers and is now one win away from advancing to the marquee tournament in 2023.

#Great Britain is slated to face Spain at 1pm today at the Armin Wolf Arena in Regensburg, Germany. The winner joins the list of qualifiers at the World Baseball Classic next March, while the loser will be relegated but will still have an opportunity to qualify with a win in the third-place game.

#All WBC qualifying games will be broadcast on MLB.com, at Worldbaseballclassic.com and on the World Baseball Classic’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

#The Great Britain roster includes outfielders Anfernee Seymour and D’Shawn Knowles, pitchers Tahnaj Thomas and Chavez Fernander, catcher Ural Forbes and Albert Cartwright as a member of the coaching staff.

#Cartwright has served as the first base coach through the first two games of the tournament.

#Great Britain is currently ranked at no.23 in the WBSC rankings while Spain is ranked no.19.

#GB opened the tournament with a 14-4 win over no. 22 France in a game that was stopped after eight innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

#Seymour went 3-5 with 3 RBI and scored three runs. Knowles went 1-3 with an RBI and scored two runs.

#Britain scored in each of the final six innings. Every Great Britain starter reached base at least once, and all but one had at least one hit.

#In game two, Seymour and Knowles continued their production at the plate, while both pitchers saw action in relief duty. Great Britain scored an 8-1 win over the host country Germany to advance to the first-place game.

#Seymour finished 2-4 with two RBI and scored two runs with a stolen base while Knowles was 2-4 with a stolen base.

#Fernander took the mound in the eighth inning and recorded one strikeout.

#Thomas closed out the game in the ninth inning and also recorded a strikeout. Six Great Britain pitchers held Germany to just one run on four hits. The game went into a rain delay during the top of the fifth inning with Great Britain leading 3-1.

#Once play resumed, they added five more runs, including Seymour’s two-run triple. Germany and Panama serve as the two respective sites of the qualifiers this fall. Each location will host a six-team pool, with the top two teams from each qualifier advancing to the main event in March 2023.

#The Pool B Qualifier is scheduled for September 30 to October 5 in Panama City and includes no. 13 Panama, no. 15 Nicaragua, no. 25 Brazil, no. 27 Argentina, no. 31 Pakistan, and no. 46 New Zealand.

#The newly expanded 20-team, top-tier global tournament serves as the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s official professional-level National Team World Championship

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/20/one-win-away-wbc-qualification/?news

CONNECTICUT Sun’s Jonquel Jones during Game 4 the WNBA Finals on Sunday in Uncasville, Connecticut. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

As of Tuesday, September 20, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE 2022 season ended on a disappointing note for Jonquel Jones and her Connecticut Sun.

#The Sun were defeated by the Las Vegas Aces 78-71 Sunday night in game four of the WNBA Finals. The Aces closed out the series with a 3-1 edge to claim their first title in franchise history.

#Jones finished with 13 points and eight rebounds.

#Trailing 73-71 with 1:18 left to play, Jones pulled down an offensive rebound but was unable to convert the putback amid a trio of Aces defenders.

#Las Vegas followed with a 5-0 run in the final minute to close out the game and the series.

#“This team has heart. This team has a lot of pride. This team, everybody has made sacrifices for us to be able to be back here,” Jones said. “The chips didn’t fall the way we wanted them to. But there’s a lot of selflessness and a lot of sacrifices to be able to have this team back together and make this run.”

#Jones averaged 16 points and 8.3 rebounds over the course of the series.

#“You know, while it’s tough and it’s disappointing, we get to say that we were one of the last two teams standing and playing for a championship,” Jones said.

#“So I’ve got a lot of pride and a lot of joy with the moments that I’ve had with this team and have the ladies that have been ready to play with every night.”

#It was the Sun’s second appearance in the WNBA Finals in the last three years following a 2019 loss to the Washington Mystics. The Sun have exited the playoffs in the semifinals or finals in the last four seasons.

#The Sun also hold the unenviable record of being the franchise with the most WNBA postseason wins (37) without a title.

#“Incredibly proud of our team and our resilience and our fight. It was a grind out there, both teams playing so hard, both teams playing so well in stretches defensively, and just incredibly proud of our effort….It was a great game and great for our league,” said Sun head coach Curt Miller.

#“Our team, we talk about it, that it’s going to hurt when you care as much as we do, and they put their hearts and soul into seasons. When you come up short, it really hurts. That means that there was something that mattered and something special amongst that group of players when it hurts that much.”

