The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LAST year he had the opportunity to become a certified CBUAO college umpire and now Martin “Pork” Burrows is doing all he can to assist more Bahamians to join him.

For the past seven Thursdays at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, Burrows has been conducting clinics for prospective umpires in preparation for the Bahamas Baseball Association’s National Championships whenever they are held.

“There’s a lot of knowledge that I want to pass on, so if anyone is interested in umpiring baseball this year, they have to go through this training,” said Burrows, who is in charge of the umpires for the federation.

“We are trying to set the bar a little higher because in the past, there were too many complaints. So I’m trying to go through the timing, the positioning and the small key things that we have missing and messing up on for years.”

With a cadre of veteran and new umpires coming into the fold, Burrows said they are heading in the right direction.

Mario Ford, Marcellus Hall, Stephen Sands, Tory Wilkinson, Andy Percentie, Nathan Morris, Darren Stevens, Steve Turnquest, Andrew Burrows, Quentin Albury and Ainsworth Beckford are just some of the participants.

Beckford, a physical education teacher and coach at Nassau Christian Academy and a conveyer for softball in the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools, said he always loved officiating and understanding the rules of the game, including baseball.

“I called some games at the youth level in baseball and then Mr Burrows put this group together, I decided this was a way for me to be able to give back to society,” Beckford said.

“And with the Bahamas getting ready to host the international tournament next year, it’s a good way to get ready. I have to be quick on my feet and knowledgeable about the game, so this is a quick way to get started.”

So far, Beckford said the sessions have been informative. “We just wish that we could get more plate experience. I’m getting it at Freedom Farm, so I wish the others will come on board and get that exposure too because experience is so important,” he stressed.

“You never know what is going to happen in the game.”

Percentie, a long-time baseball/softball player turned coach, said he’s getting involved because he wants to make another contribution as an umpire.

“My playing days are over and just to stay in the game, I want to give back by officiating and to be ready for the new baseball stadium so that we can have some more qualified officials,” he said.

From day one, Percentie said he continues to learn something new about officiating the game. “I am glad that I came because the information I’m getting, I’m real glad for it,” he summed up.

Burrows said he intends to run the course here in New Providence for about 12 weeks before he moves to Grand Bahama for a training session there with the potential participants from Abaco.

He said he also intends to go and host a clinic in Andros. “I’m very happy to see the quality of people coming out,” he said. “I have less work than I thought I had to do. We have a good group of guys and they are catching on very well.

“I’m very happy with what I am seeing and if we have the nationals, we will have better officiating.”

From March 10-16, 2020 in West Palm Beach, Florida, Burrows participated in the CBUAO Florida Camp, which was a CBUAO umpires mechanics training.

He passed his certification course and is now eligible to officiate at any college baseball game.

His next step is get to the professional baseball league, but he’s taking it one step at a time.

And while he has a crew to work with, Burrows said he’s trying to assist as much of them as possible to become certified collegiate umpires as well.

“I can’t go to the grace with my knowledge,” Burrows said.

“I can’t force you to come and learn. After this, I can’t promise you that it will be free.

“It cost me about $2,400 to go to West Palm to pay for the hotel and car and everything. But it got me certified. So I’m going to run behind anyone to come out.

“I told them they have to be serious and come out and they have been serious.”

Through the BBA, headed by Sam Rodgers, Burrows said they are trying to secure the proper baseball uniforms for all of the umpires so whenever they report to duty, they will all be dressed alike.