Sons of the Soil Giving Back Through Baseball in a Major Way

28 - SPORT 28 THE FREEPORT NEWS Thursday, December 20, 2018 SPORTS Sons of the soil giving back through baseball in a major way CAMP TO KICK OFF 2019 – The Chavez Young Baseball Camp will get the ball rolling for a number of campers on the island when it kicks off 2019, January 2-3. (PHOTO: SHAYNE STUBBS) (From Page 23) Perez from Grambling State College and Josh- ferent Clothing Apparel. stations on the in-field and out-field.” ua Palacios who is also from the Blue Jays, “We’ll also be donating shirts for the campers Young noted that this edition of his baseball really good year.” Richard Palacios from the Cleveland Indians, as well.” camp could not be possible without the assis- As for Young’s baseball camp, the two-day C.J. Lorianos who is a speed and conditioning When asked what the campers could expect, tance of all the sponsors that bought into his session will feature a number of professional coach. Young voiced, “What I was trained to do com- vision. players and coaches running the kids through “Bo Bichette from the Blue Jays, Chris Ber- ing, was go straight into playing. So I want them “Thanks to all my sponsors for making this drills. However the Toronto Blue Jays’ Minor nard who is another strength and conditioning to go through a day of what I would go through possible just not just for me but for seeing the Leaguer voiced that this camp will be different. coach, Matt Young - the hitting coach for the if I was playing or going to practice. vision for the kids here to give hope and to let There is no registration fee for the camp. Blue Jays, Ian Young - Built Different CEO of “So we’ll be doing things like dynamic stretch- all these kids here know that dreams do come “Persons who will be at the camp will be Chris Clothing Apparel and Justin Lopez of Built Dif- ing with my strength coach. And we’ll also have true and sky’s the limit,” he concluded. Testimonial banquet being organized to honor iconic Coach Moon McPhee (Sports Scope is taking a daughter Yolett McPhee-Mc- the capital island of New Prov- Christmas Break. Over the re- Cuin, the Head Coach of the idence before he moved to mainder of the Christmas Sea- Women’s Basketball Program Grand Bahama almost 50 years son, Sports Scope reruns that at the University of Mississippi. ago. remain timely and significant COACH GLADSTONE On top of having those afore- It was Coach McPhee who to this moment in time, will ‘MOON’ MCPHEE mentioned stalwarts on his ré- inspired others in basketball in be published. Beginning on sumé, McPhee has been a leg- Grand Bahama, to new levels Thursday, January 3, current endary recruiter, thus providing of accomplishments. He turned columns will resume.Today’s scholarships for scores of Baha- Catholic High into a paceset- Sports Scope was published mians; he was a national coach ter for Grand Bahama in suc- initially on November 10, with success regionally and in- cess against the best teams in 2018) ternationally; his service to bas- the country, in particular New ketball extended to being presi- Providence. His first of three Over 50 years of mentoring, dent of the Bahamas Basketball Hugh Campbell Champion- nurturing and being the catalyst Federation; he is a strong advo- ships set the stage for Grand for the development of some cate of equality for females in Bahama’s climb to the top of of the nation’s finest basketball basketball; McPhee founded national high school basketball. players, will officially be rec- the HOYTES (Helping Our Indeed, he was the prime cat- ognized in September of 2019 Youth Through Education and alyst for the basketball resur- with a grand testimonial ban- Sports) Program that is ongo- gence in Grand Bahama. quet for the phenomenal Coach ing after 35 years; and he stages McPhee these days, in his ear- Gladstone “Moon” McPhee, in two tournaments each year. ly 70s, still is very active and Freeport, Grand Bahama. Steeped in basketball acu- as such, continues to be a ma- The Grand Bahama Sports men and international contacts, jor player in national basketball Promotion Association (GB- Sports McPhee was often, during the development. SPA) is heading the initiative to early years, offered opportuni- I am honored to have been pay tribute to one of the great ties to assist with programs in closely associated with Coach sons of the Bahamian soil. Scope the United States. He declined Moon McPhee for more than McPhee, within the national in each case, because of an im- five decades and to be involved basketball family, is on par with by Fred Sturrup mense love for his country and with the organization, the GB- legends such as the late Leviti- the “delightful