Gift Ngoepe becomes first African in MLB
PITTSBURGH -- Gift Ngoepe might not have had the weight of the world on his shoulders but he felt like a continent was counting on him.
Ngoepe, the first African to reach the major leagues, singled in his first plate appearance and Josh Harrison led off the bottom of the first with a home run Wednesday night to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
Ngoepe was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis and entered the game in fourth inning as part of a double switch and finished 1 for 2 with a walk. The 27-year-old South African, who signed with the Pirates in 2008 as an amateur free agent, led off the fourth with a hit off winless Cubs ace Jon Lester.
"To accomplish this only for me but for my country and my continent is something so special," Ngoepe said. "There are 1.62 billion people on our continent. To be the first person out of 1.62 billion to do this is amazing."
It was so special that Ngoepe nearly broke into tears when he trotted from the dugout to take his positon at second base.
"I told myself not to cry because I'm in the big leagues and I'm a big guy now," Ngoepe said with a smile. "(Catcher Francisco) Cervelli hugged me and I could feel my heart beat through my chest."
CBS Pittsburgh reports that Ngoepe's story is unique in the history of the game. He grew up near Johannesburg, South Africa, living in an amateur baseball team's clubhouse. His mother was the groundskeeper.
"I was watching these people playing this game, I didn't know what it was called," he said.
The Pirates signed him nine years ago, when he was still a teenager. He's always been a skilled fielder, and now his hitting's coming on.
"I would love for him to have a dollar for everybody who's looked at him and said he'll never make it," said Clint Hurdle, the Pirates manager.
"It was a long road," added Ngoepe.
A dream come true, he says now.
His mother, who raised him in that clubhouse, died four years ago. Ngoepe says she's been on his mind.
"I know she's looking down on me, and I know she's happy because I told her this moment would come since I was a little kid," Ngoepe said.
Ngoepe's younger brother, Victor, is also a prospect with the Pirates organization.
