The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

“Give me my flowers now,” have been said regarding several events to honour trailblazers. But for one young man, the urgency to recognise his contribution to a whole country has become more evident. As we mourn the passing of a junior baseball icon in the recent death of Jeff Albury, we must act now.

Greg Burrows, Sr, is the visionary who can be considered the savior of baseball in the Bahamas. Yes, there is the Bahamas Baseball Association limited junior programme and the Junior Baseball League of the Bahamas, but there is the vibrant and ongoing Freedom Farm Junior Baseball Development League.

Greg founded Freedom Farm more than 30 years ago, and today we are grateful because we could have lost an entire generation. Young men needed an outlet, especially after the debacle in the baseball league.

More than 20 years ago, following the internal feuding in the Bahamas Baseball Association, the governing body of baseball in the Bahamas and the liaison to the International Baseball body, Greg founded this league. His intention was to offer the young people who had an interest in baseball to develop their talents and skills. His league started with T-Ball, then the Coach Pitching and the different age category of junior baseball.

Today, the proof is in the pudding as more than 800 young people play baseball on a regular basis and the Bahamas won the Cal Ripken Little League Baseball World Series through the Freedom Farm Baseball League. Not to go unnoticed hundreds of Bahamians received baseball scholarships through Freedom Farm. At present there are several products of Freedom Farm playing professional baseball in the United States.

Despite all of these efforts of baseball in the Bahamas, the mere fact that many more Bahamians are still missing out on millions of dollars in scholarship opportunities, has been a driving force by Greg to introduce baseball in the school system of the Bahamas. Finally, his dream of that happening is going to be realized come this September when the Ministry of Education will allow Baseball to be a part of the School Sports Curriculum.

But this tribute is about Greg Burrows, Sr, to whom the country owes a great debt. He came around at a time when the Bahamas needed a saviour. We got one in Greg.

Baseball was started years ago when the US ships came to Nassau and played baseball at Clifford Park. Many young men who were idle at the time got involved and learned the game through these sailors. This was a God-send as Bahamians benefitted greatly. Hundreds got involved in baseball and the league was started. Bahamians got opportunities to go off to college and play professional baseball. People like Andre Rodgers, Wenty Ford, Fred “Papa” Smith and countless others got their chance to play pro-ball and then come back and lend their skills and knowledge to the young men. Baseball thrived, but something happened, and the country was deprived of the opportunity for young men to get the opportunity for college and to play pro ball.

This is when Greg Burrows came on the scene and started the Freedom Farm Baseball League for young boys to learn the game and develop their skills.

More than 30 years later, hundreds of young men have gotten scholarships to play baseball because of their exposure through Freedom Farm. And to top that off, dozens got baseball contracts to play professionally. As a matter of fact, several millionaires were born when young Bahamians signed contracts and got millions as signing bonuses.

All of this took place because of Greg and his Freedom Farm Baseball League. We must say thanks to Greg and go even further by paying a national tribute to him for all that he has done.

Greg worked for Lowe’s Wholesale and his boss at the time, the late William Cash II was very fond of Greg and encouraged him in what he wanted to do. Greg would be the first to tell you that his mentor and supporter was Mr Cash, and he owes a deal to him.

Baseball is alive and kicking and expected to get even better. The opportunity for The Bahamas to be on the world stage with baseball is more evident with the soon-to-be opened national baseball stadium. In addition, the first major Little League Baseball Championship for the region will take place in the new stadium this July. Again, all of this because of Greg who is the Commissioner for the region for the Babe Ruth Little League Baseball.

Many of us put personalities first, but heck even the Alcoholics know that principles come before personalities. We must recognise Greg Burrows and pay homage to him for his contribution to the further development of baseball, especially at a time when baseball had died.

Give me my flowers now”, is what we need to do to Greg Burrows, Sr. Now is the time!

TY ORLANDER

Nassau,

March 16, 2022.