Engaging Youth: Baseball is Bahamas' fastest growing sport, says government official

WBSC welcomes latest report of baseball's growing global popularity

NASSAU, The Bahamas -- Baseball is the fastest growing sport in The Bahamas, according to government officials and media reports from the nation's leading newspaper, The Bahamas Tribune.

The island of nearly 400,000 inhabitants is geographically positioned between two elite baseball nations, current world No. 2 United States and No. 5 Cuba. Baseball is also one of the most popular sports across the Caribbean and the Americas.

Bahamas Senator Greg Burrows, who is also the president of the Freedom Farm Baseball League, said, "[Baseball is] the number one [sports] programme in the country -- the largest in the country."

"Baseball is arguably the sport with the most populous and effective development programme in the country," wrote Bahamas Tribune sports reporter Renaldo Dorsett.

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) welcomed the positive news from The Bahamas, which follows the Pakistan Government's recent decision to promote baseball, while the construction of a new baseball centre in Israel was also recently announced.

"We are truly in a new global era for baseball and softball," said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. "The added value and benefits of baseball/softball to both young people and communities is becoming more widely recognised and supported by government officials and sports ministries around the world."

Backed by Prime Minister Perry Christie and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr. Daniel Johnson, The Bahamas sports community will receive a new US$ 21 million baseball 4,500-seat stadium, "Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium".

"WBSC congratulates the baseball leaders in The Bahamas for the growth and youth-engagement that is being generated in collaboration with the Government of The Bahamas," said WBSC Pres. Fraccari.

Bahamas Baseball/Softball 2017 Opens

The Bahamas baseball/softball season officially opened in mid-January with over 75 baseball and softball teams. Boys and girls divisions range from the ages of 4 to 18. Following local championships in June, the winners will advance to the national championships.

"For 29 years, we have done what we do and try to get young people engaged in wholesome activities," Senator Burrows said, "And in this case, it is through baseball."

At the world level, The Bahamas is the two-time defending WBSC Co-Ed (Mixed) Slow Pitch Softball World Cup champions.

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Contact: media@wbsc.org, @WBSC

About the World Baseball Softball Confederation

Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland -- the Olympic Capital -- the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) is the world governing body for baseball and softball. WBSC has 213 National Federation and Associate Members in 142 countries and territories across Asia, Africa, Americas, Europe and Oceania, which represent a united baseball/softball sports movement that encompasses over 65 million athletes and attracts approximately 150 million fans to stadiums worldwide annually.

The WBSC governs all international competitions involving official National Teams. The WBSC oversees the Softball World Championships (Men, Women, U-19 Men, and U-19 Women), Premier12, World Baseball Classic, and Baseball World Cups (U-12, U-15, U-18, U-23 and Women's).

For more information, visit: http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0015SNpixFIMPHGlGP07T2IP57pVU7JpJ_Uv3ei-Nve6OWteLw7wvP6cGlsnQFjXCQ8AaA_S6J0tlSCIefZn21xMO1qI9UeFxrhgugVnHcmVGbfylqR6LPYsnUcqdemQnKypB5WZzP-hUnY0Ca6rL06DDKs3AOmKbcc&c=gtW39VBAhJQawhjgLPCsDla2Ask6_aViTNgBUFKpJZKrp6J2p9vAHQ==&ch=jCyPyKavdrOBKDfLfTIaOUDrH0toHbEUKXr89Zh6ZxxMAaIZX-TKKQ==

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