On the morning of Thursday, January 8, we received the sad news that Sidney de Jong, former catcher and captain of the Kingdom Team, a frequent participant in Baseball Week, and a long-time coach for both the Dutch U23 team and the senior national team, had passed away. The captain of the Kingdom Team that won the world championship in Panama in 2011 was only 46 years old.
De Jong played for the Dutch national team in no fewer than five Baseball Weeks, during the 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010 editions. He bid farewell to Baseball Week with a bang, batting .348 with 5 RBIs, a double, a triple, and a flawless fielding percentage of 1.000.
Shortly before the start of the 2012 tournament, the catcher announced that he was ending his playing career with the Kingdom Team. Starting with the 2014 edition, he became a member of the Oranje coaching staff, meaning his time “in uniform” during the tournament spanned 22 years.
Baseball Week Haarlem looks back on Sidney de Jong—both the player and the person—with nothing but fond memories, and extends its deepest sympathies to his family, friends, teammates, colleagues, and everyone else who loved him or was dear to him.
For a detailed obituary, please visit HonkbalSoftbal.nl.