by Pim van Nes
With last game to start at 15.00h today, the total attendance for the 25th Haarlemse Honkbal Week is estimated at approximately 60,000 fans. Attendance was budgeted less than actual figures in 2008 due to lower ranking of the Dutch national team at the time. Thanks to better result in this domain than expected the financial outcome of the tournament in 2010 will be break-even. This was the main message in just completed press conference in Haarlem.
Organization chairman Frits Mulder is already working for the 2012 edition, when present Week is not even finished yet. Only two games of present Week had to be re-scheduled due to long rain or bad forecast. Mulder was happy with the young Japanese team that performed better and better when the competition progressed. Regrettably Cuba, which always sends good players, had two off-days during the tournament. The Netherlands national team is producing another problem by playing better through the years. It becomes difficult to find international teams granting competitive power to fight Oranje players.
On a question by NOS Mulder answered that IBAF has been informed about the late defection by Venezuela. The Netherlands federation and Honkbal Week board expect a letter from Venezuela about their absence and late information as to cancelling their participation in the tournament. Foreign affairs policy is not considered playing a role in present sport problems, as recent softball world cup and future ladies baseball tournament in Venezuela were not and will not be affected by Venezuela foreign policy.
National team manager Jim Stoeckel found it a pleasure to participate in Honkbal Week again. As he explained the press, half of his life he has followed Dutch baseball and Haarlemse Honkbal Week from nearby. Early eighties he joined Netherlands baseball as head coach of the national team. Stoeckel considers Haarlemse Honkbal Week as the most special baseball tournament in the world. For every team it is good and easy to play here, because it is run smoothly and with the taste of baseball.
Baseball in the Netherlands is healthy, because every year there are new talents coming through. Though I selected them, I had not expected to see players like Shaldimar Daantji and Jason Halman play that well. Baseball in the Netherlands is healthy also because this team consists of Hoofdklasse players only (till Randall Simon, former Major League player, took first base last night). Stoeckel added that another 30 Dutch players are active in American pro ball and may be called for international tournaments planned after national seasons. We simply wanted to play well with present team, but main goal was and is preparing for European Cup next week in Germany. Most players improved remarkably during Honkbal Week and our shape is ready for Europe’s top tournament for national teams.
by Pim van Nes
Baseball writer for
www.honkbalsite.com
www.sporttribune.nl
www.baseball.it