The future may be looking a bit uncertain for Mahwelereng Spikes, but their celebratory mood in their 45th anniversary is the stuff of sporting legend.
Pitch-off for this tournament is at 08h00 – weather permitting.
Spikes, alias The Snakes got their celebrations underway over the weekend with development games and this Sunday some of the big guns will descend to Mokopane for the flagship tournament.
The competition features affiliates of Limpopo Softball Association and other travelers outside the province.
Over the weekend, the all-marauding Moletlane Texas scooped gold medals in the development games after putting a brave display on the field of play.
Spikes intend to use this event as a renewal ritual as it is apparent that their fortunes are diminishing.
For years, Spikes have dominated the softball scene but recently, the once-venomous Snakes seem to have lost a bit of their lethal venom.
Since their inception 45 years ago, Spikes players were the incarnates of the vipers, cobras, mambas, taipan, boom slang, racer and other venomous serpents.
Be it a league, cup or friendly game, Spikes players will slither on to the field of play and prove that they are the legends of venom.
They had all the players any team will envy, the fastest pitcher of the Great North Softball Association era in Mphiri “Billy Ocean” Kgosana throwing blitzkrieg missiles to catcher, Ntate Pila.
Spikes had some of the remarkable glovesmen and the late Jimmy Kgomo was magnificent at first base.
The robustness of Lucky “Motsomi” Bambo at shot-stop and nimbleness of Koloi Kekana in the outfield were some of the artilleries in the Spikes regiment.
The team featured one of the ultimate midfield juggernauts in second baseman, Nakedi Raphalo, ably aided by shot-stop maestros, Freddy “Nkhwaks” Khwinana and George Teffo.
The list of Spikes players who stood the test of time is endless and could fill a centerspread of a Sunday newspaper.
With abundance of talent in all positions, Spikes travelled the length and breadth of the country, conquering battles with unmatched intensity of military ferocity.
Spikes’ fielding was underlined with clinical efficiency while their batting was sheer belligerence.
Intimidating their opponents before game was their modus operandi.
Pila attributes Spikes’ success story to mass mobilisation in the township and the passion that was instilled among players.
“We first made sure that we get schools involved in the formation of the team and Spikes never lacked personnel. The players of those days were committed to our club-building mission. There was at some stage at Spikes we forced youngsters in the township to go to school. Our team entrenched itself because we were had smart administrators and gifted coaches” Pila recalled.
Mahwelereng Spikes