Two Baseball Players Move to America for Greener Pastures
US Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Uganda Baseball players Ben Serunkuma and Umar Male as the first two Ugandan born to play professionally for a Major League Baseball (MLB) organization in USA.
Serunkuma and Male will start their journey to professional baseball at the Dodgers’ Dominican Complex in Santo Domingo as the first of the Six levels of Minor League Baseball, with the goal of playing in the Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Ugandan players- the only from Africa, join players from additional Ten countries for the 2022 signing period.
Another Ugandan, Joshua Kizito Muwanguzi has equally been signed by the Dodgers to coach at the Campo Las Palmas for the 2022 season- the first Ugandan born coach in a Major League Baseball Organisation.
In addition to a professional Sports Career, the players will benefit from education sponsorship by the Dodgers upon transition from professional sports.
‘I applaud Uganda Baseball and Softball Association for balancing the sports and education aspects in management of their sports. This should be a learning point for other National Sports Associations to adopt the same.’- Dr. Patrick Ogwel, NCS General Secretary said during the flag off of the two, the event held at Lugogo on Friday.
‘The Dodgers hope the success of these three young men will continue to grow the sport and inspire a new crop of potential professionals players from the Pearl of Africa.’ -Will Nolden, Assistant Director, Los Angeles Dodgers.
Today the NCS, MOES, Uganda Baseball and Softball Association and Coaches from Los Angeles Dodgers have flagged off the 2 players and the coach at a ceremony at NCS Lugogo with partners Allen VS Stanley Secondary School-where the players have going to school, in attendance.
The former Allen VR Stanley Secondary School student started playing baseball in 2014 and represented Uganda National team in 2019 for the East African qualifiers in Kenya and feature for Uganda in the RBL international tournament in Vero Beach in Florida United States of America in 2019 .
Umar Male also from Luwero will be signed as a catcher . He also came from the same school but for him , he started playing baseball in 2012 and represented Uganda in the 2019 East African qualifiers.