![Bahamasair.JPG](http://www.thebahamasweekly.com/uploads/8/Bahamasair.JPG)
Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture the Hon. Charles Maynard (centre) listens as Director of Sales and Marketing for Bahamasair Mr. Mike Sands speaks during a press conference, on September 14, announcing a package deal to see Bahamian Atlanta Braves team member Antoan Richardson play in Miami, Florida. Also pictured is president of the Bahamas Baseball Federation Mr. Craig Kemp. (BIS Photo / Eric Rose)
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NASSAU, The Bahamas – Minister
of Youth, Sports and Culture the Hon. Charles Maynard joined the Bahamas
Baseball Federation in officially endorsing an initiative by Bahamasair
that affords Bahamian fans of professional baseball player Antoan Richardson
a chance to see him in a Major League Baseball game in Miami, Florida.
“We have had tremendous success over
the years in baseball,” Minister Maynard said at a press conference
on September 14, 2011. “Bahamians have played in the professional
leagues at all levels, in the United States and Europe. What has
been elusive to us for a few decades has been a spot on one of the Major
League Baseball (MLB) teams in the United States.
“So, we are very happy that we now
have a young man who has come up through the system in The Bahamas,”
Minister Maynard added.
Bahamasair created a package for Bahamians
to attend the three-game-series between Mr. Richardson’s team, the
Atlanta Braves, and the Florida Marlins, September 19 - 21, at the Sun
Life Stadium, Miami, Florida. The package is inclusive of airfare, car
rental and a night in a hotel for $279. Hotel taxes and other fees still
apply.
Director of Sales and Marketing for Bahamasair
Mr. Mike Sands said that they saw this as an opportunity of creating
this package for Bahamians to see Mr. Richardson play, while using what
he termed a “natural fit” with their core market of Miami and
Fort Lauderdale.
“
We
sat our unit down at our unit at work and came up with this strategy
that we felt would make it as attractive and as economically feasible
as possible, during these economic time,” Mr. Sands said.
“We have put together this
package for family and friends, in particular, that will permit persons
to take advantage of the opportunity to go on to Florida and support
Antoan and his efforts in his debut and to let him know how much we
as Bahamians appreciate him being on the world stage -- and in this
case in baseball – and we are encouraging everyone to attend this
event.”
Minister Maynard pointed out that Mr.
Richardson started out in the Freedom Farm baseball league, a part of
the Bahamas Baseball Federation.
President of the Bahamas Baseball Federation
Mr. Craig Kemp said that the entire federation congratulates Mr. Richardson
on his accomplishment, especially since he came up through their leagues,
and it endorsed the package being offered by Bahamasair.
“We are very, very pleased and we are
excited about what Bahamasair has done, in appreciation, to extend this
package to the general public,” Mr. Kemp said.
“He is homegrown and he is now playing
for the Atlanta Braves; so we are trying to encourage Bahamians to go
out and support our newest Bahamian sports icon, as they do a special
series in Florida with the Florida Marlins,” Minister Maynard said.
“As the Minister said, he is a homegrown
son of the soil and we all have been privileged to watch Antoan grow
and mature from a young baseball player and into the player that he
is today,” Mr. Kemp added.
“We want to encourage as many Bahamians
as possible to support him and to show the world that we are proud of
our athletes across the board and in particular Antoan, as he continues
to make us all proud at that level of play,” Minister Maynard said.