The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THERE has been no one who has freely given more of his time, energy and resources to the development of tennis in the country than Giorgio Baldacci. Now the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association is asking the country to give back to the ailing coach and administrator.

Baldacci, who is fast approaching 80 years of age, is seriously ill in Doctors Hospital. But on Saturday, the BLTA is planning a “Coin Plus Drive” at the National Tennis Center to assist with his medical expenses.

“As long as he needs help, we will continue to have fund raisers, but this is a start especially to get the kids and the general public involved,” said BLTA president Derron Donaldson. “We are just appealing to the public because Giorgio has done so much to help the public.”

Donaldson and other members of the BLTA have spoke of Baldacci’s commitment to assist Bahamian tennis players and those in need financially as well as in scholarships and, more importantly, his free time as a tennis coach and instructor.

He has also served as the captain of the Fed Cup for the women’s national Team for a number of years.

“All he was talking about in bed was the kids,” said Donaldson during his visit to Baldacci. “All he keeps saying is make sure they keep practicing. Of course he’s taught for free for a very long time. So from the association’s point of view, we are hoping that a lot of those persons whom he may have touched will come out and make their contribution.”

The idea, according to Donaldson, is for the tennis players to bring in as many coins as they can possibly gather together and then roll them up to form their contribution. Any person who also wishes to do so can do the same. Persons are even encouraged to write a cheque to Giorgio or Pennie Baldacci, his wife.

At least two of the persons who benefited greatly from Baldacci’s tremendous support expressed their gratitude.

“I can’t believe that this man is sick,” said Kim O’Kelley. “He’s a tough man. He was also fit. I hope everything goes well. It’s so sad. His wife is letting people know how he’s doing every day.”

Even though she played under Baldacci on the Fed Cup team before she retired, O’Kelley said she was just planning to host a junior tennis tournament with Baldacci.

“I’ve known Giorgio since the 1990s,” she said. “He’s trained me and travelled with me at Fed Cup. I know him as a straight forward man. He doesn’t play around. He tells it like it is. He was so fit. He always believed in fitness. He was 76 and was still coaching the kids free of charge. He doesn’t charge anything. He’s out there every day. He’s a good man. He’s a really good man.”

Nikita Fountain not only trained and played Fed Cup under Baldacci, but she remembered how he stood up for her and Larikah Russell of Grand Bahama when they were denied the opportunity to travel on the national team in the past.

“I just think he’s such a giving person. He is so loyal and he always stands up for what he believes in,” Fountain said. “I just love him. There’s no other way to say it. I went to the hospital to see him and I started crying. It’s a little bit difficult for me because I know we’ve always been very close.

“We travelled a lot together because he was the captain of our Fed Cup team for a long time. So it’s a sad situation, but I know he has a lot of people pulling for him, so hopefully he can pull through this. We all really appreciate what he has done for us.”

Fountain said if there is anything she can say about Baldacci is the fact that “he comes out and doesn’t wait for people to ask him to do anything.”

“He is always willing to work and has never asked for anything in return. He is one of our unsung heroes and we owe him a lot of gratitude.

“I don’t think a lot of people know what he’s done for our country as far as tennis is concerned. I can speak from personal experiences. You don’t have to ask him. He’s always willing to do whatever he can to assist. It’s never been to get anything in return. That’s a rare quality. He’s much loved and appreciated for anything that he’s done for everybody.”

The BLTA is just hoping that the public will come out on Saturday and drop off any financial assistance that they can to assist “Giorgio’s Medical Expenses.”