#Jones had a 2022 season to remember following her 2021 MVP campaign.

#She was named to the All- WNBA Second Team, the All Defensive Second Team, and received her fourth WNBA All- Star selection, voted a starter for a third time.

#Jones led the Sun in points (14.6), rebounds (8.6) and blocks (1.2) per game. Jones hit a plethora of career milestones this season, moving into first all-time in blocks (270), third all-time in rebounds (1,633) and sixth all-time in points (2,657) in Connecticut Sun franchise history.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/20/wnba-finals-jonquel-jones-and-sun-are-eliminated/?news

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As of Tuesday, September 20, 2022

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#FOR the third time in the past decade, the Miami Heat will make the Bahamas a part of their training camp.

#Over the weekend, the Heat revealed that their 2022 Training Camp, presented by Baptist Health, will be staged at Baha Mar from September 27 to October 1.

#The Heat announced that following their Media Day on Monday, September 26 at the FTX Arena, the Heat will conduct their two-day practice sessions from Tuesday to Thursday at Baha Mar, the award-winning luxury resort’s Convention, Arts and Entertainment Centre.

#Following the training sessions, the Heat will host a practice session opened to invited guests and kids from the Bahamas Basketball Federation before they return to Miami on Saturday. The Heat previously hosted their training camps here at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island in 2013 and again in 2016. The Heat said it had intended to come back, but because of the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, they stayed in Florida for their camps either at FTX Arena or in Palm Beach County.

#Heat’s head coach Erik Spoelstra said the last time they came in the Bahamas certainly benefitted the Heat and his players.

#“We spent so much time together and really tried to get to know each other,” he said. “We spent a lot of time on the court but we spent a lot of time off the court. That’s why I love going away. It gives you a little bit of a start on that.”

#The Heat, led by the 1-2-3 punch of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Victor Oladipo, are coming off a 53-29 win-loss record to win the Eastern Conference.

#After defeating the Atlanta Hawks 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs and earning a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round, only to get eliminated in a 4-3 decision to the Boston Celtics in the divisional finals.

#Following the training camp here, the Heat will participate in their pre-season from Monday, October 3 to Wednesday, October 12 before their regular season starts at home against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, October 19.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/20/heat-make-bahamas-part-training-camp/?news

RASHIELD Williams’ arm is raised by the ring referee after he won his fight on Saturday.

As of Tuesday, September 20, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER taking a brief break from competing at the Commonwealth Games, Rashield Williams returned to the pro ranks where he secured another impressive victory.

#On Saturday, Williams stopped American Daniel Arriaga one minute and 25 seconds in the second round of their welterweight bout at the Alessi Gym Fitness Center, Tampa, Florida.

#It was Williams’ fifth straight victory in seven fights since making his pro debut on February 9, 2019 against Carlos Monroy. Williams then suffered his first and only loss on March 22, 2019 against Javaune James before he reeled off his next five bouts, including Saturday’s win over his southpaw opponent Arriaga.

#“The fight went very good. I went in there and I picked my shots,” said Williams of his latest performance.

#“I dropped him twice in the first round and in the second round, I stopped him.”

#With a hook and a straight right to the head of James, Williams sealed the deal. “I stopped him. It was a TKO, but I didn’t get a chance to catch him as clean as I wanted to,” Williams said. “But thank God for the TKO win. I accept it.”

#Williams, coming off his loss in his only match he competed in during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England in August when he had to shed about 11 pounds to make the weight, said he was delighted to be back in his comfort zone. “It was real nice. It was really exciting to get back in the ring,” said Williams, who resides and trains out of Miami, Florida. “I was really anxious, I couldn’t wait. It was a great feeling.”

#Williams, a 33-year-old orthodox fighter, is expected to be back in the ring next month when he competes in his eighth fight and hopefully secures his sixth straight victory.

#Arriaga, 32, dropped to 2-5-2 with his third consecutive loss

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/20/williams-win-column/?news

As of Tuesday, September 20, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#THE Atlantis Titans solidified third place in the men’s division, while the Sunshine Auto Wildcats wrapped up another ladies’ pennant on Saturday as the New Providence Softball Association completed its regular season and now prepares for the playoffs this weekend.

#The Titans pulled off a 12-10 victory over the Chances Mighty Mitts to improve their win-loss record to 4-7 for third place behind the front-running defending champions C&S Hitmen (10-1) and second place Marlins (10-2).

