International baseball fever comes to Clapham Common

Big hitters: Ewan O'Connor, Timothy Ssali and head coach Pedro Figueras from the Figueras Baseball Academy

By Matt Watts »

Clapham Common’s only designated baseball training camp started last weekend - and its Crystal Palace coach declared it “a big hit”.

Pedro Figueras from Mowbray Road in Upper Norwood, has been running his academy on Clapham Common every summer since 2006.

The Figueras Baseball Academy - which attracts players from around the world living in London - has helped train semi-professional players who have gone on to play in European baseball leagues.

It attracted a sizeable number of players for its first session last Saturday, but Mr Pedro Figueras, from baseball-crazy Venezuela, is hoping more people would come down for the sessions, which will run every Tuesday until the end of September 2012.

He said: “The first day was a big hit, but I am hoping for more. I want Clapham Common to truly become the baseball capital of London.”

He said his dream was to see his academy, which welcomes players of all abilities, move to the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre but he currently lacked the funding, as his sessions are free.

If you are interested in attending, the group meet on the on the west side of the common by the clay football pitches every Tuesday at 18.00 and 20.30.

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P. Figueras

Head Coach

Figueras Baseball Academy