Introducing Egypt’s First-Ever Baseball Youth League: “Because Baseball”
“Because Baseball” is Egypt’s first non-profit baseball youth league founded in 2016 by Kemp Gouldin, a former sales & marketing executive from Richmond, VA. During a visit to Egypt, he had a moment of inspiration and envisioned Egyptian children playing baseball with the same enthusiasm he had as a child. The response of Egyptian youth to baseball is nothing short of exhilarating. They welcomed back the sport to the land of the pharaohs, igniting a passion for the game that continues to flourish today.
A fascinating fact is that Records found in temples in south Egypt depict pharaohs holding what appears to be bats and balls, indicating that baseball might have existed in ancient times. The lecture “Pharaoh at the Bat: Egyptian Ball Games and American Baseball,” presented by Peter A. Piccione, Ph.D. delves into the fascinating history of Batting the Ball, highlighting scenes from Egyptian temples that depict the game in action and examine its similarities to Baseball.
The story of baseball in Egypt stretches back to 1889 when the Chicago White Stockings and the All-Americas embarked on a goodwill tour across the world. Their most iconic destination was Egypt, where the players explored the ancient civilization and even played a game in front of the pyramids on the Giza Plateau. Fast forward to 1914, the Chicago White Sox returned to Cairo, this time accompanied by the New York Giants. Today, against all odds, baseball has returned to Egypt once again, with “Because Baseball” taking up the mantle and writing the next chapter in this historical narrative.
“Because Baseball” has come a long way since its establishment. It’s not just the Egyptian youth who have taken notice, the league has garnered support from renowned baseball players like New York Yankees right fielder, Giancarlo Stanton. In fact, Stanton attended the league’s open day weekend last March and had an absolute blast.
“Because Baseball” is making great strides in building bridges among families, communities, and cultures through the power of baseball. Who knows? Maybe someday we’ll see the next great baseball player emerge from Egypt!
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