September 18, 2019

By Lukas Weese

Canadian Baseball Network

TORONTO-- When one hears the family name “Bush,” the subject is often related to the bloodline of American Presidents from Texas.

In Canadian baseball circles, there is another Bush family from Texas making headway. Homer Bush Jr., for the second consecutive year, is showcasing his explosive, all-around game at the annual Blue Jays Tournament 12 Showcase at Rogers Centre. The same amphitheatre that his Father, Homer Bush Sr., graced with his baseball talent for parts of four seasons, from 1999 to 2002, as a second baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays.

“Even though my Dad and I are built differently, we play the exact same way,” said Bush Jr. “We share many similar skills on the field.”

Throughout his eight year career in the MLB, Bush Sr. has experienced many nerve-wracking moments. From his first big league game against the Oakland Athletics to helping lead the New York Yankees to the 1998 World Series, Bush Sr. shone when the pressure was the highest.

But sitting beside the dugout near first base, watching his son compete in front of a plethora of major league scouts, Bush Sr. is the most nervous. Focusing intently on Bush Jr.’s performance for Team Green, where he got one hit and a run in their 8-3 win over Team Maroon, the former Blue Jay is aware of the magnitude of this moment for his son.

“It’s really cool to be back at the Rogers Centre,” said Bush Sr. “It’s important for Homer to enjoy the process, play with no pressure, figure out the areas he needs to get better at and form a game plan from there.”

Bush Jr. was very young when his Dad introduced him to baseball. Born in Canada, but growing up in Houston, Texas, the 17-year-old was immersed in a multi-sport culture, playing football and baseball. Any chance he got, young Bush Jr. would turn on the TV to watch his Dad play in the big leagues for the Yankees and Blue Jays. The itch for Bush Jr. to follow in his Father’s footsteps was apparent.

“To watch my Dad growing up, grind his way through the minors to the big leagues, inspired me to get into baseball,” said Bush Jr. “He instilled a deep work ethic in me and I employ a lot of gameplay traits that he used.”

The passion and willingness to learn is what makes Bush Jr. a great student of the game. A student of Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas, Bush Jr. showcases tremendous arm strength and range from centre field, but needs to improve on the accuracy of his throws. He swings with pace and can generate tremendous power, creating difficulty for opposing pitchers.

“Homer has a ton of strength,” said former Toronto Blue Jays outfielder and T12 alumni coach Lloyd Moseby. “Once he works on his speed, he will be an effective all-around player.”

Based on his production this year, Bush Jr. was named to the all-district baseball team for District 5-6A. At the U17 Elite Squad Prospects tournament, the youngster recorded two hits in four at-bats. Bush Jr. has committed to Grand Canyon University for 2020, a program that has sent 14 players to the big leagues. He hopes that playing in the T12 Showcase for a second time will allow him to zero in on the facets of his game that need the most improvement.

“Enhancing consistency on my hitting is really important,” said Bush Jr. “Getting live at-bats, in major league stadiums where the pressure is high with scouts watching me, will definitely help me formulate a plan going forward.”

Twenty years ago, Bush Sr. put the exclamation mark on a season where he hit .320 with 32 stolen bases and 55 RBIs for the Blue Jays. Twenty years later, Bush Sr. gets to experience the pinnacle “Father” moment, witnessing his son emulate the journey that he was once on.

Rogers Centre will forever be an emblematic stage for baseball prosperity and family pride for the Bushes.