Amsterdam Pirates

L&D Amsterdam Pirates
League Honkbal Hoofdklasse
Location Osdorp, Amsterdam
Ballpark Pirates Resort, 1,000 capacity
Year founded 1959
League championships 1987, 1990 2008
Holland Series championships 1990,2008,2011
Colors Green and yellow
2010 25–17, .595 (3rd place)
Uniforms

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Amsterdam Pirates is a baseball and softball team in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It was founded as an expansion of the soccer club S.V. RAP. In the first years it was known as the RAP Pirates, but after a few years the club changed its name according to American tradition (first city name, then franchise name) and became the Amsterdam Pirates.

The Pirates play at the Pirates Resort in Osdorp, in the west of Amsterdam. This stadium is a candidate to be one of the hosts of the 2007 European Softball Championship.

The club celebrated a Dutch Championship in 1987 and 1990. The next few years it was at the lower end of the League, which is dominated by Neptunus from Rotterdam. In earlier years there was another team in Amsterdam, called Amstel Tijgers (Tigers) and football club AFC Ajax also played base ball, and has been champions a number of times. The club is the second largest baseball club of the Netherlands (after Almere).

The first team plays under the name of L&D Amsterdam for sponsorship reasons.

2011 roster

L&D Amsterdam roster - 2011 Honkbal Hoofdklasse season
Active roster Coaches
Pitchers
  • 38 Rob Cordemans
  • 32 Rik Geestman
  •  9 Ben Grover
  • 27 Frank van Heijst
  • 11 Jos de Jong
  • 39 Jurrian Koks
  • 46 Loek van Mil
  • 13 Al Morales
Catchers

Infielders

  •  1 Roeland Henrique Jr.
  • 26 Percy Isenia
  •  6 Zaïr Koeiman
  • 30 Vince Rooi
  •  2 Nick Urbanus
  • 12 Tim Vermeij
  • 34 Seb Visser

Outfielders

Manager
  • 14 Charles Urbanus

Coaches

  • 16 Randell Hannah (third base)
  •  3 Raban Schalm (pitching)

New hopes and championship

In 2007 it reached the playoffs of the Dutch Honkbal Hoofdklasse for the first time in 15 years.[1] It almost reached the Holland Series, coming back in a best of five series, after being 2–0 down, in the end they lost.

2008 did saw their third championship (and their 2nd holland series championship). They reached the playoffs by being 3rd in the regular season, then beating Neptunus in the first round and defending champions Kinheim in the 2008 Holland Series. The Holland Series was a clean sweep, with the final game ending 12–0.[2]

In 2011 they were champions again, beating Hoofddorp Pioneers

References

External links