No Boys Of Summer 2020

There will be no Boys of Summer 2020, in the minor leagues of baseball this season.

2020 Minor League Baseball season shelved.

The greeting you will get on the latest news from minor league. www.milb.com. With this news, it dashes all hope for a year that is full of uncertainties—considering that the world is facing a pandemic (Covid-19 coronavirus). Including nationwide shutdowns, and boarding closing of countries around the world.

Don Henley The Boys of Summer:

As a young player in the early 80s and the days of music videos, such as Don Henley’s The Boys of Summer was one of my favorite songs. We stop what we were doing to sing along because we were the boys of summer locally.

However, with the proposed contraction of minor league baseball teams, many cities and counties were about to lose their baseball teams. Talking about; No Boys of Summer 2020, this ripple effect was going to be felt far and wide; By communities, fans, and host families who invited young players into their homes every year.

I read a story of a host family who hosted two players; One from the Caribbean and the other from South America. When the time came for them to say their goodbyes, it wasn’t easy. Not to mention, the planned for this year concerning teams in that area, it looks like they have seen the last days of being a host family to minor league players.

The Boy of Summer from the Islands:

Photo by Matthew Carper:  Jazz Chisholm & Lucius Fox.

Angeles #9 top 30 prospect D’Shawn Knowles, said that he felt a little sad because of no minor league season. However, he is trying to stay positive. Because who knows, there is always a possibility to get on the plane to go. Knowles also cited that he is going to miss his teammate, those cities and counties where they played, host parents, and interactions with the fans; Bring smiles to their faces when you made their day by acknowledging them.

But for two, our players and a coach, especially Coach Antoan Richardson of the Giants. He is most likely to see action this summer for sure. By the same token, Jasrado Jazz Chisholm Jr and Lucius Fox Jr are both members of their major league teams 40 man rosters. Hence, both also are members of their team’s 60 man taxi squads. So they may get in some kind of playing time this summer.

Under Construction:

Photo by Jeff Francis Etienne

The New Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium. Named after the Bahamas first Major League Player. This nation baseball stadium is being paid for by the government of the Bahamas. Woslee Construction Company is the contractor, and Micheal Foster is the architect. The completion date is January 2021.

You are all invited to the Grand Opening:

Photo by Jeff Francis Etienne

We will invite the Baseball World to the Grand Opening. Are you excited for us?

Jeff Francis

Jeffrey was born on April 29th, 1961, in Nassau, Bahamas to Rejoiner Ann Rolle and Jerome James Francis Etienne. Married to Andrea G. Rolle-Francis, they have two daughters; Janae Latoya Francis, a graduate of Allegany College of Maryland, and Jessica Lee Francis a graduate Potomac State College West Virginia University in Kyser West Virginia. Jeffrey was coaching the sport of baseball from 1980 at the age of 18 years old because he loved the sport as a kid. He started listening to the game over the radio out of Miami Florida in the late 60s and in the early 70s started playing the game locally in various local leagues right up to the premier senior league; a league where all of the current Bahamian minor leaguers played. In 1982, Jeffrey had an invite to a three day tryout with the New York Yankees in Hollywood Florida, which was an awesome experience that is lasting a life time memory for him. Jeffrey has been following the Bahamian baseball players in the minor leagues since 1999 with Angelo Burrows, but found greater interest with the signing of Antoan Richardson in 2005. He also writes a year end review on their play on his Facebook page, Baseball Bahamas, and he has a website with the same name. He has a great following and would love to expose the baseball players to a bigger worldwide audience. He has a good relationship with all the players because he personally coached most of them. His favorite MLB Team is the Detroit Tigers from 1969.