Guyana, a country heavily influenced by all things American including television sitcoms, clothing and books will now get a chance to play one of America’s more popular sports baseball.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the newly-formed Guyana Baseball League (GBL) Robin Singh, Friday night launched a venture to bring baseball to Guyana.
The launching took place at Duke Lodge and among the invited guests were Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana David Devine and the American Ambassador D. Brent Hardt, who was the guest speaker.
Singh told the gathering that growing up as a boy he was heavily influenced by first British literature and such like and later by American sitcoms such as “The Jeffersons” and “Sanford and Son.”
“I was born in a newly-independent Guyana. All my childhood experiences and influences were still, however, essentially British. My earliest memories are of attending cricket matches at Bourda; of listening to the BBC World Service; the Biggles Series of adventure books for boys and FA Cup matches broadcast on radio on Saturday mornings.”
He added: As we grew older, so did the influences change. In the early eighties television was introduced to Guyana and a new sphere of influence opened up. American sitcoms such as “The Jeffersons” and “Sanford & Son”, replaced radio dramas as our entertainment staples. The ABC wide world of sports opened our minds to the possibilities, and so over the years we have become “Americanized” so much so that one friend told me on visiting New York for the first time, that everything seemed “in place.”
According to Singh, the goal of the GBL is to introduce baseball to Guyanese.
The GBL has secured a playfield at Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara and hopes to secure a permanent facility for baseball in the near future.
“Our intention is to build capacity within baseball in Guyana. Introducing a new sport to a country presents a unique set of challenges. We intend to develop a schedule for courses across Guyana in coaching, umpiring scoring and other programmes or administrative roles. Our focus is to develop strong relationships with corporate Guyana and the baseball community worldwide, academic institutions, national organizations, semi-professional and professional leagues,” the GBL stated.
The GBL has been incorporated since February of this year and aims to use Little League and Major League competitive baseball rules to teach skills, mental and physical development, a respect for the rules of the game of baseball, and basic ideals of sportsmanship and fair play.
“In all aspects, Guyana Baseball League is committed to providing our participants with the very best educational and sports experience possible. It is our fundamental belief that every child with a desire to play baseball be afforded that opportunity,” the GBL stated.
Singh said Guyanese can become a force to reckon with in baseball sometime in the future.
“It’s 2012 and very little of British culture and influence remains. The younger generations have no reference points to our colonial past and are completely swamped by American sport, music and popular cultural influences. Those seeking higher education are far more likely to target a US or Canadian university than a British one, all this points in one direction… it’s time to show America how to “play ball.”
“As we conquered England on the cricket field and produced legends of that game, Rohan Kahani, Colin Croft and recent dual world number one batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul; so shall we seek to give our kids a chance at doing battle with those of our neighbors in North and Latin America and becoming sporting heroes in a new sphere, I have no doubt with hard work and dedication we will make our mark before long.”
American Ambassador Hardt said the formation of the GBL was an excellent way of bringing the cultures of the two countries together.
