Former Major League Baseball star Hunter Pence, an American former professional baseball right fielder known as “The Reverend”, in partnership with the nonprofit Because Baseball, hosted Egypt’s inaugural Play Ball Weekend, from 13 to 15 June, at the Pyramids of Giza.
As part of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) global growth initiative, the event introduced hundreds of Egyptian youth to the sport, many for the first time, through hands-on clinics, school outreach programs, and exhibition games aimed at sparking grassroots enthusiasm.
The Play Ball Weekend was a deliberate initiative to introduce baseball to a nation where football dominates the athletic landscape and where, until recently, few could articulate the rules of America’s pastime. Hunter Pence, a two-time World Series champion and a dedicated advocate for youth sports, spent the weekend on the ground, coaching, encouraging, and listening to the ambitions of Egyptian children curious to explore a sport still foreign to many of them.
The event’s structure reflected Major League Baseball’s evolving international strategy, which focuses on initiating development at the grassroots level, empowering local leadership, and fostering the sport’s organic growth.
Throughout the weekend, Pence and a group of volunteer coaches conducted skills clinics for children of all ages, offering instruction in the fundamentals of throwing, catching, base running, and teamwork. Exhibition games gave young Egyptians their first taste of on-field competition, while outreach efforts in schools brought baseball into physical education curricula at several Cairo schools for the first time.
“We want to show kids that baseball is about more than just a game. It’s about teamwork, resilience, and having fun,” Pence told MLB Central in an interview.
Because Baseball, founded by Kemp Gouldin, has been laying the groundwork for this moment since 2017. The nonprofit has established Egypt’s first recreational baseball league for kids, trained local coaches, and provided essential equipment, often adapting soccer fields to serve as makeshift diamonds.
“I want this to be something people in the region own,” Gouldin said. “I don’t want this to be something with a foreigner coming in. It was about building relationships with various foundations and finding kindred spirits.”
While the Play Ball Weekend garnered attention last week, the path ahead for baseball in Egypt remains steep. Baseball’s cultural footprint in Egypt is minimal; most locals’ exposure to the sport comes from Hollywood films or fleeting mentions of the New York Yankees. Facilities are scarce, and the dominance of football means that baseball must fight for attention and resources.
MLB’s global Play Ball initiative, which now spans six continents and involves over 200 events, is designed precisely to promote long-term, community-driven growth.
For Pence, whose post-playing career has focused on youth development and sustainability, the event to him was about planting seeds for future generations. The hope is that, with continued investment and local leadership, baseball can become a fixture in Egyptian schools and communities, offering children a new way to play, connect, and dream.
Whether baseball can take root in Egypt remains an open question. But as children took to the field, swinging bats and chasing down fly balls, the moment testified to the power of sport to cross borders.
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