The first and second editions of the Haarlem Baseball Week, held in 1961 and 1963 respectively, were successful events. The organizers can look back with satisfaction, but they are also looking ahead, because a tradition has been established and plans must be made for a third tournament. And there will be one. Not after two years, like the previous ones, but this time after a three-year wait. But once again, we have a successful tournament with an even stronger field of participants than in previous years.
As early as August 1965, it was announced that Bill Arce planned to visit the Netherlands with a strong student team. Arce served as the national coach of the 1963 Dutch baseball team during the second Baseball Week and is familiar not only with the event but also with Dutch baseball and its enthusiastic fans. And, it is said, the team will be a strong one.
In December, Arce finally confirmed that he would indeed return to the Netherlands with a team. Arce thus once again underscored his special bond with our country, which had begun three years earlier. In 1964, the baseball ambassador also traveled to the Netherlands with a group of students and played a number of games against club teams at that time. As in 1964, players participating in the 1966 Baseball Week will be staying with host families.
After the “Week,” the group of players will stay for a few more weeks to hold clinics and training sessions at various clubs. Arce and his group of players are doing everything they can not only to make baseball more popular here, but also to improve the quality of the game.
In March 1966, organizers announced the list of participants for the third Baseball Week, to be held in mid-August. In addition to the Dutch team, the national team of the Netherlands Antilles, Bill Arce’s student team, and a U.S. Air Force team from West Germany will be participating. Once again, the event will be organized under the auspices of the Haarlem Sports Week Foundation. A pass for all twelve games costs 20 guilders this time. For a single ticket per game, a spectator must pay three guilders.
The organizing committee for the third Baseball Week is once again headed by Gerard Voogd. Baseball pioneer M.C. (Maarten) Bakker (though better known to many by his initials), renowned umpire Piet van Deenen, and union president Jan Hartog make up the game committee. Mr. Hartog has many international contacts, and it’s no wonder he’s known as “Jan from Holland.”
Bill Arce’s team arrives at Schiphol Airport as early as the beginning of July. There, the team is greeted by nearly the entire association board, as well as, as is tradition, by the Haarlem flower girls. The team hears the name California After three years of waiting…. Baseball Week history Netherlands Antilles – California Stags. Chuck Iverson hit the second home run and scored (1966) 12 READ MORE No. 3 July 17, 2016 Stags and is made up of players from the university with which Arce is affiliated.
During Baseball Week, the Dutch team will be led by American Howard Fetz, who will be assisted by Charles Urbanus (Sr.), the brother of legendary pitcher Han Urbanus. In those years, the Orange was traditionally led each year by a different American coach, who took over from his predecessor around September and then spent a year in our country.
Fetz and Urbanus selected 25 players for their 1966 “Week” squad, the largest delegation ever to represent the Netherlands at an international event. One of the players selected is pitcher Herman Beidschat, who will be participating in his third Baseball Week.
On Saturday, August 6, the Third Week will kick off with a match between the Netherlands Antilles and USAFE (the U.S. Army team).
In the evening, the Netherlands will face the California Stags. Before the start of the first game, there will be a brief opening ceremony, and a record will be set right away, as Mr. O.P.F.M. Cremers will become the first mayor of Haarlem to throw out the first pitch for the second time at an opening ceremony. The mayor did the same thing three years earlier.
Initially, there were hopes that a Japanese team might also participate, but that proved impossible. The Sullivans were a potential candidate, but the time available to prepare that team for the trip to the Netherlands was too short. For a while, it looked as though the Netherlands Antilles would be unable to participate. A decision by the Dutch National Civil Aviation Administration forced the National Games Association, which was responsible for organizing the trip, to withdraw. Italy was a potential replacement, but was unable to assemble a representative team.
After that, the organization had to make one of its most difficult decisions: to bring the Antillean team to the Netherlands at its own expense. This cost 30,000 guilders. The Haarlem city council agreed to cover the financial risks, and the “Week” was saved.
But there was more. Shortly before the event began, the U.S. Army team had to withdraw due to troop movements. It was supposed to consist of players who had been stationed in France, Spain, and Tunisia, among other places, but they now had to be redeployed elsewhere. Eventually, an Air Force team in England was able to step in. The organizers breathed a sigh of relief.
In his opening remarks, Mayor Cremers said, “The first and second Haarlem Baseball Weeks have already been marked by a spirit of fine sportsmanship and excellent technical play, and it has already been announced: this Baseball Week will be the highlight. The international participation is exceptionally strong, and the Dutch teams are no less impressive. I pay well-deserved tribute to the members of the Haarlem Sports Week Foundation for their perseverance.”
Mayor Cremers is spot on. The third Baseball Week will be a huge success, featuring exciting games and great baseball. As expected, the California Stags will emerge as the tournament champions. One of the players who took part in Baseball Week with the Stags back then, 50 years ago, is also there this year. Perhaps some of you in the audience know who we’re talking about. But we’ll keep you in suspense for a little while longer, because in one of the upcoming Readers Feed editions, we’ll introduce that player from the past to you in a bit more detail.
With thanks to the author, Marco Stoovelaar (MS)