In just a few months after Uganda Baseball and Softball Association flagged off one of its best players Isaac Odongo to the United States for College in Texas, the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed terms with Ben Sserunkuma and Umar Male together with their coach Joshua Kizito Muwanguzi as international signees.
Sserunkuma and Male are set to become the first Ugandan born to play professionally in the Major League Baseball (MLB) organisation.
The boys were flagged off amidst Ugandan dignitories including the National Council of Sports General Secretary Dr. Bernard Patrick Ogwel, Rev Canon Duncans Mugumya the commissioner of physical education, among others.
“We are greatful for this opportunity which will yield more results in the growth and development of the game of baseball and softball in the Uganda,” said NCS General Secretary Dr. Benard Ogwel.
“These are young energenic youth that have been given a chance to show the world what they have and we are hopeful that they will fly Ugand’s flag high,” Commissioner ministry of Education Rev Canon Duncan Mugumya commented.
Sserunkuma and Male will report to the dodgers dominican complex, campo las palmas in Santo Domingo to start their journey in professional baseball.
“Am really excited because of this great opportunity and thank everyone behind my success” said Catcher Umar Male.
Coach Muwanguzi said: “As a coach this is the first step achieving along this journey, am going to learn better and this will open the door for the people coming behind me. With three players now in the USA, that means we have started preparing ourselves for the 2028 olympic games in Las Angels and I know I will be the Fulcrum”.
Both Sserunkuma (a right handed pitcher) and Male (a catcher) have been in baseball since 2012 and previously represented Uganda national team in 2019 for the East African qualifiers in Kenya as well as RBI International tournament in Vero beach Florida in 2019.
Coach Muwanguzi who will coach at the LA Dodgers Academy has previously represented Uganda at the 2015 little world series in williamsport, pennyslvania as a player.
The Dodger coach in Uganda, Will Nolden, who also doubles as the assistant director of Allen VR Stanley in Mpigi Nakirebe, said that they are delighted for their project that has started yielding results.
“Ugandans will be pioneers for America’s pastime and have shown that the sport of baseball can stretch across continents. The dodgers hope the success of these three young men will continue to groew the sport and inspire a new crop of potential players from the pearl of Africa”.
Uganda currently stand second in Africa in the game of baseball behind South Africa and according to Felix Okuye the president Uganda Baseball and Softball Association, they will shift gears to prepare for the World Championship qualifiers games to be held in SouthAfrica come february 2022.
LA Dodgers officials
