Francis Muchiri, a retired baseball player turned coach and umpire, has won the prestigious Tujiamini Silver award. The Meru county local baseball enthusiast hopes to use the award to grow the game in his home county.
The Meru-based baseball and softball enthusiast has been announced as one of the five successful applicants for the Tujiamini Silver award. Francis is a coach of the Meru Angels which is made up of both university students and locals. Francis Muchiri a local police officer based in Tigania West sub-county is thrilled to see his passion for the support rewarded by the initiative by SportPesa.
Francis has a strong history of being an avid supporter of baseball, a sport not widely known throughout Kenya. He was a long-time player, having retired from the sport in 2010. Since then, he has maintained a close connection with the game, volunteering as a coach and umpire. Francis regularly works as an umpire at the JKUAT Field of Dreams in Nairobi.
The Field of Dreams is the first standard and official baseball pitch in Kenya, built by the American non-profit organization "If We Build It." The group has established the very first baseball league in Kenya, with several teams throughout Nairobi.
Francis's goal is to grow baseball in his community, starting by creating a clinic he can deliver in local schools in his sub-county. He also wants to provide support to his current players from the university and community, including ensuring transportation and meals on match days are catered for.
Francis is among the 15 Silver winners already announced by Tujiamini in 2024. The initiative, led by the online gaming firm SportPesa, has been rewarding talents from athletes to rappers and musicians in recent months, with over KSh 4,000,000 in products or services going towards supporting one's talents.
In Francis's case, his talents on the baseball field will be able to be passed on to a future generation, which will hopefully see the sport grow into a regular activity.
With his winnings, Francis and the Meru Angels will be hosting a baseball clinic in June in Meru.