Dennis Cook of the New York Mets throws a pitch during the game against the San Francisco Giants on May 12, 2001 in San Francisco, Califirnia. Cook has been named the manager of Baseball United’s Abu dhabi Falcons (Photo Credit: Jeff Gross /Allsport/ Getty Images)
Baseball United announced on Monday that former Major League Baseball pitcher and World Series Champion Dennis Cook will be the manager for the Abu Dhabi Falcons for the upcoming showcase in Dubai next month.
Former MLB player and World Series Champion Nick Swisher will replace Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera as the honorary general manager for the Abu Dhabi Falcons franchise.
“Dennis is an amazing addition to our Baseball United team,” said Kash Shaikh, CEO, Chairman, and Majority Owner of Baseball United in a statement on the league’s website.
“He’s a proven winner, with meaningful contributions to a lot of winning ball clubs for a decade and a half during his MLB career,” Shaikh said. “He’s stayed wired into the game at the amateur, professional, and international levels. You can feel his passion in every conversation, and he will be an amazing ambassador for the game here in the United Arab Emirates. I can’t wait to see him on the field leading the Falcons.”
Baseball United is the first professional baseball league located in the Middle East and Indian subcontinent. Baseball United will have its first event, the Dubai Showcase, from November 10-12 at Dubai International Stadium, which is mainly used for cricket.
All Baseball United Dubai Showcase games will be played at Dubai International Stadium.
Only two games will be played on Saturday, November 11.
On November 9, all four teams will have on-field batting practice prior to the event to get used to the playing surface.
The stated goal of Baseball United is to grow the sport to two billion people across India, Pakistan, and the Middle East, an area with nearly one billion cricket fans. Baseball United hopes to have franchises in South Asia in countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and the Maldives.
Baseball United’s franchises will also be located in Gulf Cooperation Council member nations and south Asia. The GCC countries include the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The franchise locations will be announced in the league’s foreseeable future along with hiring major staff officials that will be part of the league’s success.
“If we can inspire even a small fraction of that viewership, it will be an incredible stage for baseball in the region. And from an attendance standpoint, we are looking forward to welcoming baseball fans from all walks of life – and from dozens of different countries – to enjoy this classic showdown” said Shaikh.
