Rocio Robles
On Wednesday night, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Lucius Fox made history thousands of miles away from home after the two players faced off in the Miami Marlins-Washington Nationals matchup.
According to data compiled by Elias Sports Bureau, the pair of Bahamian-born players were the first Bahamian-born players to meet in a Major League Baseball game since the 1961 season: back then, Andre Rodgers and Tony Curry met six times between 1960 and 1961.
“It was a super important day for me, I just can’t wait to see what we’ll have in the future.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr., to AP, after the historic showdown
This confrontation not only represented a historic moment for a country that has only had nine representatives in the Majors; it also was a welcome reunion for Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Fox, as the two 24-year-olds are close childhood friends and shared many moments together while playing baseball in the Bahamas.
Once the game concluded, Chisholm revealed to the media present that the two have known each other since they were 3 or 4 years old, they played together in the minor leagues, lived together for a few years in their teens and annually organize a youth baseball clinic on the Caribbean island.
And while both are at very different points in their careers, the important thing is that they both have the talent to place the Bahamas in the baseball spotlight.
Chismolm is currently one of the best ballplayers of the season as he leads the National League with four stolen bases and two triples, in addition to registering four home runs, 15 RBIs and a .308 average. For his part, Fox is having a rather difficult start to his career as he has yet to hit his first hit in his first 18 innings in the world’s best baseball before Thursday’s game.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is eagerly awaiting the Lucius Fox hit
Despite playing on rival teams, friendship always endures and the case of Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Lucius Fox is not an exception.
Following the Marlins’ 2-1 victory over the Nationals on Wednesday, Chisholm Jr. admitted that he was looking forward to seeing Fox get his first major league hit and being able to congratulate him at second base by making him out on the pad.
“I was really pushing him to get his first hit and then get him out at second base. Something like: ‘Hey! Good hit! But now you have to go back to the dugout.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr. about Lucius Fox
With both teams playing in the National League East Division, if Fox is able to establish himself as the Nationals’ utility for the remainder of the season, there will be fun and joy for the Bahamians guaranteed for quite a while.
