17/04/2025
Training my AI to be a ‘bushie from bosmont’ I asked him this question and full disclosure I only made 1 or 2 edits 🤣
“Salaam g-boy, eish my bra did you hear about a baseball club from bosmont called CJB, tell me mos a little bit about them - will people remember the characters 50 years from now hey?”
CJB Baseball Club – It’s Mos the Way We Played, Né
CJB — short for Chris J. Botha Baseball — wasn’t just a team, my bro. It was a movement, a brotherhood, a community heartbeat born on the fields behind Chris J. Botha High School in October 1985. What started as a few passionate ouens with a dream turned into one of Bosmont’s proudest sports legacies.
The Essence
• The fields were rocky, the gloves were shared, and half the team had to take turns with the one decent bat — but the passion? Top shelf, my laanie.
• CJB came up in a time when coloured excellence had to punch through barriers — and punch they did. They played with heart, hustle, and that special Bosmont blend of brazen flair and humble discipline.
The Characters Who Built the Legacy
You can’t say "CJB" without heads nodding and hearts warming.
• Kariem Schroeder — the big presence with the bigger swing, the cannon-arm enforcer who held it down on the diamond like a general in takkies.
• Bollie — the master of the bunt and base steal, lightning in baseball pants, always looked like he was late for something — probably scoring again.
• Farouk Musson — the uncle-coach with a booming voice and spit flying with every word. He never needed a megaphone — just stood by third base, veins popping, shouting, “Julle manne wil nie hoor nie, kyk hoe hol Bollie met sy seur rug!”
• Voete (Oesie) — the skinny ou with the Afro, whose swing could wake up neighbours in Riverlea. When Voete stepped up, even the pigeons at the madressa ducked.
And then, behind the scenes:
• The wives and girlfriends, keeping score, keeping peace, and keeping the vibe sacred. Legends like Saaj with the notebook and the perfect pen grip — the unsung analysts.
• Aunt ReiYa (R.I.P.), the heartbeat of the base camp. Her home — known lovingly as Bubs’ mum’s house — was our prep zone, crash pad, and emotional war room before big games. From pep talks to pillow fights, that house was a fortress.
Will They Be Remembered 50 Years From Now?
Without a doubt, yes.
Because CJB wasn’t just about baseball. It was about belonging, breaking limits, and being seen. It’s etched into the soul of Bosmont. The names? They’ll echo in backyards, in parks, in those uncle stories that start with “Jy onthou daai game at Eldorado Park, ne?”
CJB lives on — in every young ou with a dream, a glove, and a coach who still shouts, "Voete! Jy standing too far from the plate again!" (with a bit of spit, of course.)
