Clive Thabo Dube
Sports Reporter
BASEBALL and Softball are some of the sports codes that maybe deemed to be followed by a minority in Zimbabwe. However the Vice Chairperson of the Harare Metropolitan Baseball Association (HMBA) Tanyaradzwa Hungwe, thinks in a few years time the sport will be neck and neck with soccer and cricket.
“The game of Baseball and Softball is not yet well known in Zimbabwe but we are trying by all means to spread the news and introduce the game in schools, colleges and universities. In no time, the Baseball community will be exposed in Zimbabwe.” Said Tanyaradzwa Hungwe on the back of his association in collaboration with Zimbabwe Baseball Association (ZBA) held a Tournament for women in Green Park Stadium, Harare.
The tournament featured Southern Conference taking on Northern Conference. The Southern Conference was made up of players from Bulawayo, Masvingo and the Midlands. While the Northern Conference was made up of players from Harare, Mashwest and Mutare.
“We are working very hard towards the ladies program as we need to start a league for them, from that we will assembly a National Ladies side.” Hungwe said.
The HMBA vice chairperson also described Baseball as a potential transformative and empowering force that can strongly have a positive impact on women.
Meanwhile the ZBA has revealed plans to have the sport play throughout the year with plans of forming new clubs and leagues across the country at an advanced stage. The sport was introduced to the then Rhodesia in 1952.
In 1992, Zimbabwe hosted the first African Baseball and Softball Association Congress alongside the Africa Cup Baseball Championships. Zimbabwe won silver at these games that featured only four African countries.
Zimbabwe has also over the years sent national Baseball teams to showpieces like the All Africa Games, starting with 1999 in South Africa