The Men with the Million Dollar Arm - Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel

Not many Indians know the story of Dinesh Patel and Rinku Singh. In a country that preaches cricket, these two athletes found their calling in a different sport halfway across the world. In 2009, Patel and Singh became the first Indians to play baseball at the professional level in the USA. Beyond that, they became the first Indians to ever sign professional sports contracts in America. Their journey from small villages in Uttar Pradesh to chasing the American dream is a remarkable one.

Rinku Singh (left) and Dinesh Patel (right)

Born on August 8, 1988 in the rural village of Bhadohi, Rinku Singh grew up in a one-room house with 8 siblings. His father was a truck driver. Earlier the same year Dinesh Patel was born in the village of Khanpur. Unable to afford the cost of raising a child, Patel’s parents sent him to live with his grandmother. Both youngsters got involved in javelin-throwing and earned medals in national competitions at junior and school levels. Till then, neither had ever heard of the word ‘baseball’. But the year 2008 redefined their lives. Patel and Singh were among more than 37,000 Indian kids who participated in The Million Dollar Arm, a competition to find the fastest pitcher in India. Rinku Singh won the competition and Dinesh Patel finished runner up. Both earned a trip to the US where they received formal training and a chance to be signed by a professional baseball team.

So what exactly was the The Million Dollar Arm?

J. B. Bernstein, the creator of the Million Dollar Arm

The stories of Singh and Patel are closely correlated with that of American sports agent and entrepreneur J. B. Bernstein. Bernstein had frequently heard baseball pitching coaches say, “Give me a kid who can throw real hard and I can teach him everything else”. Trying to find new sources of baseball talent, Bernstein decided to head to India, a land where a similar sport, cricket, ruled the streets. The idea was simple. A reality TV show where ordinary kids are given baseballs and asked to throw it as fast as they can. Throw in a cash prize of $100,000 for the winner and the Million Dollar Arm challenge was born. The show aired in early 2008 and initially 30 contestants were shortlisted from which Singh and Patel would go on to win. Rinku Singh suddenly became the richest man in his village. But more than the money, this was the start of a new chapter in the lives of these young men.

Singh and Patel were sent to Los Angeles where they received training from former Major League Baseball pitcher Tom House. Their journey was not smooth sailing. Neither knew a word of English, much less the slightest idea of what baseball was and how it was played. In November 2008, the pair showcased their skills in front of representatives from the 20 major league baseball teams. Singh pitched at an impressive 92 mph, while Patel threw in the high 80s. Liking their raw talent, the Gulf Coast League Pirates, a minor league baseball team affiliated to the Pittsburgh Pirates signed the pair with a bonus of $8,000. Singh and Patel made history as the first Indians to sign professional baseball contracts in the US.

Living the Dream

The Gulf Coast League Pirates were a diverse team, featuring more foreigners than Americans. In 2009, besides the Indian pair, there were several players from Mexico, Columbia, Venezuela, South Africa and Canada. Gift Ngoepe, one of the first three people to be selected from South Africa recalls his experience with the team saying “I listen to the Indians’ music when I go past their rooms, and they listen to my music from Africa. We tell each other stories about our home countries. We do everything together”. Venezuelan infielder Elevys Gonzalez said of the Pirates, “Everybody’s the same here, like family”.

On July 4,2009, Singh and Patel played their first professional baseball match, pitching in the seventh and eighth innings of the game respectively.

Where They Stand Now

Rinku Singh

4 days after his first match, Singh won his first baseball game, and in doing struck out the only batter he pitched to. On May 24, 2010, as part of the White House Heritage Month, Singh had the opportunity to meet with US president Barack Obama. In August of the same year, Singh was promoted to another Pirates minor league team, the State College Spikes based in Philadelphia. Throughout 2011 and 2012, Singh also played in the Dominican Summer League and was selected in the World All Star team while playing in the Australian Baseball League. Unable to play baseball throughout 2013 due to injuries, Singh will return to train with the Pirates in the spring of 2014 .

So how does Rinku Singh feel about the whole thing? In an interview with a local news channel, Singh describes how back in 2008 he didn’t want to participate in the Million Dollar Arm challenge, afraid he might get hurt. It was his javelin coach that pushed him to try out and the rest is history. Singh’s parents don’t know much about what he is doing in the States, but they ask him not to forget where he came from and why he is there. The 24-year-old now aspires to one day play for the Pirates in the major league (first tier baseball). He says ” It doesn’t matter how much my life is struggling, I’m never, never, ever going to quit”.

Dinesh Patel

Patel picked up his first win one month after his compatriot and had a successful 2009 season. With his contract expiring in 2010, Patel decided to return to India instead of pursuing the baseball career further. Since then he’s been doing his best to give back to the society. Patel has helped boys from his village train for the next edition of the Million Dollar Arm. By 2012 he had taken up the javelin again and participated in national athletic championships. With the money he earned in the US, his family was able to renovate their house and arrange his sister’s wedding.

Dinesh Singh says “My family gathered self esteem and respect in society. It is always good to see your near and dear ones happy.”

On the Big Screen

The story of Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel has been adapted into an upcoming Walt Disney sports film ‘The Million Dollar Arm”, in which actors Suraj Sharma and Madhur Mittal will play the two Indian sportsmen. Singh and Patel were invited to join the movie crew while filming.

John Ham of Mad Men fame, who will play the lead role of J.B. Bernstein, said of the two Indians:

“The boys are amazing. They’re these kids who have literally never touched a baseball and made it into the Minor Leagues. That’s something. I grew up playing baseball. I probably couldn’t have made a Minor League squad on my best day. ………. The fact that they took that opportunity, and the fact that they applied themselves and worked as hard as anybody, says amazing things about their character.”

Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel will forever be a part of baseball’s inspiring legacy.They took the road less taken by and made it big in ways no one could have ever anticipated. We can only hope to see more of such pioneers in sport in the future.