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Born in the town of Benoni, Gauteng, perhaps the most ecclectic area of South Africa, Issam Ghaniy stood head and shoulder above the competition early on. Though Rugby was clearly his first love, the young Ghaniy, who was already standing 6'2" tall at the age of 13, discovered baseball in the summer of 1963 and never looked back. Though South African players still to this day have never made a roster of a Major League Baseball team, Ghaniy knew early on that he would be good enough to break that seal. So he pitched... and he pitched... and he pitched some more.... but no teams ever called.
Then in 1978, when the Brewer's League relaunched and teams scoured the map to find the best available players, a then 28 year old who stood 6'6", weighed 215 pounds and had mastered a backdoor splitter that no one else was throwing, got a call from Management in Los Lunas.
"I was working at a school in Benoni. Teaching English and baseball. Pitching everyday," Ghaniy, who is off to a brilliant start in 1985 with Davenport, recently told the Associated Press.
Ghaniy, who is now pitching for his 6th team in 7 years, was brought to Los Lunas where he where he would pitch 244 innings his first season en route to helping to lead the Javalines to the 1978 Brewmaster's Cup. His success that season lead him to a 5-year free agent contract with the Carolina Tobs of the Import League.
"I loved Carolina. Carolina always felt like home. That's where I wanted to pitch the rest of my career."
With the Tobs, Ghaniy would continue to rack up statistics and shutouts. That includes his first and only career NO-HITTER - an August 1980 gem against the Virginia Colonials.
In 1981, Issam would pick up his second ring as the Carolina Tobs captured the Brewmaster's cup that season - a year where he would put up his most impressive season going 17-5. Despite his stellar regular season, his shakey post-season stats started to cause some rifts between Ghaniy and upper management.
"I never had any concerns with the Tobs. I loved pitching for them. I loved living in Carolina. I loved helping to bring home that Cup."
After a brilliant start to the '82 season, the then 10-3 Ghaniy was dealt in late July to another up and coming IL contender in hopes of solidifying their staff. Ghaniy joined the Wilmington Wildcats and started 14 games the rest of that season, posting a 2.67 ERA and drinking from the Cup for a third time when the 'Cats took home the '82 crown.
Considered only a rental by Wilmington, he was dealt during the opening week of the '84 season to the lowly Virginia Colonials in '83 for a 5th round pick.
"I didn't know how to feel when that happened. I have won a lot of games for a lot of teams. I had three championships. And now I was going to the worst team in the league for peanuts."
Virginia welcomed Ghaniy and his impressive resume to a clubhouse that was in constant flux and disaray. Though the team continued to struggle, Ghaniy pitched well and the Colonials signed him to a 2-year extension in August of that year.
"I was ready to retire with the Colonials. They had young players like Del (Oyos) and Nate (Magness) that I thought I could help develop. I love teaching. I wanted to help."
The 1984 season started in the BLB and in his third start, Ghaniy experienced something for the very first time in his career - pain.
"My back just wasn't good. No matter what I did, I could not get loose."
Ghaniy ended up sitting out the next 6-weeks recoving from his bouts with back spasms. When he returned, he simply wasn't the pitcher that he was before.
"I was walking way too many guys. That's a big ballpark in Virginia. I should have been pitching to contact, but I just wasn't getting the ball over."
In July, Ghaniy was dealt once again and joined his 5th team in his career in Baltimore.
"Virginia needed help in the bullpen. They asked me to make the move, but I felt like I was still a starter. The Bulldogs were willing to send Joe Negron over to Virginia and I would get to start."
Ghaniy would start only 9 games in his career in Baltimore going 2-7 and posting a robust 5.60 ERA. He was released outright that off-season.
"I went home to Benoni. I asked for my job back at the school. I was sure my career was over. Once spring training started, I was sure I'd thrown my last pitch."
Late in spring training, Ghaniy got the call again. This time, Davenport was on the line. Ghaniy would move yet again and join his 6th and what he assumes will be his team.
In his first four games, Ghaniy is 2-1 with a 1.36 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP. Though Davenport is struggling with injury, Ghaniy is starting to look like his self again. Something that may lead to Ghaniy being a buzzworthy name at the deadline.
"7 teams?" he says with a laugh, "I suppose if someone needs me I will have to move again. If a team thinks I can help them win a Championship, I'm ready. I love to pitch. That will not ever change."
One win short of the 100th regular season victory in his BLB career, Issam Ghaniy has played for 25% of the franchises in the league. He has 20 complete games in 223 starts. He's notched 7 shutouts and a No-Hitter. Perhaps most importantly, he's raised the Brewmaster's Cup on three different occasions. That lends itself to the question - is he one of the best pitcher's the BLB has ever seen or simply one of the luckiest?
