It's A Home Run!

Gift Ngoepe is living his dream: from Africa to playing in America’s biggest baseball league.

- Kaizer Ngwenya

HE WAS so nervous he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. And then stepping out onto the baseball pitch came the moment he’ll never forget. “Ladies and gentlemen,” boo med the announcer’s voice over the public address system in the crowded stadium in America, “Now coming in for second base for Pittsburgh Pirates – Gift Ngoepe . . .” 

The South African could feel the tears welling up as he stood in PNC Park, his team’s home stadium in Pennsylvania, nearly 14 000 km from Limpopo where he was born, listening to the deafening cheers of the more than 30 000 spectators.

This was it. His big moment – he’d been waiting nine years for this chance to prove himself and now here it was. 

He was making history. It was time to claim the sporting glory for which he and his family had worked so hard. Not only was he the first South African to play for an American Major League Baseball team, but also the first African.

Aware of the weight of the occasion, his teammate Francisco Cervelli gave him a bear hug and whispered in his ear: “Go for it, brother. This is your chance.”

Inspired by those words Mpho “Gift” Ngoepe (27) stepped up to the batting plate and hit a comfortable single off a delivery from Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester.

And by the end of the match he’d helped his team to a 6-5 victory, proving he has what it takes to play against the best in the game.

Speaking to us a few days later, he’s still amazed by his achievement.