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Baseball protégé Hall basks in new highlight

Bermudian-born baseball player Hall receives his award in Toronto at the weekend

Adam Hall’s young baseball career has had no shortage of highlights, racking up numerous accolades, and he picked up another one at the weekend when he received the Canadian Futures Award in Toronto.

In his four years with the Great Lake Canadians programme, the 17-year-old Bermudian has had the consistent guidance and tutelage of former major league players Adam Stern, Chris Robinson, and Jamie Romak, along with a number of others with years of professional experience.

Joining the Canada junior national team at age 15, he has been coached by national squad guru Greg Hamilton for a countless number of games, and among others has even had the privilege of gaining infield instruction from Hall of Fame second baseman Roberto Alomar, national team hero Pete Orr, and 2006 American League MVP Justin Morneau.

And Hall picked up his latest award last weekend in Canada’s largest city at Baseball Canada’s National Teams Awards Banquet and Fundraiser.

“Watching guys play on TV and seeing them a lot and looking up to them, it’s pretty cool when you see them there, let alone when they come and talk to you,” said Hall, who spent his early years in Bermuda and grew up playing baseball in the YAO baseball programme before his family moved to Canada.

“Russ [Martin, the Toronto Blue Jays catcher] came and talked to a bunch of the junior national team guys while we were standing around a couple times, so that was pretty cool seeing him.

“Then actually on my way out, when I was going to the elevator, Joey Votto [the Cincinnati Reds first baseman] came up to me by himself and congratulated me on the award, so that was pretty cool. He’s a pretty phenomenal player so that was pretty special.”

Hall became the fourth winner of the Canadian Futures Award and first representative of the Great Lake Canadians programme to win.

The accolade was previously presented to Andrew Yerzy — selected in the second round by the Diamondbacks, 52nd overall, in the 2016 draft — Josh Naylor — taken in the first round, twelfth overall, by the Marlins in 2015 — and Gareth Morgan — chosen by the Mariners in the second round, 74th overall, in 2014 — graduates of the Toronto Mets and Ontario Blue Jays programmes now participating in the Canadian Premier Baseball League.

“It’s a big honour to get the award, especially looking at some of the guys who have gotten it before me,” Hall, who lives in London, Ontario, said. “It kind of says that you’re doing the right thing.”

Looking forward to continuing his successful run with Team Canada and Great Lake, the Texas A&M Aggies commit is eager to get the season started.

For the first time in his three years with both squads, their spring trips down south do not overlap, offering Hall a chance to spend more time with his team-mates, as well as out on the field.

“I’m pretty pumped to get back into things already,” Hall said. “The off-season felt like it’s been too long. It will be nice getting to go down to Florida with Great Lake, for only the second time actually.

“I got to go my first year and last year now with Great Lake, so it’s kind of a closing thing with them as well.

“It will be fun to be able to go and spend almost a full month in Florida and then keep things going for the draft.”

Heading into his final tour as a member of the junior national team, the middle infielder is hoping to leave as much of a mark on the programme as it has left on him.

“I’m just continuing to play with Team Canada and contribute to that programme as much as I can,” Hall said.

“I want to try and give back for all they’ve given me so far. I’ve still got a couple trips left, and hopefully I’ll be there in Thunder Bay to go to another world championship [this September, after participating at the Under-18 Baseball World Cup in Nishinomiya, Japan, in 2015], and this time in Canada. It would be pretty special to do that, and then to sum everything up, hopefully win it all there.”

Excited about what lies ahead, the year could not have started better for Hall than the way it did on Saturday night, honoured by the family he joined when he first suited up in the red-and-white jersey, one that along with his Great Lake family, he will cherish for ever.

“When Paul Quantrill was up on stage [honoured as Baseball Canada’s ninth inductee on the Wall of Excellence], he summed up in his speech what I think Baseball Canada really is,” Hall said.

“He was talking about how you don’t necessarily remember the games you play — I mean, obviously there will be certain games that you remember — but he talked about how you remember the people you played with, the people you met, how close you were with them, and just how the family comes together that is Baseball Canada.

“The experiences will last a lifetime and you’re a part of the family for ever.”