#Chances Mighty Mitts nipped the Renegades 11-10 on Sunday night to finish in fourth at 3-8 and will face the Hitmen in the playoffs. The Renegades have been eliminated with a 1-10 record in fifth place. Although they didn’t play because of a defaulted win over the Johnson Lady Truckers, the Wildcats moved to 8-3, but the game was played under protest with the outcome deciding on their close race with the RAB Operators, who are 9-3.

#The Johnson Lady Truckers, who out-slugged the Black Scorpions 17-14 in Sunday’s ladies’ opener, are now tied with the University of the Bahamas Mingoes at 5-6. The Black Scorpions have been eliminated at 1-10.

#In other games played over the weekend, the Marlins out-slugged the Renegades 20-12 on the men’s side, while in a pair of ladies’ games, the University of the Bahamas Mingoes knocked off the Black Scorpions 14-2 and the Operators routed the Black Scorpions 14-1.

#Titans 12, Mighty Mitts 10: Veteran left fielder Windsor Bethel enjoyed a 3-for-4 night with four runs batted in, including a three-run double in a three-run sixth inning to seal the deal for Atlantis.

#First baseman Marino Cartwright was a perfect 3-for-3 with a RBI and four runs scored, second baseman Andre Gardiner Jr was 1-for-4 with two runs scored, centre fielder Anthony Fowler Jr was 1-for-4 with a RBI and Angelo Dillet, who ended up pitching, was 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored. “We had a little rough start and that allowed them to get into the game, but in the end, we held strong and pushed through and did what we had to do,” Dillet said. “This was a very important game for us because we didn’t want to finish in the fourth spot. “We now face the Marlins. It’s going to be a physical series, but we just have to tighten up things a bit and play our mental game. Anything could happen between the lines, but we have a very good chance once we get the right nine on the field.”

#Stephan McKenzie went 4-for-4 with a RBI and three runs, left fielder Juniel Bain was 1-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, first baseman Christopher McPhee was 3-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored and right fielder Christopher Wright was 1-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.

#While they waited for the outcome of Saturday’s game, the Wildcats enjoyed a festive night, celebrating the 80th birthday of their sponsor, Deanza ‘Sunny’ Cox.

#“We had a lot of injuries, but everybody is now back,” said Wildcats’ manager Anthony Bullard. “Now that we have all of our starters back, we could go even further in our bid to win another championship title. Everybody knows their role and if the starters are not there on time, we have sufficient players to pick up the slack.”

#The Wildcats won three pennant and championships back-to-back before the pandemic hit in 2020.

#Looking at the return of the league this year, the first full season since they enjoyed their winning streak, Bullard said they have to be concerned about every team they play, but they know their opponents are just as concerned about them.

#Mingoes 14, Black Scorpions 2: Breanna Hield, who gave up four hits with four strike outs, went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored to pace the University of the Bahamas in their win on Friday night.

#Catcher Nabria Hamilton was 2-for-3 with three runs, shortstop Adonya Rolle was 1-for-3 with two runs and first sacker Sophia Cartwright was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored to help out in the win as they produced 11 runs in the first inning to blow the game open.

#First sacker Akia Rolle was 2-for-2 with two RBI, third sacker Therell McKenzie was 1-for-2 with a run scored and Vashauna Bastian was 1-for-2 with a RBI for the Black Scorpions. Nacara Gilbert suffered the loss on 11 hits with a strike out.

#Marlins 20, Renegades 12: Centre fielder Angelo Watson went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored to earn the MVP honours for Sigma. Pitcher Thomas Davis, playing first base, went 2-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored, Eugene Pratt was 1-for-4 with a RBI and three runs scored, Stephen Russell was 1-for-1 with two RBI and five runs scored, Winston Seymour was 1-for-4 with two runs scored, Kristan Collie was 1-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored and Ellis Adderley was 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored.

#Deon Whyte came in relief for Dwayne Dean for the win for the Marlins. Nathan Darling was tagged with the loss.

#Amahj McPhee was 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored, Dylan Culmer was 2-for-2 with four RBI and two runs scored, Charles Major was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored and Christopher Jennings was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

#Operators 14, Black Scorpions 1: Third sacker Latoya Jackson enjoyed a perfect 3-for-3 night with four RBI and three runs in their win on Thursday as they scored five runs in the first, six in the second and three in the third.

#Catcher Brianna Knowles was also perfect at 2-for-2 with three RBI and a run scored, second sacker Katrel Dorsette was 1-for-1 with two RBI and a run scored and winning pitcher Brendia Ferguson fired a one hitter with eight strike outs in their abbreviated victory.

