Baseball in the Netherlands

Mistfit · 05-04-2012, 16:17

I heard on my 24/7/365 baseball radio station I frequent that MLB (Major League Baseball) is considering playing some of their games in the Netherlands and England like they did for the start of this season playing in Japan.

Is this something that would interest you? Would you go watch it in person?

I know cycling and football are big in your country but I did not know the interest for Baseball..

ProPain · 05-04-2012, 16:25

I've played baseball for a few years, and it has a fair share of followers in the Netherlands. Also the Netherlands is and has been the strongest national team in Europe for years. I think the European championships have had a Netherlands - Italy final for as long as I can remember. Which just shows the sport is small in Europe as a whole.

Dutch team managed to become world champion in 2011 defeating Cuba,although it was more a Netherlands & Antilles team. Obviously the world champions doesn't compare to the world series, but it does show baseball has a serious following around here.

Also we have 2 rather big tournaments, The Haarlem Baseball Week and the Rottedam World Port Tournament.

I might go watch it in person, would watch on the tele for sure.

Darkness · 05-04-2012, 20:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProPain

I might go watch it in person, would watch on the tele for sure.

Same here. Personal attendance would depend on the teams they'd send over. No Yankees or Red Sox please. Cardinals would be great!

Mistfit · 05-04-2012, 20:17

Well.. they did send Seattle and Oakland to Japan.. so I would not count on them sending anyone actually good

Mistfit · 05-04-2012, 20:22

Although maybe the Orioles would be a better choice as they actually had a Dutch-born player on their team last season..

Henricus Nicolas Vanden Hurk aka. Rick VandenHurk

ProPain · 05-04-2012, 21:01

Greg Halman was the best dutch player in the ML, sadly he died last year. Still most of the players from Curacao/Antilles play/have played for the dutch national team, so they're known here as well. They can send their teams as well

[edit]
Just checked wikipedia. There have been 31 european baseball championschips

Netherlands results
1st place : 20 times
2nd place: 8 times
did not participate: 3 times

Italy has 8 wins, Spain 1 (1955), Belgium 1 (1967)

Mistfit · 05-04-2012, 22:23

erm.. Better than Bert Blyleven?

Darkness · 06-04-2012, 09:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mistfit

erm.. Better than Bert Blyleven?

I reckon PP meant best recent Dutch MLB player. Blijleven is ancient history...

Kingreno · 07-04-2012, 19:44

The problem is, we have no venue to host a big match in Holland... In Japan they have plenty of huge stadiums for baseball. I think the biggest here has 2000 seats?

Shabbaman · 08-04-2012, 11:18

There's baseball worth watching outside NL? World champions baby!

05-04-2012, 16:17	#1
Mistfit King Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: idunno. Posts: 2,428	Baseball in the Netherlands I heard on my 24/7/365 baseball radio station I frequent that MLB (Major League Baseball) is considering playing some of their games in the Netherlands and England like they did for the start of this season playing in Japan. Is this something that would interest you? Would you go watch it in person? I know cycling and football are big in your country but I did not know the interest for Baseball.. __________________ Stumbling from pillar to post...

05-04-2012, 16:25	#2
ProPain Customized Admin :) Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: sailing the seas of cheese. Posts: 5,852	I've played baseball for a few years, and it has a fair share of followers in the Netherlands. Also the Netherlands is and has been the strongest national team in Europe for years. I think the European championships have had a Netherlands - Italy final for as long as I can remember. Which just shows the sport is small in Europe as a whole. Dutch team managed to become world champion in 2011 defeating Cuba,although it was more a Netherlands & Antilles team. Obviously the world champions doesn't compare to the world series, but it does show baseball has a serious following around here. Also we have 2 rather big tournaments, The Haarlem Baseball Week and the Rottedam World Port Tournament. I might go watch it in person, would watch on the tele for sure. __________________ I fed my Dog the American Dream Well, he rolled over and he started to scream He said, I dig the taste of salt but it don't keep me alive yeah, yeah

05-04-2012, 20:17	#4
Mistfit King Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: idunno. Posts: 2,428	Well.. they did send Seattle and Oakland to Japan.. so I would not count on them sending anyone actually good __________________ Stumbling from pillar to post...

05-04-2012, 20:22	#5
Mistfit King Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: idunno. Posts: 2,428	Although maybe the Orioles would be a better choice as they actually had a Dutch-born player on their team last season.. Henricus Nicolas Vanden Hurk aka. Rick VandenHurk __________________ Stumbling from pillar to post...

05-04-2012, 21:01	#6
ProPain Customized Admin :) Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: sailing the seas of cheese. Posts: 5,852	Greg Halman was the best dutch player in the ML, sadly he died last year. Still most of the players from Curacao/Antilles play/have played for the dutch national team, so they're known here as well. They can send their teams as well [edit] Just checked wikipedia. There have been 31 european baseball championschips Netherlands results 1st place : 20 times 2nd place: 8 times did not participate: 3 times Italy has 8 wins, Spain 1 (1955), Belgium 1 (1967) __________________ I fed my Dog the American Dream Well, he rolled over and he started to scream He said, I dig the taste of salt but it don't keep me alive yeah, yeah

05-04-2012, 22:23	#7
Mistfit King Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: idunno. Posts: 2,428	erm.. Better than Bert Blyleven? __________________ Stumbling from pillar to post...

07-04-2012, 19:44	#9
Kingreno Moderator Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Netherlands. Posts: 3,270	The problem is, we have no venue to host a big match in Holland... In Japan they have plenty of huge stadiums for baseball. I think the biggest here has 2000 seats? __________________ Go ahead punk. Make my day.

08-04-2012, 11:18	#10
Shabbaman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Costa La Haya Posts: 8,493	There's baseball worth watching outside NL? World champions baby! __________________ "Our spam is backed with COMETS!"