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OJ's a good sport!

Sportsmanlike conduct: St. George's Cup Match star OJ Pitcher in action in 2007.

St. George's Cup Match star, OJ Pitcher was the centre of attention at the Seventh Annual Good Sportsmanship presentation ceremony of the Bermuda Friendly Societies Association.

The 27-year-old cricketer was selected as winner over and above all other players in this year's Cup Match for his display good sportsmanship.

The selection is made annually by the Bermuda' Umpires Association, which delegated third-umpire Anthony Fubler to make the announcement. OJ was pleasantly surprised and overwhelmed by for him as a triple back-to-back honour for his model sportsmanship. Earlier that week he was recipient of the first Good Sportsmanship Award honouring the late Cup Match historian and commentator Wellington (Soup) Zuill, given by the Zuill family.

And two years ago OJ was singled out for the Friendly Societies award. At that time he was unable to personally accept the trophy because he was in university in Florida. His father OJ Pitcher, who in his own day and time was an outstanding St. David's Island cricketer, did the honours.

Not only did young OJ make a concerted effort to attend, he brought along a whole posse from St. David's for moral support, including his father and mother Roseanne, a para-professional in the school system; his grandmother Mrs. May Joaquin; godmother Jean Lawrence and daughter Annaneil; his aunt Hope Lowe and uncle Elvyn Pitcher.

President of the Friendly Societies Association Dr. Michael Bradshaw and vice-president Norbert welcomed the brothers and sisters from the kindred societies as well as distinguished guests, who included Sports Minister Glenn Blakeney; Junior Sports Minister Sen. Marc Bean; presidents of the two Cup Match clubs, Richard Scott and Neil Paynter along with leaders of the UBP Scott Sousa and Tillman Darrell; and the Bermuda Democratic Party, Craig Cannonier and Dueane Dill.

They all congratulated OJ and praised the Friendly Societies for instituting the prestigious award. As Dr. Bradshaw pointed out, the award commemorates the role of the Friendly Societies in establishing the Annual Cup Match in 1902 as a commemoration of the celebration of the Emancipation of Slavery in 1834.