by Pim van Nes
Wednesday August 13 will be the first of the last seven days for eight national baseball teams to start the last round robin in Olympic history for baseball: hosting People’s Republic of China, nasty neighbor Chinese Taipei, islands neighbor Japan, peninsular neighbor Korea as Pacific countries accompanied by the Atlantic countries Cuba as multi champion, United States of America as defending champion, Canada as the widest country and Europe’s nr one Netherlands as the smallest country of them all. Opening game is at 04.30 h Brussels time: Netherlands – Chinese Taipei. Olympic baseball history after 20 years will cease with the gold medal game on Saturday August 23 at 12.00 h Brussels time. After a demo tournament in Los Angeles 1984 history had started officially with the 1988 Games in Seoul, Korea.
Wednesday August 13 but half a day later and twelve time zones to the west the 30 owners of Major League Baseball clubs will meet to discuss financial bids from Europe to develop baseball: one plan to invest big amounts to expand already existing professional baseball in Europe’s nr seven country only and the other plan to help the start of cooperation among all European countries leading to the European Baseball League.
The latter plan first aims at an autumn tournament for eight countries with a stable position in past and present, but after the Beijing Olympics in desperate need of an alternative for the Olympic status at home and in the world. At a later stage more countries are to participate in discussions and operations towards a wider cooperation in Europe. This multiple plan was created by a country that has produced 37 players earning a professional contract since three decades, including six reaching Major Leagues. The other one-way plan was created by a country that keeps most field positions occupied by imported players and blocked for home grown talents.
Last Friday the Olympic baseball selection of the Netherlands as part of a 241 troops delegation participated in the Opening Ceremony in Beijing. Their flag was carried by captain Jeroen Delmee of the defending field hockey champion national team. The Ceremony in China’s National Stadium was attended by a 91.000 crowd and watched on TV by four billion people all over the world.
The Dutch baseball team played two warming-up games in Beijing versus Canada and turned from a Korean slump into optimistic results. On Sunday the game was completed at a final score of 1-1 and on Monday the Eenhoorn squad beat the same Canadians 8-3 in seven innings. The revival in the box was characterized by two homeruns by Sidney de Jong (Amsterdam Pirates) and Bryan Engelhardt (Kinheim Haarlem). Netherlands pitchers were debutant Juan Carlos Sulbaran (18) and late arrival Dave Draijer, who combined in the win allowing Canada six hits only.
Pim van Nes
Baseball writer for
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