Team Great Britain 2022

Team Great Britain 2022 will be playing in the World Baseball Classics for the first time in its history. Great Britain won the 1st of two qualifying tournaments to advance to the 2023 tournament.

Anfernee Seymour, celebrating the thrill of victory with Harrison Ford & Team G.B. Photo by: Hotshot.Photo

Some World Baseball Classic History:

The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international baseball tournament sanctioned from 2006 to 2013 by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and after 2013 by World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB). It was proposed to the IBAF by Major League Baseball (MLB), the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), and other professional baseball leagues and their players’ associations worldwide. It is one of the two main senior baseball tournaments sanctioned by the WBSC.

The tournament is the first of its kind to have the national teams of IBAF’s member federations feature professional players from the major leagues worldwide, including Major League Baseball. In addition to providing a format for the best baseball players in the world to compete against one another while representing their home countries, the World Baseball Classic was created in order to further promote the game around the globe.

After a three-year gap between the first two installments of the tournament, plans were made for the World Baseball Classic to be repeated every four years following the 2009 event. The third installment of the Classic was held in 2013, and the fourth was held in 2017. The fifth was scheduled for 2021 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CBA from the 2021–22 Major League Baseball lockout indicated that the WBC will return in 2023, with qualifiers set to begin in September 2022

Bahamas Connection:

As a former British Colony, players from the Bahamas were allowed to play for their teams. Hence, in 2013 two players from the Islands of the Bahamas were added to the G.B. qualifying roster, Antoan Richardson & Albert Cartwright Jr. Moreover, with the Bahamas’ low ranking in the WBSC. Therefore, playing with G.B. was a golden opportunity to play at the world level.

More opportunities to play in the WBSC Tournament: 

As a result of our former heritage, nine players from the Bahamas were allowed to join the G.B. 2017 roster. Meanwhile, the 2020 qualifiers got postponed due to Covid-19; this was also a setback for Free Agent Anfernee Seymour to showcase his talent for a few MLB Scouts. 

Three Years Later: 

Team Great Britain 2022 has qualified for the 2023 WBSC Tournament; oh, happy day. Additionally, this team was led by the Mariner’s #1 Top Prospect & MLB #66 T.P, Harrison Ford. For instance, with his power at the plate, I saw him getting the team’s offense rolling from game one. 

The Bahamas Connection:

L-R: Ural Forbes, Anfernee Seymour, Chavez Fenender, Albert Cartwrigth Jr, Tahnaj Thomas & D’shawn Knowles.

Compared to the 2017 roster of nine players, the 2022 roster had five players and one coach. In this case, Albert Cartwright Jr made his coaching debut after playing in two tournaments for Great Britain. 

Although four of five players saw action, I am sure the 5th player, a backup to Ford, knew his role. So, finally, I will break down the team and their games in part II of this story. Especially the would-be additional players who may join Team Great Britain; stay Tuned. 

Praying for the full recovery of Florida, after hurricane Ian.

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.