#Second sacker Therell McKenzie got the only hit for the Black Scorpions, whose Nacara Gilbert gave up 11 hits with s strike out in a losing effort.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/20/wildcats-win-ladies-pennant-titans-end-third/?news

SHOWN, from left to right, Alan Loane, commodore of The Nassau Yacht Club, sailor William Bain, Emma Tinkler, regatta chair, Akone Cumberbatch, Fidelity Bank Donations Committee member, sailor Zane Munro, Lori Lowe, president of The Bahamas Sailing Association and Antonio Saunders, Fidelity Bank marketing and media manager.

As of Tuesday, September 20, 2022

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#FIDELITY Bank (Bahamas) Ltd. has donated generous sponsorship to The Bahamas Sailing Association to support this year’s Optimist National Championship, the largest national junior event on the country’s sailing calendar.

#Based on Fidelity’s guiding philosophy of “We’re Good For You”, their donations committee’s primary goal is to contribute to the creation and maintenance of educational and vocational opportunities for youth in The Bahamas, giving away thousands of dollars each year to activities which support community and youth development and improve the socio-economic conditions of Bahamians.

#The event will be hosted by The Nassau Yacht Club September 30 to October 2.

#This annual regatta is held at a different island location each year with young sailors aged eight to 15 years old coming together from throughout the country to sail in the iconic little Optimist boat. This year the expected participation is set to be around 90 children.

#The Sailing Association is particularly excited to be welcoming back sailors from Hope Town and Freeport, their first visit since the ravages of Hurricane Dorian destroyed their sailing clubs, boats and equipment.

#Other contingents are heading to Nassau from Eleuthera, Exuma and Harbour Island to race against their New Providence-based rivals.

#As this is an “open” championship, non-Bahamians are welcome to compete and, to this end, there are a number of children from the United States oming to the event.

#All participants receive medals, the top finishers in each fleet receive trophies and the top-placed Bahamian sailor will receive the prestigious Geoffrey Holowesko Perpetual Trophy and be awarded the national title.

#The organising committee wishes to also thank JS Johnson, which has continued to support numerous events and junior sailing programmes and initiatives over the years and have also given a generous contribution towards financing this championship.

#Thanks also goes to several other businesses for donating products, including Aquapure, Home Fabrics, Thompson Trading, Panama Jack, Sands Beer, Abaco Big Bird and the Nassau Yacht Club, who are providing all the food throughout the weekend at a substantially reduced cost for the sailors and their entourages.

#As non-profit organisations, the Bahamas Sailing Association and the Bahamas National Sailing School cannot run events such as this without the support of sponsorship and the assistance of many volunteers.

#Emma Tinkler, event chairperson, believes this year’s Optimist National Championship will be a huge success thanks to all who are working tirelessly to make it happen.

#Watch out for the action in Montagu Bay next weekend.

JONQUEL Jones shoots last night. (AP Photos/Jessica Hill)

As of Friday, September 16, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#On a night where Jonquel Jones was awarded her fourth All-WNBA selection, her Connecticut Sun staved off elimination in game three of the WNBA Finals.

#Jones finished with 20 points, five rebounds and four assists in the Sun’s 105-76 win over the Las Vegas Aces last night at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

#She shot 8-12 from the field and made her only three-point attempt. Jones’ teammate, Alyssa Thomas recorded the first triple-double in WNBA Finals history with 14 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

#The Sun are now 4-0 in elimination games in the playoffs so far this postseason.

ACES’ A’ja Wilson dribbles as Sun’s Jonquel Jones defends during the first half in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals last night in Uncasville, Connecticut.

#The Aces raced out to an early 12-4 lead, but the Sun responded with one of their most dominant stretches of the postseason. They eventually outscored the Aces 34-19 at the end of the first quarter and took control for good. They maintained a double figure lead at the half, 53-42, and took a 77-69 lead headed into the fourth.

#Connecticut’s all-time postseason record is now above .500 at 37-36. Sun head coach Curt Miller’s WNBA Finals Record is now 3-5. The best-of-five series continues in Connecticut for game four, September 18 at 4pm, broadcast live on ESPN.

#A fifth and deciding game, if necessary, will be hosted by the Aces at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 20.

#Jones had 15 points and nine rebounds in a game one 67-64 loss followed by 16 points and 11 rebounds in an 85-71 loss in game two.

