What?s big, strong, speaks German, and carries a wooden club? No, it isn?t Arnold Schwarzenegger starring in a new Hercules movie. It?s Michael »Mitch« Franke, 19, Germany?s most promising baseball player in close to half a century. When he came to the United States last Spring to train with a farm team owned by the Milwaukee Brewers, he became the first German slugger in 44 years to land an American pro contract.
»Baseball,« says Mitch, who comes from Strausberg, a small town east of Berlin, »is what I live for.« Since his 12th birthday, he says, not a day has passed that he hasn?t had a bat in his hands. When the other kids went home after practice, Mitch would stick around hitting balls until it got too dark to see. He hasn?t regretted a single minute of his hard work. At 17, he was named to Germany?s junior national team; by 18, he was playing on the national team.
But his precocious talent owes not only to his own self-discipline. There is also his coach and mentor, Georg Bull, a former captain of the German national squad who also has experience in the South African pro leagues. Thanks to Bull, Strausberg has a fully-outfitted baseball field. And thanks to the field, the town has been able to develop its own club team, the Sun Warriors, on which Mitch played and developed his skills for six years.
»I?ve trained a lot of kids, but only Mitch can get the ball away from the plate with that kind of force,« say Bull, referring to Mitch?s power swing. Bull soon realized that his pupil?s skills deserved far more attention than any German team could offer. He recommended Mitch to Chris Miller, a friend of his who now happens to work as a talent scout for the Milwaukee Brewers. Soon came an invitation to the Brewers? training camp in Phoenix, where Mitch was given three weeks to show his stuff.
It didn?t take that long. Mitch?s arm strength and his optimal 6?1», 187-pound physique were impressive enough. Add to that his equal skill swinging right or left?he?s a switch-hitter?and it took Mitch only three days to prove himself to the Brewers? team managers.
Still, the young German has a tough road ahead. In moving to the States this year, he?s had to leave behind his family, his friends, and his girlfriend. »They have to understand,« he says, bravely. As for Mitch, for the moment he has to get by on $850 per month while he trains in Utah with the Ogden Raptors, one of the Brewers?s farm teams, or minor-league clubs.
With a bit of luck, however, Mitch will soon be on his way to the big time. His Plan? Establish himself in the Raptors starting lineup, then step by step, move himself up to the majors?a process that could take as much as three to five years. But Mitch has never lacked for willpower. And chances are this time, when he takes a few extra swings after dark, it is going to be under some big stadium lights.
Julian Müller
