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Grand Slam |
Baseball & Softball Headlines January 2002 |
Compiled and Copyright © 1997-2002 by Marco Stoovelaar |
Index News Archive JANUARY 2002
Miscellaneous
Dutch Baseball
Dutch Softball Women
New Archives
Opnieuw bezoekersrecord voor site
Special page World Championships 2001 at Taiwan
Site sets another record! (January 22)
Hans Meijer named Executive Director Head Office. (January 8)
Marcel Joost honored. (January 25)
Tornado's add lefthanded pitcher. (January 17)
Storks celebrates 50th anniversary. (January 7)
ADO changes name. (January 6)
International Baseball
United States
USA: Hospitalized Hall of Famer Ted Williams respons well. (January 28)
USA: Prado named national team Head Coach. (January 26)
USA: Bonds carries Olympic Torch. (January 19)
USA: Wells returns to Yankees. (January 12)
USA: Ozzie Smith in Hall of Fame. (January 8)
Central America
Panamá: Ronner's wins title in four-game sweep! (January 28)
Panamá: Finals set to open. (January 24)
Nicaragua: Sandino throws No-Hitter. (January 23)
Nicaragua: Chinandega takes lead. (January 19-20)
Panamá: Regular season almost finished. (January 19)
Cuba: Two teams dominate season. (January 19)
Nicaragua: Moreno reach stolen base mark. (January 16)
Nicaragua: Tiburones win season opener. (January 12)
Cuba: Santiago wins season opener. (January 6)
Caribbean Play-Offs & Caribbean World Series.
Europe
Italy: Fraccari in Umpire Hall of Fame. (January 9)
Asia
Japan: Major League executive in Hall of Fame. (January 12)
Sparks wins award. (January 25)
American team wins International Indoor Tournament in Schiedam. (January 20)
February 2002
March 2002
April 2002
May 2002
Specials
Site sets another recordMiscellaneous
AMSTERDAM (Neth.) - 'Grand Slam - Stats & News', the site you're visiting this moment, set another record on Tuesday. In the evening of January 22 it broke the site-record for most visitors in the month of January and there are still nine more days to go!
Last year, the site set a new record for most visitors ever in a complete year for the fourth consecutive year.
(January 22)
AMSTERDAM - 'Grand Slam - Stats & News', de site die u nu bezoekt, realiseerde dinsdag opnieuw een record. In de avond van 22 januari werd het bezoekersrecord voor de maand januari gebroken en er zijn nog negen dagen te gaan!
Vorig jaar realiseerde de site voor het vierde opeenvolgende jaar al een nieuw bezoekersrecord voor het gehele jaar.
(22 januari)
Hans Meijer named Executive Director Head Office
NIEUWEGEIN (Neth.) - The Board of the Royal Dutch Baseball and Softball Association announced it has named Hans Meijer Executive Director of the Association's Head Office, effective January 1. He already acted as interim-Director since September of last year.
Since 1986, Meijer was involved in swimming and was club-executive. From April 1999-October 2001 he was Treasurer of the Board of the Dutch Swimming Federation.
(January 8)
Marcel Joost honoredDutch Baseball
HAARLEM (Neth.) - Veteran national team and Dutch big leaguer Marcel Joost was honored on Wednesday by the City of Haarlem during a Sports Gala.
The 41-year old outfielder/DH, who will play in his 23rd season this year, was presented a special medallion by the Municipality of Haarlem, the city where he plays with his team Kinheim. Last year, Joost homered his team to victory in the European Cup-final and made his comeback in the national team, participating in last years European Championship in Germany.
Joost was also nominated for Sportman of the Year of Haarlem, but was outvoted by Dennis van der Geest, who is a judo-player.
(January 25)
Tornado's add lefthanded pitcher
THE HAGUE (Neth.) - NTNT Tornado's, formerly known as ADO, announced it has acquired lefthanded pitcher Lester Victoria. In November last year, the 26-year old player from the Netherlands Antilles, made his debut in the Dutch national team, when he participated in the World Cup in Taiwan. During that event, he pitched in relief against Russia and Canada and was the starting pitcher vs. Japan.
Victoria has a professional background, as he pitched four seasons in the minor leagues of the Minnesota Twins-organization.
Earlier last year, Amsterdam Pirates had contacted Victoria, who was to be added to its roster in May, but that agreement was not finalized.
(January 17)
Storks celebrates 50th anniversary
THE HAGUE (Neth.) - Baseball and softball club Storks from The Hague is preparing for its 50th anniversary. The club was founded on January 15, 1952 by Henk Wortel, Cor Endlich, Jan Kieft and John Oosterbroek, who later became the Treasurer of the Board of the Dutch Baseball and Softball Association. Next Saturday-evening, January 12, the club will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a reception in its clubhouse. Every month, Storks plans a celebration, including a reunion on July 27, which must become a highlight. In fifty years, more than 4000 people were member of the club. One of the most famous members is politician and former Secretary of Internal Affairs Hans Dijkstal.
In 1967, the Storks-baseball team became the first from The Hague to play in the Dutch Major League. In that season, coached by Max Rietbergen (who passed away last year), the team finished in fourth place. 1967 was the first of nine seasons in the highest league, the first seven consecutively (1967-1973), the remaining two in 1975 and 1979. Storks played 237 games in the Dutch big leagyes.
