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Bubba Watson Now Part Owner Of The Blue Wahoos

Bob Barrett
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WUWF News

A local sports hero has become a part owner of a local sports organization.  A couple of hundred fans attended the ceremony at Bayfront Stadium as Blue Wahoos Team President Bruce Baldwin and Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward introduced the newest member of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos ownership team, professional golfer and Pensacola native Bubba Watson.

Credit Bob Barrett / WUWF News
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WUWF News
Bubba Watson at Monday afternoon's announcement at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium

The two time Masters' Champion said he grew up playing baseball, but chose golf, remarking that he thinks that decision worked out for him. He said becoming a part of the team and the community  was something he wanted to do for a while.

Team owners Quint and Rishy Studer were tending to a family health situation and were not at the announcement. Watson says it's the Studer's commitment to charity and the growth of Pensacola that appealed to him. He is looking forward to using his part ownership of the team to give back to his home town.

Watson will be a minority partner in the Blue Wahoos...with the Studers remaining as principal owners and decision makers, although Watson says he'll try to do his part in helping the team continue to grow.

After the formal announcement, Team president Bruce Baldwin invited the crowd to watch as Watson hit a drive from home plate into Pensacola Bay. He also took a few swings with a baseball bat from the plate, before signing autographs with fans and talking to the media.

Credit Bob Barrett / WUWF News
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WUWF News
Bubba Watson hits a golf ball into Pensacola Bay from home plate at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

After the announcement, Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward talked about the importance of Watson being involved in the community. He said "Bubba Watson is a global brand". He says bringing that brand to the community will help move Pensacola forward. The mayor also said Watson is one of the many area natives who have come back to give back to their home communities.

During the event introducing Watson as the new part-owner of the Blue Wahoos, he put on a Wahoos cap with the signature B-W initials on the front. While those initials won't need to change, there will be a few changes in the ballpark now that Watson is part of the club. The bar behind the home plate area has been renames Bubba's Sand Trap...and a new food item will be on the menu for the Blue Wahoos fourth season, the Bubba Dub Grilled Cheese...a double decker sandwich with crispy hash browns inside. If you're making plans, opening day is April 9...which also happens to be day one of the 2015 masters in Augusta.

Bob Barrett has been a radio broadcaster since the mid 1970s and has worked at stations from northern New York to south Florida and, oddly, has been able to make a living that way. He began work in public radio in 2001. Over the years he has produced nationally syndicated programs such as The Environment Show and The Health Show for Northeast Public Radio's National Productions.