Million Dollar Arm Hunt

Organizers expect 20,000 to 50,000 Indians in 20 cities to compete for a $50,000 purse, a 12-month training camp in San Francisco and a shot at a major league contract.

The contest also offers a $1 million jackpot for anyone who pitches three consecutive strikes of more than 95mph in the final, scheduled on March 9.

Jeff Bernstein, of Seven Figures, who represents the baseball star Barry Bonds, and is behind the contest told the London Times: “We noticed the Major League teams were going through tons of pitchers and never finding the talent, so we decided to look outside the country. We surveyed the world . . . and immediately thought of India. Everyone who grew up with a cricket ball in their hand has a chance of translating.”

Almost a third of India’s one billion population is in the 15 to 25 age group and pro baseball sees prospects of cultivating hundreds of millions of fans for the sport in the country. The company is hoping to take a page out of the success of Yao Ming, the first Chinese basketball player to make the National Basketball Association. Ying’s success has generated nearly 300 million Chinese basketball fans. “If the same thing happens with baseball here, you’re talking about billions and billions of dollars,” Bernstein said.