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The American Caribbean nation of Haiti has announced that six years after the foundation of its Baseball Association, they have finally decided to take the big step towards officializing the discipline as a sport. Tryouts will be in the next few days, and the first Haitian National Baseball Team will begin to exist.
Haiti has announced that a tryout test will select players to conform their National Baseball Team. Although the main idea is to participate as a nation in all international competitions, an under-23 National Team is also to be considered to participate in the Pan-American Juvenile Games.
Two tryout dates will take place during the month of May introducing a pre-selection of baseball players of Haitian ascendence. According to Ernso Pierre, team manager, the country is ambitious about the idea of participating and representing the country in all international competitions. Goals have been set and the bar is now higher than ever with this historical moment for Haitian baseball and sports in general.
Not more than 6 years ago, Haiti had founded the Haitian Baseball Association. However, the possibility of a National Team had never been successfully introduced. This, despite the fact that many famous players, such as Estevan Florial, or American Braves’ pitcher, Touki Toussaint, were of Haitian ascendence.
Pierre’s words were not only convincing but also caused quite a reaction in baseball players of all ages. This is because the main goal is not only for the major National Team to participate in the mentioned competitions, but also to create an under-23 National Team. The idea is for it to take part in the Pan-American Juvenile Games to be celebrated in Cali, Colombia from September 9th onwards.
The team manager also mentioned the effects that this historical event may have on the country. He compared them to what happened in Africa when rugby was installed. Social and governmental relations will be improved with other participating countries, he claimed. This, for an impoverished country as Haiti, will serve as an enormous economic and cultural boost.
As we mentioned before, players are still to be selected via tryouts to be part of the Haitian National Team. However, some parts of its roster and staff have already been assigned. Team captain, Felix Pie, will be in charge of selecting people out of 40 pre-selected players that can account for a Haitian nationality.
But Pie will not be on his own in this task. Chicago Cubs’ batting coach, Juan Cabreja, and Jose Serra, scouting chief from the same franchise, are going to collaborate with him to select the best Haitian baseball talents. There has also been a list, presented by six-time champion Lino Rivera, of pitchers who can easily represent Haiti in international competitions.
This could be the beginning of something colossal, both for Haiti and the baseball environment. Manager, staff, and even players are already on the move to create a high-level competitive National Team. It is Haiti’s moment to leave a notch in the history of sports.
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