feeling” he said SPA, that will be saluting him cus “Uncle Lou” Adderley and he always got when a young next year. Vincent “Geech” Ferguson, in the argument that in career velopment in the sport. ly development of National Bahamian advanced from un- Continued best wishes Moon! having run the board in con- enhancement of basketball, Where the separation comes is Basketball Association (NBA) der his wings to loftier heights • To respond to this column, tributing to basketball advance- McPhee has edged ahead of the the fact that presently, McPhee third-year player Buddy Hield; in the game. kindly contact Fred Sturrup at ment in the country. men who paved the way for him can take ownership of having All-World female player Jon- McPhee’s very own sports [email protected] or on Actually, one could make and assisted in his personal de- been responsible for the ear- quel Jones; as well as his development came about in WhatsApp at727-6363. MLB, UNION, CUBA REACH DEAL FOR PLAYERS TO SIGN HAVANA (AP) — Major League Baseball.” ternational Chamber of Com- league contract. He may use Hernandez, Aroldis Chapman exercised options. League Baseball, its players’ Depending on the quality of merce. a representative other than and others became stars in re- For minor league contracts, association and the Cuban future players, the agreement “Establishing a safe, legal an agent to negotiate a minor cent decades, others have been the fee will be 25 percent of the Baseball Federation reached an could mean millions of dollars process for entry to our system league deal. big-money busts. Outfielder signing bonus, and there will be agreement that will allow play- in future income for the cash- is the most important step we U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, an Arizo- Rusney Castillo agreed to a a supplemental fee for any for- ers from the island to sign big poor Cuban federation, which can take to ending the exploita- na Republic, called it a “homer- $72.5 million, seven-year con- eign professionals who at first league contracts without defect- has seen the quality of players tion and endangerment of Cu- un agreement,” tweeting “This tract with Boston in 2014 and agree to minor league deals that ing, an effort to eliminate the and facilities decline in recent ban players who pursue careers deal will make life better for has appeared in just 99 games include major league terms that dangerous trafficking that had years as talent went overseas. in Major League Baseball,” Cuban baseball players, who with the Red Sox while playing later come into force. gone on for decades. The agreement marks a step union head Tony Clark said in will no longer have to risk un- 347 in the minor leagues. A former Cuban federation The agreement, which runs forward in U.S.-Cuba rela- a statement. “The safety and safe passage to the U.S.” “Words cannot fully ex- player under contract to a MLB through Oct. 31, 2021, allows tions during a time of ten- well-being of these young men Players have told stories of press my heartfelt joy,” Chi- club may return to Cuba during Cubans to sign under rules sim- sions between Cuba and the remains our primary concern.” harrowing crossings on rafts cago White Sox All-Star first the off-season. He can play in ilar to those for players under Trump administration, which Only players under contract and rickety boats — some later baseman Jose Abreu said in a Cuba during the off-season only contract to clubs in Japan, South has pledged to undo President to the Cuban federation are challenged as exaggerations. statement. “Dealing with the with his MLB club’s consent. Korea and Taiwan. Barack Obama’s 2014 opening covered by the agreement, and “Today is a day that I am ex- exploitation of smugglers and The departure of young Cu- “For years, Major League with the island. MLB said the the Cuban federation agreed to tremely happy,” said a state- unscrupulous agencies will fi- ban players to MLB has slowed Baseball has been seeking to deal was allowed by a gener- release all players 25 and older ment from Los Angeles Dodg- nally come to an end for the since limits were placed on end the trafficking of baseball al license issued by the U.S. with at least six years of profes- ers’ outfielder Yasiel Puig, who Cuban baseball player. To this signing bonuses for interna- players from Cuba by crimi- Treasury Department’s Office sional experience. They would was smuggled out of Cuba by date, I am still harassed.” tional amateurs starting July 2, nal organizations by creating of Foreign Assets Control in be classified as international traffickers linked to a Mexican Any players allowed to sign 2017.

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