by Pim van Nes
Organisation committee and collaborating volunteers of 27th Haarlem Honkbal Week have announced to be mourning because of the 295 victims of the crash by Malaysia Airlines flight MH 17, which departed yesterday at 12.15 hrs local time from Schiphol International Airport of Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, just four hours before the fatal explosion which occurred 10 km high above eastern Ukraine.
Schiphol airport is at 15 minutes driving from Pim Mulier stadium, home for all 27 Honkbal Weeks in Haarlem. Airplanes arriving and leaving this airport often fly over the stadium area and all three participating foreign teams (USA, Japan and Chinese Taipei) did and will use this airport for their present travels.
Honkbalweek organisation expressed sympathy with families and friends of the victims, originating from the Netherlands (over 50 percent) and from many more countries across the world.
It was announced by Honkbalweek website this afternoon, that the tournament in Pim Mulier stadium will downgrade its ususal enthusiasm by lowering the music volume from the loudspeakers, by lowering all national flags to half mast and by a minute of complete stadium silence before each game scheduled today at 14.00 and 19.00 hrs.