‘I played baseball great; I played the streets equally’- Roberto Smalls aka 'Robbie'
Mr Roberto Smalls aka 'Robbie' made this declaration during the Opening Ceremony of the three-day summit yesterday, Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at the Multi-purpose Sports Complex in Road Town.
The summit is being held under the theme ‘Our Virgin Island: Safe Communities, Prosperous Territory’.
Mr Smalls, who is from the US Virgin Islands but has parental roots in the Territory, will share his story during the summit. He gave an insight into what he would be sharing and said that if he had guidance, such as what is being done with this summit, when he was younger, he may have made better choices.
I played baseball and the streets equally great
Mr Smalls described himself as being a quiet youth but a listener, who eventually followed the wrong crowd and made bad decisions, one of which landed him in prison with a natural life sentence.
Being a great baseball player, he was able to secure a professional baseball contract, but he lost it with the bad decisions he continued to make.
“I could tell you I played baseball real great, and I played the streets equally until I made that transition and made the streets engulf me…There’s a lot of kids out there beyond the listening ears that need to be reached out to…when you have that opportunity, try not to squander it because all it takes is one mistake.”
He revealed that the first time he went to prison was when he was sentenced to natural life.
Prison, he said, is not just tough and serious, adding, “It’s past that, it’s the biggest inconvenience in your life. That's the biggest disrespect that you could do to your family, your mother, your father. That all the sacrifices that they have made on your behalf, and how do you repay them, by going astray, ending up in prison or worse, dead?”
Friends & associates will abandon you
Mr Smalls continued that in prison, there are no returns.
“When I went to trial in 1994, and I looked around for all my supporters, all my friends, I ran around in the streets [with], no one was there. The only people that was there were my mom and my two sisters. And only my mom and my two sisters stayed with me over that 25-year journey. All the friends and associates I had left me to the wayside.”
He warned those listening to him via any medium, who may be following bad company, never to think their situation will be different.
“Don’t think that it happened to me that way, it ain’t gonna happen to you, it’s gonna happen to you, maybe even worse.”
Remorse, reflection & redemption
Mr Smalls said during the 25 years he spent in prison, he had the opportunity to really think about how he got there.
“For me, it’s about remorse, reflection and redemption. I knew I was better than this circumstance; I was saddened and remorseful for the harm that I had caused not only to the perceived victims and their families but also for my family.”
He said he reflected on what got him there, and it was the decisions he had made.
Mr Smalls will continue to share his story during the remainder of the summit.
The Opening Ceremony was attended by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), other members of the government, Opposition Leader Hon Myron V. Walwyn (R6), Governor Daniel Pruce, Acting Commissioner of Police Jaqueline E. Vanterpool, other members the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, members of the public service, as well as youth and youth groups.
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