The Sunday Mail
THE best player in the Harare Baseball League is a truck driver.
For Tanya Hungwe, being a truck driver is just a small detour he has to make before making the giant leap into the glamourous world of Major League Baseball.
Having a player move from the HBL to the biggest league in the world seems a long shot but if it’s true that where there is a will there is a way, then Hungwe is on his way to the US.
The 23-year old Red Hawks player has the will in abundance, and with the new league set to pitch off at the end of the month, Hungwe is determined to continue with the kind of form that saw him walk away with the Most Valuable Player Award last year.
“As a player I am looking forward to giving my best, I am always looking forward to playing at my best and inspiring my team to wins,” he said. “I love baseball, I played many sports when I was young but baseball took my heart. My biggest dream is to play in the Major League, I know it’s a big challenge to get there but it’s possible, you simply have to show that you are good enough.”
Hungwe, who plays as a short stop, is yearning for a bigger platform to showcase his talents and reckons a move across the Limpopo will enhance his chances of attracting the attention of American clubs.
“The South African League is quite good; teams like Pirates and Red Sox have got relations with their namesakes in the States – you never know what might happen when you play for them,” said Hungwe.
The Red Hawks’ main man is the provisional national squad that is preparing to take part in the South African inter-provincials competition.
Hungwe is keen to make a mark in Mzansi.
“I always make sure that I am ready to deliver. Baseball is my life I also do some coaching at Tafara High School and Mabvuku High so there is always the chance to perfect my game. The first thing I have to do is to make the final squad before thinking about catching some eyes in South Africa,” he said.
Baseball might be his life but the sport is yet to pay the bills, so Hungwe has to find a balance between eking out a living and pursuing his dream.
“I am a class two driver and do local errands with lorries. It’s difficult to balance the two, work and baseball, but I am glad that my bosses understand. Each time I ask for permission to go and train with the others they allow me,” he said.
