Made with Xara Web Designer
THE FORMATION OF BASEBALL IN THE BAHAMAS
Baseball in the Bahamas was formed Wednesday August 28, 1954
under the Bahamas Baseball Association in the old Y.M.C.A building
on Cockburn street. this was the beginning of Organized Baseball.
Registered as founding member was The Southern Eagles Baseball
Team, the Winnie Ann Reds, the Amateur Athletics Association, and
the Western Sporting Club. Mr. E.S.Stanley Mitchell was elected
President and Mr. Reno Brown Secretary,these two gentlement was
regarded as pioneers of Baseball in the Bahamas.another person who
was given great credit for the success of Baseball was Mr. Joseph
Moses First Vice President, and last but not least Mr. George Gardiner
Treasure. All in all these four men form a great working combination
all striving for one objective. Baseball competition was played at
Clifford Park in November of 1954. Teams were the Westerns, Blue Sox,
Falcons, Amateur Athletics, Jets, Southern Eagles, Ahepa, Braves,
Comets, St Bernard’s, and Cee Bees. Mr E.S Mitchell and Mr Reno
Brown were instrumental in the organization of baseball and in the
continued success that it enjoyed since august of 1954. The Falcons
won the first championship.in 1957 Bahamas Baseball Association
became a member of the National Baseball Congress of America. the
N.B.C has a Global Baseball Programme which covered all the
Countries in the World. this Association has help the Bahamas in
many ways to imorve the standard of baseball played here. The
Bahamas Baseball Association elected Mr. Harry Joynes their Official
Representative to the National Baseball Congress and subsequently he
became the Commissioner of Baseball for the Bahamas by the National
Baseball Congress.Being a member of the N.B.C gave the Bahamian
teams an opportunity to participate in the N.B.C 's sponsored Global
World Series. this was usually held in the United States and competing
teams came from all over the World. the then Commissioner decided
that every effort possible would be made to send the Bahamas to
Global World Series.The player was chosen from the league and was
judged on their proformances during the season. the season end early
in the summer and approximately 25 of the best player in the league
was selected and trained for about one month before the series was to
be played and then the squad was cut down to 16 players which was
the limit that a team can carry. In 1958 the Association major steps
was taken towards improving the standard of play of baseball. under
the supervision of the Commissioner the Association employed
Salaried Umpires for the first. Tex Lunn, Bernard Millar, Dennis
Fernander, Sidney Wilson and Kenneth Francis were comprise the
Association Umpiring Staff. their standard of work was very good and
gaining expreience under their belts there is no doubt that the
Umpiring has shown a considerable improvement. all the Umpires
have shown Euthusiasm Eagerness, willingness and punctuality in
their umpiring and they will be a definite credit to the Association.One
of the greatest draw backs to good baseball in the bahamas was the
lack of good playing facilities. all the games were played at Cilfford
Park and although the grounds were good it was not quite large
enough for a regular baseball park. also it was impossible to keep the
many spectators and players separated and this put an extra burden
on the the umpires in handling the games.(Stay tune for more history)
PRESERVING THE RICH HISTORY OF BASEBALL IN THE BAHAMAS