1970 was its best season, finishing in second place behind champion Haarlem Nicols. Also in that season, Hudson John led the league in hitting, homeruns, RBI's and hits and was voted Most Valuable Player. Also, he became one of only five players in Dutch history to win the Triple Crown.
During its nine seasons, some of the best Dutch players played for Storks, including Roy Blijden, Ron Renooy, Rudi Dom, Ton de Jager, Fokke Jelsma, Ton Bodaan (who is still active as a senior big league-umpire), one of the best short stops ever Roy v.d. Dungen Gronovius and pitcher Win Remmerswaal, who went on to become the first-ever Dutch born and raised player to reach the American Major League as a pitcher with the Boston Red Sox. All these players also were members of the Dutch national team. In 1973, Remmerswaal threw a No-Hitter. Ton de Jager later coached the baseball squad and was named Coach of the Year in 1990.
Later, some talented youth-players were honored, including Lou Halkema, Jeroen Kwakernaak and Geza Kovacs, who now is a member of the Storks men softball team, which captured the Dutch title last year for the first time in club-history.
With 350 members, Storks is the biggest club of The Hague and the fifth in the country.
Grand Slam * Stats & News congratulates Storks with its anniversary!
(January 7)
ADO changes name
THE HAGUE (Neth.) - On Sunday, NTNT ADO announced it will change its name for the upcoming Major League-season into NTNT Tornado's. NTNT is the team's main sponsor. Last season, the second team of the club, playing in the First Division, already adopted this name. Also changing their name will be the juniorteam of the club.
The change was approved on Sunday by the members of the club from The Hague, which was known as ADO for the last 52 years. In a press realease it was stated that the name Tornado's was chosen for its strenghth and dynamic sound which fits with American sports. The new name is also important to attract spectators, new members and sponsors.
(January 6)
International Baseball
Panamá: Ronner's wins title in four-game sweep!
PANAMÁ CITY - On Thursday, January 24, the finals of the Liga de Béisbol Profesional de Panamá opened.
Friday, January 25: GAME TWO
PANAMÁ CITY - Ronner's also won Game Two with a one-run margin, beating Canaleros, 3-2 on eleven hits, led by hitters Michelle Hernández, Alph Coleman and Tony Medrano. José Vargas won the game in relief, as Ronner's broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth.
Saturday, January 26: GAME THREE
PANAMÁ CITY - Ronner's took a 3-0 Series lead after shutting out Canaleros, 4-0 on nine hits. Winning pitcher Bienvenido Cedeño went the distance, pitching a two-hitter and striking out seven. Ronner's is now one win shy of the Panamanian championship.
Sunday, January 27: GAME FOUR
PANAMÁ CITY - Ronner's del Carta Vieja beat Canaleros de Cerveza Panamá, 6-1, to complete a four-game sweep and win the Panamanian championship. Julio Rangel and Alberto Blanco did the pitching for Ronner's, which took a 1-0 lead in the first when Covelli Crisp doubled and scored on a sacrifice by Antony Medrano. In the fourth, Ronner's added four runs to secure the victory.
Prado is in his seventh year as Head Coach of the University of Louisville Cardinals baseball team and was an assistant coach for Team USA in 2000. In 1997 he assisted during the Baseball USA Trials.
Team USA will play Japan in June and participate in this years Haarlem Baseball Week in July and the University Games in Italy in August.
The national professional team will play in the Intercontinental Cup in November in Cuba.
(January 26)
Sixteen teams play in the Cuban Nacional League, divided in two leagues (Zonas) separated in two four-team divisions. It is the first time the season opens in January. The season start was delayed due to the World Championships in November in Taiwan.
(January 6)
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Sparks wins award
HAARLEM (Neth.) - Dutch champion Sparks was named Sports Team of the Year 2001 in the City of Haarlem on Wednesday.
Last year, Sparks not only won the championship, but also captured the CupWinners Cup.
Sparks-national team player Kim Kluijskens was named Most Promising Player of the City.
Also honored was Haarlem-based softball-umpire Cor van Nunen, who was named one of three Volunteers of the Year.
(January 25)
On January 19 and 20, Schiedam organized the International Indoor Softball Tournament Cup 2002. This tournament was being held for the first time in The Netherlands. The event was staged the last seven years in Lyon (France), but the organization decided to change the location to The Netherlands, beause it is a more central place, so that more teams could participate. The indoor tournament was initiated by American Kirt Whiteside.
Participating in the two-day event were: Blue Stars, Eagles, Indians, Leafs, Red Stars, Stars and Stripes (all USA), National under-19 team from Great Britain, Flyrados (Switzerland), Almere '90, Euro Stars, MULO, Terrasvogels, Zwijndrecht and organiser Schiedam (all The Netherlands).
The Indoor Cup was opened by Jos Gieskens, President of the International Softball Federation, while Theo Reitsma, President of the Royal Dutch Baseball and Softball Association, attended the Closing and Award Ceremony.
Before the tournament, on Friday, January 18, Margo Jonker, coach of the USA 2000 Olympic softball-team, conducted a clinic.
(January 20)
Official website Cup 2002
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Last Update: February 6, 2002
Copyright © 1997-2002 Marco Stoovelaar.