FAR away from the Yankee Stadium in New York, where thousands of die-hard baseball fans pack the rafters to watch a Major League Baseball game between the Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies, two Durban North youngsters gather eagerly around their television sets to watch the action unfold.
Though baseball in South Africa is still trying to find its feet, the decision to represent their country and pursue a professional baseball career is something Brandon Smith (14) and Ross Pridham (15) have always dreamed about.
Last month they got that chance after being selected for the national squad at the U15 IBAF Baseball World Cup in Mazatlan, Mexico.
“When my name was called out for selection, I just couldn’t believe it, I was speechless. It was an incredible honour to represent South Africa and I hope to keep playing for the national team,” Ross said.
The SA team played against nine countries and though they only won two of their games, there were a lot of positives to take out of the games.
“We knew we weren’t the best, but we were hoping to do much better. Having said that, beating Hong Kong and Lithuania showed the team definitely had spirit and plenty of character. We were certainly geed up for those games and I felt we may not have had the same energy for the other games in the group stages,” Brandon said.
“Playing against other top tier teams allowed us to measure what level we have to be at to be successful. It was also a chance to learn and swap ideas with other international players about positions and plays,” Ross said.
The Northwood School Grade 9 pupils both agree they wouldn’t be where they are today without the help and support of their parents.
Brandon was able to keep a special piece of world cup memorabilia in the form of a matchball that he will forever hold dear. “That was awesome and it will something I will treasure throughout my career,” he said.