#Prior to the game, Jones was named an All-WNBA Second Team selection. She received 12 first team votes and 22 second team votes for a score of 126.

#The 2022 All-WNBA Second Team also includes Jones’ teammate Alyssa Thomas (175 points), New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (168), Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike (141), and Minnesota Lynx center Sylvia Fowles (65).

#Voting for the All-WNBA Team was conducted at the conclusion of the regular season.

#For the first time, players were selected without regard for position.

#Players received five points for each First Team vote and three points for each Second Team vote.

#Jones led the Sun in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots with averages of 14.6 points (17th in WNBA), 8.6 rebounds (fourth) and 1.15 blocks (seventh).

#The 6-6 Jones was selected to the WNBA All-Defensive Team for the third time. The All-WNBA First Team included the Aces’ A’ja Wilson (280 points), Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart (280), Aces guard Kelsey Plum (265), Phoenix Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith (183) and Chicago Sky center-forward Candace Parker (183).

#Each member of the All- WNBA First Team will receive $10,300 and each member of the Second Team will receive $5,150.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/16/jonquel-jones-sun-stay-alive-connecticut-routs-las/?news

As of Friday, September 16, 2022

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JACOB HIGGINS, the owner of the Class B boat, The Cobra, passed away on Sunday at his family homestead in Yellow Elder.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#SLOOP sailing boat owner Jacob Higgins was not just remembered for the pioneering role he played as a competitive sailor, but as an executive chef, who helped to inspire so many of his family and friends.

#Higgins, the owner of the Cobra, a Class B boat, passed away on Sunday at his family homestead in Yellow Elder.

#The 82-year-old native of Pirates Well, Mayaguana, leaves behind seven daughters and five sons.

#Clyde Rolle, vice commodore of the National Family Island Regatta in Exuma, said he was able to benefit so much from the late Higgins, whom he considers to be one of his idols.

#“He was a former five-time national champion with the Cobra, who was featured in a number of sailing magazines,” Rolle said. “The Cobra is still a very popular boat. He was like a father to me. He made an invaluable contribution to sailing.”

#For his efforts, the National Family Island Regatta committee, headed by Danny Strachan, honoured the late Higgins and Stafford Armbrister during the last National Family Island Regatta held in Georgetown, Exuma in 2019 before COVID-19 halted the popular event until it returned this year.

#“We recognised his contributions and we asked him to become a part of our race committee in 2019 and he gratefully accepted, the same year that we honoured him and Stafford,” Rolle said. “It was long in coming. He made his contribution, but we were glad to honour him.”

#Rolle, who also sailed the Cobra on a number of times for Higgins, said he could always count on him for his advice. He noted that he will definitely be missed by the sailing sloop community for the contribution he made along with the late Cassius Moss, King Eric Gibson and Rollie ‘the Grand Master’ Gray.

#Higgins’ son, Dwayne Higgins, who followed in his father’s footsteps in sailing, said he was a “strong, resilient and committed” person, who was very disciplined and exhibited a lot of high standards that he expected others to emulate.

#“I could remember him especially for his tenacious spirit because nobody could shake his conviction,” Higgins said. “If only one person supported his position, he still stuck with it.”

#As an executive chef, listed as the first as a Bahamian, Higgins was known for his employment at a number of establishments, including the Sheraton British Colonial Hotel, Emerald Beach, Lucayan Beach, Balmoral Beach, the Pilot House and Holiday Inn, just to name a few.

#“He came from humble beginnings as a person cleaning the floor to being elevated to executive chef,” said Dwayne Higgins, whose brother Marcellus and sister Natchie Dean have followed in their father’s footsteps in the culinary industry.

#“He really pulled himself up by his bootstraps and made it happen. He was really a trailblazer as a chef.”

#As a child growing up in Mayaguana, Higgins developed an affinity for sailing.

#He first owned a boat called “the Snake” before he got another one called “Trouble Maker,” which evolved into the Cobra.

#“Daddy owned the boat, but he had a number of people who captained it for him,” Dwayne Higgins said.

#Dwayne Higgins, an educator by profession, eventually owned his own boat, Jacob’s Ladder – a Class C boat that he named in honour of his father.

#“He came from really humble beginnings, having to leave school at a very early age to go to work at the naval base,” Dwayne Higgins said.

#“He always wanted people to know that despite your beginning, it doesn’t determine your outcome. It ain’t how you start, but how you make the best of what you have to become what you are.”

