St. Thomas’ own Jabari Blash, currently an outfielder for the Seattle Mariners will join a slew of pro baseball players for free clinics for players of all ages this Saturday and Sunday on St. Thomas and St. Croix. Eight players — three of whom are from the V.I. — will be at Emile Griffith Park on St. Thomas Saturday, Dec. 8 and D.C. Canegata Ballpark Sunday, Dec. 9. Both clinics start at 10 a.m. There will be a clinic, drills, and a lecture from Blash and the other players.
"Blash will talk about his journey, where he started and where he is today," said Vanessa Donastorg of Ballers in the V.I., which organized the clinics. The first hundred youth to come out will get a free Ballers in the V.I. tee shirt, Donastorg said.
Blash will be joined by his teammates Jamal Austin and Dillon Hazlett. Virgin Islanders Jamaine Cotton of the Houston Astros and James Sneed of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Also on hand will be: Mycal Jones of the Atlanta Braves; Akeel Morris of the New York Mets; Desi Relaford of the Philadelphia Phillies and other teams; and Anthony Hewitt, a first round pick for the Phillies in 2007. Food and drink will be on sale.
Friday evening at Kokopelli’s restaurant from 6 to 7:30 there will be a family-oriented social, with players signing autographs. Then from 8 p.m. to whenever there will be an adult time to mingle with the players, she said.
Before Saturday’s clinic on St. Thomas, players will breakfast at the Petite Pump Room at 8:30 a.m. and the public can come out, dine and mingle, she said. After the clinic Saturday, there will be a social at Fat Turtles at 6 p.m.
They will be at Coki Point 9 a.m. Monday and signing autographs at Senor Frogs from noon until 3 p.m. Monday.
Lastly, there will be a farewell dinner on Frenchman’s Reef’s catamaran Monday evening. Call Frenchman’s Reef for prices and tickets, Donastorg said.
For more information, call Ballers in the V.I. at 513-2909.