MANY TRICKY CURVEBALLS

In comparison with rugby, baseball is considered a minor sport in South Africa. Gift Ngoepe and Taylor Scott are role models but taking the game to the people is a massive task.

- Nick Said

SOUTH AFRICA CAN POINT TO two of its own in Major League Baseball in the form of Gift Ngoepe and Taylor Scott, but the president of the country’s baseball union, Marc Moreau, admits that developing a steady stream of stars has proven a challenge.

Baseball is considered a minor sport in South Africa despite having had an active federation since 1935 and strong participation numbers – Cape Town alone has 23 clubs operating in age-groups ranging from Under8s and up.

The country is competitive on the global stage as well, despite all national team players being amateurs with jobs away from the game, and who have to self-fund their trips when they play outside the nation’s borders.

“Baseball in South Africa is not where it should be, that is a fair comment to make,” Moreau admits to FORBES AFRICA. “In the context of the African continent, we are the champions and far ahead of other nations, though I am personally involved in trying to grow the game in Africa too.”

The reasons why baseball is lagging behind other sports is not due to a lack of natural talent or desire to play the game. It comes down to logistics and cold, hard cash.

“As the national federation, we have a dual responsibility,” Moreau explains. “On the one side, we need to develop the game and make it available to all so there are equal opportunities.