"Maybe some of both? I can't say really. I just wanted to play baseball. I come from a gold mining town an ocean away and now I'm playing baseball. I'm just the son of a gold miner. The grandson. That's a long way to come."
Finding gold through blood, sweat and tears? With 3 rings... maybe not as far as you'd think.
Then in 1978, when the Brewer's League relaunched and teams scoured the map to find the best available players, a then 28 year old who stood 6'6", weighed 215 pounds and had mastered a backdoor splitter that no one else was throwing, got a call from Management in Los Lunas.
"I was working at a school in Benoni. Teaching English and baseball. Pitching everyday," Ghaniy, who is off to a brilliant start in 1985 with Davenport, recently told the Associated Press.
Ghaniy, who is now pitching for his 6th team in 7 years, was brought to Los Lunas where he where he would pitch 244 innings his first season en route to helping to lead the Javalines to the 1978 Brewmaster's Cup. His success that season lead him to a 5-year free agent contract with the Carolina Tobs of the Import League.
"I loved Carolina. Carolina always felt like home. That's where I wanted to pitch the rest of my career."
With the Tobs, Ghaniy would continue to rack up statistics and shutouts. That includes his first and only career NO-HITTER - an August 1980 gem against the Virginia Colonials.
In 1981, Issam would pick up his second ring as the Carolina Tobs captured the Brewmaster's cup that season - a year where he would put up his most impressive season going 17-5. Despite his stellar regular season, his shakey post-season stats started to cause some rifts between Ghaniy and upper management.
"I never had any concerns with the Tobs. I loved pitching for them. I loved living in Carolina. I loved helping to bring home that Cup."
After a brilliant start to the '82 season, the then 10-3 Ghaniy was dealt in late July to another up and coming IL contender in hopes of solidifying their staff. Ghaniy joined the Wilmington Wildcats and started 14 games the rest of that season, posting a 2.67 ERA and drinking from the Cup for a third time when the 'Cats took home the '82 crown.
Considered only a rental by Wilmington, he was dealt during the opening week of the '84 season to the lowly Virginia Colonials in '83 for a 5th round pick.
"I didn't know how to feel when that happened. I have won a lot of games for a lot of teams. I had three championships. And now I was going to the worst team in the league for peanuts."
Virginia welcomed Ghaniy and his impressive resume to a clubhouse that was in constant flux and disaray. Though the team continued to struggle, Ghaniy pitched well and the Colonials signed him to a 2-year extension in August of that year.
"I was ready to retire with the Colonials. They had young players like Del (Oyos) and Nate (Magness) that I thought I could help develop. I love teaching. I wanted to help."
The 1984 season started in the BLB and in his third start, Ghaniy experienced something for the very first time in his career - pain.
"My back just wasn't good. No matter what I did, I could not get loose."
Ghaniy ended up sitting out the next 6-weeks recoving from his bouts with back spasms. When he returned, he simply wasn't the pitcher that he was before.
"I was walking way too many guys. That's a big ballpark in Virginia. I should have been pitching to contact, but I just wasn't getting the ball over."
In July, Ghaniy was dealt once again and joined his 5th team in his career in Baltimore.
"Virginia needed help in the bullpen. They asked me to make the move, but I felt like I was still a starter. The Bulldogs were willing to send Joe Negron over to Virginia and I would get to start."
Ghaniy would start only 9 games in his career in Baltimore going 2-7 and posting a robust 5.60 ERA. He was released outright that off-season.
"I went home to Benoni. I asked for my job back at the school. I was sure my career was over. Once spring training started, I was sure I'd thrown my last pitch."
Late in spring training, Ghaniy got the call again. This time, Davenport was on the line. Ghaniy would move yet again and join his 6th and what he assumes will be his team.
In his first four games, Ghaniy is 2-1 with a 1.36 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP. Though Davenport is struggling with injury, Ghaniy is starting to look like his self again. Something that may lead to Ghaniy being a buzzworthy name at the deadline.
"7 teams?" he says with a laugh, "I suppose if someone needs me I will have to move again. If a team thinks I can help them win a Championship, I'm ready. I love to pitch. That will not ever change."
One win short of the 100th regular season victory in his BLB career, Issam Ghaniy has played for 25% of the franchises in the league. He has 20 complete games in 223 starts. He's notched 7 shutouts and a No-Hitter. Perhaps most importantly, he's raised the Brewmaster's Cup on three different occasions. That lends itself to the question - is he one of the best pitcher's the BLB has ever seen or simply one of the luckiest?
"Maybe some of both? I can't say really. I just wanted to play baseball. I come from a gold mining town an ocean away and now I'm playing baseball. I'm just the son of a gold miner. The grandson. That's a long way to come."
Finding gold through blood, sweat and tears? With 3 rings... maybe not as far as you'd think.
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