By Neto Baptiste
Former softball cricket administrator, Seth Burton, has credited past president of the Antigua and Barbuda Softball Cricket Association (ABSCA), Henderson Bass, for playing what he called a significant role in the sport’s development here.
Burton, also a former player and commentator, said Bass led the sport at a time when many were not stepping up to the plate and giving service to the association.
“Since I can remember my involvement in softball, Henderson Bass carried the load on his shoulders, and it was amazing because in those days you didn’t even have adjudication of certain things and having to put too many committees together. This man just carried that thing for over a decade — maybe 15 years or more — and I think we really are indebted to him,” he said.
Bass first served as head of the association in 1979 and spent several years at the helm before leaving the post. He returned on two separate occasions to serve two-year terms, giving some 12 years in total to the association.
Burton also pointed to the installation of lights on the playing fields as a major turning point for softball cricket.
“The movement of softball cricket in the latter stages because affected by the 2020 notion of international cricket where a lot of the concentration then started to be placed on the 10 overs version, while the 35 overs which started for a period of time as the mecca of softball had changed, and hence, I think we sort of sacrificed the quality for excitement,” he said.
“I also think as well that one of the building blocks for softball cricket, and when it really made a significant impact, was the coming to being of lights. When Dregders acquired their lights then the spectatorship just boomed or went up in a flash before things came tumbling down,” he added.
Appearing on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show recently, three stalwarts of the game, namely Al Burton, Swango Mark and Neil “Bad News” Lewis, all agreed that the sport has lost its sting and is not as competitive as it once was.