With Baseball Week approaching, we take a weekly look back at Baseball Week through the years with the “How is it now with….” column;. Memories of (former) players, referees, volunteers and supporters.
“How is Johnny Balentina now?”
Catcher and outfielder, played for several major league clubs and the Dutch team for decades.
Fondest memory of Baseball Week:
“May that be a few, too? Anyway, the packed stadium on Wednesday nights. Enthusiastic crowd, music, songs were made and sung. For me, they had made lyrics to ‘Oh Sjonnie’; by Tante Leen. And every time I entered the field the audience started singing, “Oh Sjonnie, save a hit for me alone, oh Sjonnie because for us you are the only number 23.” It was something like that, it didn’t rhyme but it gave me goosebumps every time. My election as MVP of the tournament in 2004 was also very nice. Talking about it makes me want to go to Baseball Week this summer all over again. Who knows…..”
Favorite player and coach:
“Back then, I looked up to guys like Marcel Joost and Robert Eenhoorn. Now I’m a big fan of Didi Gregorius. I’ve had a lot of coaches in my career and of course you take something from every coach. I think I got the most from Charles Urbanus who gave me a lot of opportunities especially in my early days. David Daniels, we called him Double D, made me look at baseball in a different way and saw a leader in me. He encouraged me to take on that role. Finally, Robert Unicorn. He had just returned from the Major League and had seen and done the real big stuff. That he had a lot of confidence in me has been very important to me.”
Are you still doing anything in baseball?
“Yeah right! You never unlearn that either haha. I am now living in Curaçao again and I am the manager of the Wildcats, champion of Curaçao. Former Major Leager Yurendell de Caster just signed with us, so we are gaining a lot of experience. I also train the youth and organize baseball camps. And I still play fanatically on a veterans team. Because yes, once a baseball player, always a baseball player.”