By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 24, 2021 –My beloved Washington Nationals team is in Miami for a three-game series against the Miami Marlins, which means that I shall get to see Jazz Chisholm Jr. — the Marlins’ star infielder, who is from The Bahamas — play on a local TV station here in D.C.
Although I am a proud Bahamian and a huge and strong supporter of Jazz, I am a dyed-in-the-wool Nationals fan and as usual I shall be pulling for the Nationals to win. However, I shall also be pulling for Jazz to get a hit every time he comes to bat.
Jazz has been in a slump recently, as the Marlins have lost three straight games and his batting average nosedived to .253 after he went 0-4 during the Marlins 3-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays last night.
The downward spiral in his batting average is noteworthy because he is still on track to possibly be the 2021 Rookie of the Year as well as being selected as a member of this year’s National League All-Star team.
As recently as Saturday, June 12, after the Marlins defeated the Atlanta Braves, 4-2, during what was promoted as Bahamian Heritage Night at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Jazz’s average was .280.
As Sheldon Longley of The Nassau Guardian reported: “Culminating the first-ever Bahamian Heritage experience at a Major League Baseball (MLB) park, Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr. was electrifying as usual, helping the Miami Marlins win their second straight series, taking two out of three against their division rival, the Atlanta Braves, over the weekend.
“On Friday, Chisholm and the Marlins prevailed 4-3 at LoanDepot Park, in Miami, Florida. They came back on Saturday, on Bahamian Heritage Night, and won 4-2, before falling 6-4 yesterday.”
Bahamian Heritage Night apparently was also a promotional bonanza for The Bahamas. In an article under the headline, “BAHAMIAN HERITAGE CELEBRATION HITS HOME RUN AT MARLINS GAME, TravelNews.online reported: “Like the Miami Marlins’ 4-2 win against the Atlanta Braves on June 12, The Islands of The Bahamas also emerged victorious as thousands of fans witnessed the special game, which prominently featured the culture of The Bahamas in a special Bahamas-themed night.”
Incidentally, Jazz and the Marlins will be in Atlanta for a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves July 2-4. I have suggested to His Excellency Sidney Collie, Bahamas Ambassador to the United States and Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), that as the top Bahamas diplomat in the United States, he should advise Astra Armbrister-Rolle, Bahamas Consul General in Atlanta, to arrange for a group of Bahamians in the Atlanta area to collectively attend one of the games with their Bahamian flags.
Meanwhile, every baseball fan in The Bahamas and Bahamians in the diaspora should Google the 2021 MLB All-Star Ballot and vote for Jazz. The All-Star Game will be played on Tuesday, July 13, at Denver’s Coors Field.
