The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH the opening of the new Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium, the Bahamas Baseball Association has decided to bring its G-Ball Andre Rodgers National Baseball Championships back to New Providence.

The event, which was moved to Grand Bahama about 10 years ago, will be in New Providence for the second consecutive year and will be played from Thursday to Sunday at the new stadium for teams in the youth under-16 and senior 20-and under divisions. The coach pitch for 8-and-under, minors 10-and-under, the majors 12-and-under and the juniors 14-and-under will get started on Friday at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

BBA secretary general Theodore ‘Teddy’ Sweeting said this will be the 20th edition of the championships that got started back in 2003.

This year’s honoree will be the late Calvin ‘Cow’ Martin of Grand Bahama, who passed away last year.

Martin was instrumental in assisting the BBA in the formation of the championships.

“We just want to show our respect to him as his daughter will be there to receive an award from us during the opening ceremonies on Thursday night at the new Andre Rodgers Stadium,” Sweeting said.

The ceremonies will get started at 6:30pm with an awards presentation, led by Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg.

The featured game in the youth 16-and under division will be played between Freedom Farm and the Legacy Baseball League out of Grand Bahama.

“It will be a very interesting matchup because Legacy has a very strong team, composed of a lot of players who are playing in the various academies and high schools in the United States,” Sweeting said.

“They feel they are very strong and feel they deserve to be highlighted in that area. But they will no doubt have their hands filled with Freedom Farm, who also boast of having some very talented players of that age group who are also playing overseas.”

Tickets are priced at $7 for children and $12 for adults for the one day pass, but persons purchasing their ticket for Thursday’s opening will be allowed to use their band for Friday’s action, which will get started at 8am at both the new stadium with the under-18 and at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex with the other age group competition.

Tickets for the three days combined are priced at $30 for adults and $15 for children, which will allow them access into both the new stadium and the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

Teams will be participating from the Abaco Youth Baseball and Softball League, North Abaco Big Nige Baseball League, Community Baseball League, Ed Armbrister Baseball League, Freedom Farm Baseball League, Junior Baseball League of Nassau, Grand Bahama Little League, Grand Bahama Amateur Baseball League and Legacy Baseball League.

The Brice-Newball Foundation is this year’s title sponsor. They will be joined by other sponsors, including Vitamalt, Global Sun, G-Ball, Reloaded Baseball, Insurance Management, Gatorade, Focol out of Grand Bahama and Bahamasair, the national airline of the Bahamas.

Sweeting said the sponsors are banding together to help the association put on a spectacular show as they christen the new stadium during this year’s championships.

“It’s going to be a wonderful time for everybody to come out and watch us as we celebrate baseball in this country during our national championships,” Sweeting said.

The championships was originally staged in New Providence for 10 consecutive years, but it was switched to Grand Bahama, which became the home of the championships for almost a decade.

“The fans can expect a lot of competition from our top leagues, Freedom Farm, JBLN and Grand Bahama Aamateur League as well as Legacy Baseball League,” Sweeting projected.

“They will be providing a lot of competition for the scouts who will be in town. We will have some college coaches in town as well as they get to see some of our best talent compete and do their evaluation.”

On Thursday, Sweeting said there will be a College Showcase in the stadium from 10am to 4pm where at least 10 players coming from the United States will be joining a number of local players.

And the action will be viewed by about four college coaches coming in for the championships.

“We want to do it every year before the nationals so that we can give our young men the opportunity to be exposed to the visiting college and pro scouts who come down for the championships,” Sweeting said.

The championship will conclude on Sunday with the bronze and gold medal games. In the event that there is rain this weekend, Sweeting said there have been some provisional plans to play at various sites at Freedom Farm and the JBLN’s Field of Dreams.