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Other Sports of Thursday, 24 April 2014

Source: Sammy Heywood Okine

Ghana to host International Baseball soon

With the construction of the the Koshien Ghana Japan Baseball and Softball field at the Labone Senior High School in Accra by Wilkado Construction Ltd, Ghana would soon be hosting international Baseball games to promote the sport in the country and the continent.

President Albert K Frimpong of the Ghana Baseball and Softball Association said it is a dream come true because he has worked so hard to get the facility which is now on an educational institution and hope the field would be used judiciously to the benefit of students, the youth and people who are interested in the game. Frimpong said Baseball can be the number or three or four sport in Ghana after Football, Boxing, Athletics and Basketball. He prayed that the field would be maintained, kept clean at all times and improved upon as time goes on.

Ghana’s national team, the Rising Stars have been training and playing in Tema, and now that the main pitch has been put up in Accra, there would be some interest among sports enthusiasts in the capital who love Baseball, one of the most popular games in the United States of America.

The Rising Stars are among the highly respected team on the African continent. After South Africa, Ghana is at par with nations like Egypt, Nigeria and Morocco, which means if the players, officials and all those involved in the promotion and development of the game are motivated and supported, Ghana can be the best in Africa. Yours truly congratulates Albert Frimpong and all those who have con tribute to the project and I also pray that the Ghanaian Sports Media is educated much on the game so that they can also inform accurately.

The Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) and Online Sports Journalists Union (OSJU) have been monitoring the activities of the Ghana Baseball and Softball Association and whilst they are commended, the umbrella bodies of all sports journalists in Ghana wish that there are seminars or courses to educate players, officials and the interested general public on the game.

Sports Minister Hon. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah who commissioned the field with the Japanese Ambassador in Ghana said the government is working around the clock to pass the Sports Bill. Some dignitaries who graced the commissioning were the Greater Accra Regional Minister Hon. Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo who donated $1,000 to the Ghana Baseball Association, The Association for Friends of African Baseball and the African Development Foundation also donated to the Association.