The 27-year-old recently spoke about his career, ambitions and shared his experiences with The Myanmar Times.





How old were you when you took up baseball?

I was 12 years old.

Who taught you the game?

I was first introduced to baseball by my brothers. They took me with them to the Kyaikassan baseball ground. So I was exposed to baseball from a very young age. My brothers taught me the basics.

When we started playing baseball here, there was no baseball ground in Myanmar, we had to play on football pitches. As a young child, I used to observe my older brothers train and as I grew older, I began to acquire a passion for the game.

When did you realise you wanted to become a professional baseball player?

I was selected a national player when I was 17 years old, and represented Myanmar at the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand. Actually, the national squad was the only baseball team in the entire country back then.





But I wanted to play baseball badly after that and looking for international exposure. I went to Japan in June 2013, drafted by the Kagawa Olive Guyners, courtesy of Mr Toru Iwasaki, who was the coach of Myanmar’s national team. In 2016 I joined Tokushima Indigo Socks and given jersey number 16. Last year I won two trophies with my team.

Did you find Japan difficult and challenging?

Yes, the weather and the language. I was trying heard than other players because I was a foreign player. If I couldn’t play well, they would not choose me. But I did my best and will keep trying in future.

When do you plan to retire?

I can’t say exactly now. I want to play as long as I can play.

Any plans for Myanmar?

Actually, baseball isn’t popular in Myanmar. We need to introduce the sport to children including students, and build more pitches and training grounds for new generation of baseball players. We need to show that baseball is a viable sporting career – that if you are a professional baseball player, you can earn a lot of prizes and make a lot of money.

That example will inspire Myanmar youth to come to baseball pitches and pursue the sport, not just as a hobby but as a career. I want to make baseball a major sport in Myanmar.