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Home , Clete Boyer, Derek Jeter, Elston Howard, Gil McDougald, Pee Wee Reese, Sandy Koufax

20 THE FREEPORT NEWS Monday, October 23, 2017

SPORTS

NEW YORK YANKEES GREAT YANKEES HAVE WON WORLD 27 TIMES Astros dash hopes of Bahamian dream pitting Yanks VS Dodgers n Saturday night, comeback, taking three con- when the Houston secutive games to go up 3-2 Astros defeated the against the Astros. Alas, there NewO York Yankees 4-0, at the was to be no joy for Yankees Minute Maid Park home field, fans like this columnist. At the hopes of many Bahami- home with a beloved fan base, an followers were the Astros prevailed in the fi- dashed. There would not be nal two games of the series and another meeting of the Yankees now get to take on the Dodg- and the Dodgers in the World ers. Series. The Los Angeles Dodg- Although the Dodgers always ers earned their way into the had the great majority of fans October classic by taking out in The Bahamas, the Yankees the Chicago Cubs in the Na- boasted devoted supporters as tional League Champions Se- well. Some of us just were in- ries four games to one. tent in being different, so while The Yankees/Dodgers en- we fully respected the barrier counters in The Bahamas are breaking milestone of Rob- legendary. Fans in this coun- inson, his playing ability, and try of both teams are bonded that of , Don by the unique rivalry. In 1947, Newcombe, Junior Gilliam, became the Charley Neal, , first Black player to perform in , the Major Leagues. He started and , our baseball at first base for the favorites were , Dodgers on April 15. It was at , Bobby Rich- a time when the Farm Project ardson, , Moose contract between the United Skowron, , States and The Bahamas was , Gil McDougald, significantly active. Many Ba- , and . hamian young men (some at Those champions of the mid- 16, put up their age to qualify) dle portion of the Yankees Dy- were grouped and traveled to nasty, linked the eras of the work on farms in the U.S. un- first “Murderers’ Row” - cat der the special agreement. alysts, Babe Ruth, Lou Geh- This arrangement had much rig, and Joe DiMaggio, to the to do with the subsequent teams of the strong American flavor in The 1970s, on to the last Yankees Bahamas. The men of the proj- World Series winning squad of REGGIE JACKSON ect came back home, heavily 2009 with , Andy influenced by the American Pettite, Robinson Cano and culture, clothing, entertainment others. and sports, in particular. There- So, here we are, we Yankees, fore, when Robinson became a able only to watch the World face in the Major Leagues of Series and think of a few Baseball, the Bahamian con- strange calls that might have tract workers, the vast majority made a difference, but secured of them being of the black race, in the fact that we pull for the simply adopted the Brooklyn greatest sports franchise in the Dodgers. The bulk of the Ba- history of mankind. Yes in- hamian sports fraternity men deed, the Yankees have won who did not become a part of 27 World Series titles. the farming project, also leaned Check this. The closest team heavily in favor of the Dodgers. to us is the St. Louis Cardinals Thus, the initial, Dodgers fan with 11. The Athletics (Phila- base in the country evolved. delphia/Kansas City/Oakland) The team most Bahamian have nine: the baseball fans loved to hate have eight, as do the Giants during that period was the New (New York and San Francis- York Yankees, who during the co); and the Dodgers have six early meetings with the Dodg- (Brooklyn and Los Angeles). ers in the World Series, were The Reds have won successful most of the times. the World Series five times The Dodgers defeated the Yan- while the have kees and won their first World four titles to be included in the DEREK JETER Series in 1955. But in 1956, group of the more prominent they were at it again for the teams from 1903 to now. baseball crown. The Yankees Thus, while not able to go won 4-3, highlighted by Don all the way this time, no oth- The Yankees/Dodgers encounters in The Bahamas Larsen’s . Old er baseball teams legitimately are legendary. Fans in this country of both teams are time Dodgers fans still have compares with the Yankees bonded by the unique rivalry. In 1947, Jackie Rob- nightmares about that historic legacy. Sports achievement by the Yankees. Now, this proud Yankee will inson became Black player to perform in So indeed, there was great brace for the calls and the so- anticipation, as the 2017 MLB cial media messages. the Major Leagues. He started at first base for the play-offs went deep and the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15. It was at a time when Yankees made it to the ACLS (To respond to this column, the Farm Project contract between the United States Scope and the Dodgers, the NLCS. kindly contact Fred Sturrup The Dodgers did their part and at [email protected] or and The Bahamas was significantly active By Fred Stur the Yankees made a stunning on WhatsApp at 727-6363). rup