#In addition to Dwayne, Marcellus and Natchie, Higgins’ other children are Sheral and Donna Higgins, Carmen Rolle, Darnell, Bonnie and Madonna Higgins, Melvin and Dwight Higgins and Ricardo Penn.

#He also has two sisters Mabel Bodie and Vernita Ellis and two brothers Huel Williamson and Nathaniel Higgins and a number of grand and great grandchildren.

#The Tribune Sports Departments extends its condolences to the Higgins family.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/16/jacob-higgins-dies-his-family-home-yellow-elder-ga/?news

ANDY and Nancy Knowles with Let’s Swim Bahamas mascots Tim and Snorkel.

As of Friday, September 16, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER spending the past 15 years teaching primary school students the basic skills in swimming, the Let’s Swim Bahamas programme will provide a private premiere documentary on their progress made so far.

#On Tuesday at 6pm at the University of the Bahamas, the husband and wife team of Andy and Nancy Knowles will show the LSB documentary to provide more awareness of the importance of learning how to swim.

#“When we started this programme 15 years ago, we only got started with one school, but now we have worked with over 10 schools,” said Andy Knowles, who along with Nancy, have been responsible for providing an opportunity for countless young people to learn to swim.

#The duo were previously responsible for the formation of Swift Swimming, one of the most successful clubs in the Bahamas Aquatics, formerly the Bahamas Swimming Federation, which gave rise to some of the top swimmers in the country, including Olympians Jeremy Knowles and Allan Murray.

#The LSB programme got started in 2008 with students from the Thelma Gibson Primary School. The Knowles are now working with 10 primary schools with Sadie Curtis, Sandilands, Eva Hilton, TG Glover, Stephen Dillette, Woodcock, Albury Sayles, Adelaide and Gambier joining Thelma Gibson.

#“We have been encouraged by the response, with each school willing to work with us, that includes principals, teachers and administration,” Andy Knowles said.

#“Would like to see a better response from parents willing to sign their kids up for the learn to swim programme, we have averaged about 46 percent of the students taking advantage of the swimming.”

#The programme was relaunched in March through June this year.

#On June 23 at Baha Bay, LSB worked with Melissa Lockwood from Baha Mar and Olivia Daxon, principal of Thelma Gibson School and 55 children to participate in a worldwide swimming event.

#Jeremy Knowles along with Baha Mar’s lifeguard, Linda Hall, assisted in the lesson plan.

#“Once the lesson was over, the children and their families were able to spend the rest of the day at Baha Bay playing in the water park. This will definitely be a LSB annual event.

#While they are based here in New Providence, the Knowles plan on expanding the programme throughout the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. But for now, they are content with what they have accomplished here so far.

#“We are pleased with what we have been able to accomplish with the 10 schools, including the many thousands of students we have taught and the many tens of thousands of lessons we have taught,” Andy Knowles said.

#As they move forward, coming out of the pandemic which forced the programme to be put on hold over the past two years, Andy Knowles said they are eager to resume the programme following the launch of the documentary next week.

#Knowles said they intend to continue to improve their registration process to be quick, efficient, thorough, with emphasis on sticking to the deadline for registration. “We are now using our Facebook page to get the word out about signing up for the lessons and have had over 7000+ shares so far.

#“With the financial help from our sponsor ATEOS, they hope to be able to print and distribute to all the Government Primary Schools throughout The Bahamas the 3rd edition of the Let’s Swim Bahamas Water Safety Colouring and Activity Book and Posters.

#Eventually, they want to show two mini premiere documentaries for fund-raising and then air on ZNS TV for the general public.

#With the assistance of the Defence Force, headed by Commodore Dr Raymond King, LSB would like to work out the details for using members of the Defence Force as coaches, especially for the South Beach Pool site.

#And LSB will continue to work to add new sites and schools with the goal to have five sites and 18 schools (out of the 24 schools in New Providence) ready to start the programme in September 2023.

#“We want to increase the percentage of kids who sign up and the number of schools we work with and the teaching all the grades from 1 to 6 and getting to have all 24 primary schools in NP on board,” he said.

#With the Bahamas being an archipelago of islands, Andy Knowles said their goal is to get all Bahamians able to swim and enjoy the God-given beautiful seas surrounding us.

#Today, Andy and Nancy head a LSB programme that receives tremendous help from students, parents, retired workers, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and many others who learn about LSB and the impact they can have by being a part of the programme.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/16/andy-and-nancy-knowles-show-lets-swim-bahamas-docu/?news