Getting to know India's first baseball superstars

For quite some time, the USA has been casting its network towards the more populous east. Korea and Japan have responded well to America’s baseball charms and the Yankee land has more or less captured the big audience in China by signing Yao Ming for the NBA.

While India along with the rest of the world is trying to cash in on the tremendous potential for cricket in the States, the US has been trying to cast its nest in India in the hope of unearthing a Yao Ming like baseball pitcher.

They launched their “Million Dollar Arm” search all over India and 37,000 turned up to participate. Finally, Rinku Singh and Dinesh Kumar Patel were chosen as the winners and were sent to the US for further training.

The below video shows the journey of Rinku and Dinesh from not knowing what baseball is to being professional baseball players. And though the video at times paints the picture of India as a land of snakes, beggars and cattle, I can assure you from personal experience that not all Westerners are that naïve.

Yes, the video culminates with Pittsburgh Pirates signing Rinku and Dinesh in November 2008. What happened after that?

Good news.

In July this year, Rinku became the first Indian (or ‘Indian-born’ as MLB.com and Americans prefer it) to win a professional baseball match by striking out the only batter he faced. Dinesh followed suit in August with his first success.

For the Pirates’ management team of Neal Huntington and Frank Coonelly, this is a significant moment as Rinku and Dinesh are the first non-Americans they have signed.

They both must feel vindicated with MLB.com having only good things to say about their India signings: “The 6’2″ Singh throws 89-90 mph and has a split-finger changeup pitch, [while] the 5’11″ Patel throws a circle change and can reach 91-92 mph with his heater.”

USA and the Pirates will hope that they can tap into the riches India has to offer – both economically and in providing a pool of talent.

Here’s hoping that there’s more to follow.