The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IN the space of a few hours of each other, the softball community lost two prominent players in Eleuthera and in New Providence respectively on Friday.

In Rock Sound, news spread of the passing of International Softball Federation and the Bahamas Softball Federation Hall of Famer Douglas ‘Dougie’ Smith, while Jeff Willie passed away at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

Smith, 73, was paralysed from his waist down and was recently confined to the use of a wheelchair. He is survived by Janet Horton and her daughter Sharon, who died earlier this year, and another daughter Keisha.

His long-time friend, Richard ‘the Lion-Heart’ Johnson, who called him his big brother, said it’s never easy when you lose someone as close to you. He said Smith was an advert fisherman who also operated the heavy equipment machines.

“He got inducted into the International Softball Federation Hall of Fame, he was inducted into our National Softball Hall of Fame, he got a park in Rock Sound named after him and his picture is hanging in the airport in Rock Sound,” Johnson said.

“But he was a player and first to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. But he went on to become the manager of the men’s national team. I don’t know of anyone who had those accolades, not in this country. He really gave it his all to softball in this country.”

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg expressed his condolences to Smith’s family. “Dougie, as he was affectionately called, is regarded as one of the most complete players to have suited up in a softball uniform, starting his career at age 12,” Bowleg said. “The former softball player went onto represent the country, at several regional tournaments, as a member of the men’s national team. His first, the 1972 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) championships, held in El Salvador, where he went on to win the batting and home run titles.

“This great softball ambassador was also a member of the national squad that placed third in the world, back in 1981. As a player, he competed in tournaments held in Mexico, Tacoma, Washington, Santa Clara, Cuba, Colombia and Santo Domingo, just to name a few. Dougie was also named to the All Team as a pitcher, in 1986 at the games played in Santo Domingo.

“Many say that Dougie’s discipline and love for the sport have rarely been matched. It was this passion and drive that propelled him into the coaching and managing rankings. He coached the men’s national team in 1989 and led them to a victory over the United States. He also headed the 1990 men’s national teams that played in Cuba. Heartfelt condolences are extended to Dougie’s immediate and extended family, as well as the sporting community. May his soul rest in peace.”

Born in Rock Sound, Smith always had a passion for sports as he began playing softball at the tender age of 12 and little did he envision back then that he would become one of the most prolific players in The Bahamas, and indeed the world.

Many still can remember him as the player from The Bahamas who would, often times play without any catcher’s equipment. Douggie, as he is affectionately called, is regarded as one of the most complete players to have suited up in a softball uniform.

His discipline and love for the sport have rarely been matched.

He has been one of the country’s greatest softball ambassadors, both at home and abroad. He is a Bahamian hero and a great softball legend.

Smith first represented The Bahamas as a member of the men’s national team that competed in the Caribbean and Central America Championships in El Salvador back in 1972.

He also won the batting crown in that championship.

Between 1972 and 1986, Smith was a member of several national teams competing in Mexico, Tacoma Washington, Santa Clara, Cuba, Columbia and Santo Domingo to mention a few.

He was an integral part of the squad that took the Bahamas to 3rd in the World back in 1981.

Smith took on the role as men’s national team coach in 1989 when the team travelled to Argentina and again in 1990 when they played in Cuba, in 1994 he was named men’s national team manager and led The Bahamas to outstanding showings in Detroit, Columbia and several regional championships.

While an active player on the men’s national team, Smith won the home run crown during competition against some of the world’s best in El Salvador.

He was named to the All Tournament Team at the World Softball Championships in Tacoma, Washington back in 1980, and made the All Tournament Team as a pitcher in 1986, during competition in Santo Domingo.

One of his proudest moments in softball came when he coached The Bahamas national team to victory over the United States in 1989.

Johnson, who played on a number of those national teams with Smith, said he remembers how their relationship got started over 60 years and they grew to become close friends after they played for the Jets and the Heroes respectively.

“He always gave us tips, this was after he beat us, on how we should play the game,” Johnson said.

“He never gave us tips before we played, but he would give it to us after we played. But he was always good to us, me, Edmund Bethel and George Johnson, all the guys from JC (James Cistern).

“Even after he went and played in the Mets organisation, like Shad Rolle, who also played in the Mets farm system, he always tried to find a way to help the young players in Eleuthera, especially those of us in JC.”

Taking the role of his big brother, Johnson said he could go to Eleuthera for weeks on vacation and he stayed with Smith.

He noted that if he went with Perry Seymour and others from the Budweiser Eagles, they would go fishing. “My first national team trip was in 1977 and he took me under his wings,” Richard said.

“Nobody could say or do anything to me during that trip. He was my big brother on that trip. He told (manager) Apache (Leon Knowles) when it was my turn to pitch, he told me when it was my turn to rest and when I should work out. That was the type of person he was to me.”

Willie, 59, was a police/ inspector attached to the Police Canteen. He left behind a son, Javon Willie, brothers Paul, Godfrey and Wesley Willie, sisters Juanita Pinder, Angela Williams and Yvette Willie and his partner/finance Shantell Cox. His younger brother, Godfrey, said Jeff, who was just a year older than him, was his idol.

“He was also a coach for me because growing up, we always played together,” Godfrey said. “I started shortstop and he played third base. We were side by side. That was the kind of bond that we shared together.

“We were so inseparable that a lot of people thought that we were twins. He was a quiet person, but he always knew my potential and he tried to get the best out of me. I always wanted him to be proud of me. When Jeff Willie joined the Police Force in 1980, Godfrey Willie followed the next year in 1981.”

The Willies rode to the park together and although they played on one or two teams together in the senior league, they ended up reuniting in every league they played in with the New Providence Softball Association, New Providence Oldtimers Softball Association and the Bahamas Government Departmental Softball Association.

“This is going to be very difficult for me because we even travelled together on vacation,” Godfrey Willie said. “We even went to watch a lot of football games in the National Football League together. He was preparing for his 60th birthday this year, but he never got to experience it.

“He was not a sick person, which makes it so hard for us. We have an older brother who was sick and a lot of people thought it was him. Jeff wasn’t sick or anything, So it came as a surprise when we got to the hospital and he was dead.”

May the souls of both Dougie Smith and Jeff Willie rest in peace.