By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

The Don’t Blink Home Run Derby in Paradise dubbed the “Greatest Show on the Sand” continues to grow and expand at an astronomical rate. The four-day event, which begins on Wednesday, December 11, is returning to the sporting paradise for the seventh year and this time with a new partner.

The Don’t Blink Home Run Derby announced its partnership with the Baha Mar Resort yesterday ahead of the baseball festivities which will run from December 11-14. 

Todd Isaacs Jr, co-founder of Don’t Blink Home Run Derby in Paradise, was thrilled to partner with the Baha Mar Resort as the “Greatest Show on the Sand” continues to evolve.

“Today we are happy to announce our new partnership with Baha Mar and Grand Hyatt. Together we will continue to revolutionize and make sure baseball in The Bahamas is experienced by our guests and fans that will grace our shores… I want to thank the entire Baha Mar and Grand Hyatt family for partnering with us to continue to create unforgettable experiences here in The Bahamas,” he said.

“This year marks a celebration. A celebration of success of the past six years and here is a sample of what we have been able to accomplish because of all of you. We have created the one and only event and experience of its kind in the world. Baseball is not played on a beach anywhere. What we have created for us here in The Bahamas and for the sport of baseball is gonna change the trajectory for how our sport is experienced, attended and how our sport is given to the world,” he said.

Robert ‘Sandy’ Sands, senior vice president of the government and community relations at Baha Mar, said the resort was grateful to align with Don’t Blink Home Run Derby.

“Baha Mar believes deeply in sustainability, being a part of anything that can perpetuate anything positive for a long period of time. It is no secret that we believe strongly in sports tourism as one of the drivers for helping us as an industry and as a country to continue to grow and sustain our tourism business. Baha Mar is fast becoming the venue for many international sports related events. Don’t Blink Home Run Derby just adds to the menu of sports related events that will continue to propel The Bahamas and Bahamas tourism as one of the preeminent tourism destinations in the region,” he said.

He added that both parties have similar views and goals in terms of community outreach as well as creating economic opportunities for the youth.

“We are proud to be a new partner in this very important sports thrust. We look forward to seven more years of continued partnership… I think collectively together we will help to grow this event and we want to offer you our sincerest congratulations not only for the event in December but also for the years to come,” he said.

The baseball extravaganza, which is geared toward showcasing the best talents in baseball, will commence with a kids camp on December 11 at the Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium. 

This year will include a celebrity-studded golf tournament on Thursday, December 12 at the Royal Blue Golf Course at Baha Mar.

Two highly competitive showcases will follow at the Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium. 

The first event of the evening will be a high school showcase game with minority baseball prospects which will feature local players and players from overseas. 

The second event will be a celebrity softball game that will bring out the old and new generation of ball players.

The main attraction of the week will be the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby to be staged on Saturday, December 14, on Montague Beach. 

Bahamian professional baseball players will go head-to-head against baseball players representing the world.

Players confirmed to participate in the tournament includes Roman Anthony, Ji Hwan Bae, Termarr Johnson, Willy Adames, Mark Vientos, Trey Lipscomb, Michael Harris II, Lawrence Butler, Cam Collier, Nick Gordon, Juan Hillman, Touki Toussaint, Triston McKenzie, Dom Smith, Richie Palacios, Josh Palacios, and Bahamian MLB pro Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr.

Lucius Fox, co-founder of Don’t Blink Home Run Derby, thanked the Players Alliance as well as Minority Baseball Prospects for their contributions to the event in recent years.

“We started at Freedom Farm and some kids that play at Freedom Farm did not have the necessary equipment but had the talent. They didn’t have the funds but they had the talent to make it to the major league one day. With the help of Players Alliance, we were able to donate over $200,000 in equipment to Freedom Farm and other young ball players on the island who can now get that ball, glove or bat to become the next Jazz Chisholm, Lucius Fox or Todd Isaacs. I want to thank Edwin Jackson and the Players Alliance again for believing in us and taking the time to just show love to our island,” he said.

Fox added that partnerships with Players Alliance and Minority Baseball Prospects are very beneficial in helping to showcase baseball talent.

“We are pleased to partner with them and have our showcase here. It is so important for us to have an international showcase because when we were coming up we were begging for scouts to come to the island. We would die to just show what we had in front of college coaches, major league scouts just to chase our dream so for them to come down and partner with us to help our kids…that is important to us,” he said. 

Alex Weech, representing Minority Baseball Prospects, gave special credit to the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby co-founders for putting on the successful showcase for the past six years.

“I just wanna thank Lucius, Todd and Don’t Blink because I think we became family since our first event. We appreciate the opportunity to come around and bring some of the best United States players and tie them with some of the best players in the world and in The Bahamas… I think this is one of the biggest and best showcases in the country by far,” he said.

“We are glad to partner again with Don’t Blink…We are excited and glad to make it to year two. Next year in 2025, we plan on extending and doing a tournament and some different events,” he said.

Edwin Jackson, representing Players Alliance, also echoed these sentiments in his remarks about the December showcase.

“We definitely want to thank Prime Minister Davis, the entire sports Ministry and the people of Nassau for the hospitality, the talent and support of the game. We want to thank Don’t Blink for all of the hard work you all are doing…What we are doing is really creating a tunnel for our youth to really prosper and do big things in life. I think it is very special and we are very honoured to be a part of that,” he said.

Miami Marlins third baseman (minors) Breyias Dean emerged victorious at the sixth edition of the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby in Paradise. He took the win over Will Benson, of the Cincinnati Reds, 8-7 in the final showdown.

This year’s event will be sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism & Aviation, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, Aliv, The Players Alliance, A Sure Win, Bahamas Waste, Global Sun Integration Management, Cuba Libre, Proscape, Triple A Marine, Heritage Seafood, National Sports Authority, Prime Shipping, Family Medicine Centre, M&E Limited, Dunkin’ Donuts, Lightbourne Trading Company, Baoilco Ltd, The Erris Group, Tropical Gyros, Fincastle Media Group and Happy Healing Home Care.