A seven-member team from the African Development Foundation (ADF) and Major League Baseball (MLB) arrived in Accra Friday January 4, 2008 to begin a five-day working visit. At the Kotoka International Airport to welcome the team was the United States Ambassador to Ghana, Pamela Bridgewater and members of the Ghana Baseball and Softball Association (GHABSA) and USAID. Some members on the team include, George Ntim, president of ADF, Jimmie Lee Solomon, Baseball Operations for MLB, H.E. Francisco Lorenzo, Dominican Republic Ambassador to the United Nations, Reggie Smith, a former MLB star and others. While here, the team will conduct a symposium on the potential of baseball in the country, organise clinics for the youth and climax it with a visit to Legon to inspect the site earmarked for the setting up of a baseball academy. The US Ambassador welcoming the team expressed delight at their efforts geared towards the development of the sport in Ghana. Ms Bridgewater gave the assurance that with support from the Vice President, Aliu Mahama's office, the GHABSA and corporate Ghana, baseball could make great strides in the country. She said it was important to work with the corporate world and government if the sport was to gain grounds in Ghana. Mr Jimmy Lee, MLB Operations Manager was equally excited at the opportunity offered his team to partner in the development of the sport in the country. According to him, baseball is now a globalised sport and therefore, reflects in the way it is administered. Mr Lee disclosed that plans are underway to introduce a World Classic, a competition that will bring not less than 16 countries together to vie for honours in the sport. According to him, it will offer interested countries an opportunity to play baseball on the highest level especially a country like Ghana which is considered one of the emerging forces on the continent as far as baseball was concerned. The support to Ghana, he said, would be centred on youth development and upgrading of coaches. He said the team's presence in Ghana, which happened to be the second, would form the foundation for the development of baseball in Ghana. Mr Ntim, the ADF president on his part, called on the media and other stakeholders to partner his outfit as they seek to give baseball a new lease of life. Source: The Ghanaian Times