It is a sad day for the Dutch baseball community. Today two great ones left us. Hamilton Richardson died at the age of eighty-five, and former catcher of Amsterdam Pirates and the Dutch national team Sidney de Jong left us far too young.
Richardson was born on the island of Sint Maarten, but moved to the Netherlands in 1962. At Sparta, Richardson, also known as Hotshot Hammy, made a name for himself as one of the best Dutch baseball players of all time.
Together with Simon Arindell and Hudson John, both also born in the Netherlands Antilles, Richardson formed the golden trio that brought Sparta back to the big league. Richardson ultimately played for Sparta from 1963 to 1974, winning nine national championships.
In 1974, Hamilton faced Hank Aaron in a home run derby when Aaron visited the Netherlands (see photo at right).
Because Sparta’s baseball branch no longer exists, the club’s football branch will play crapes during their next match in the highest Dutch professional league, in honor of Richardson, who died at the age of eighty-five.
Another baseball great who died today is Sidney de Jong. At the age of forty-six, De Jong died much too young.
De Jong made his debut for the Dutch national team in 2001. The Amsterdammer won the World Cup in Panama with the Netherlands in 2011. De Jong won the national championship twice with Amsterdam Pirates and, above all, he was captain of the Dutch team that became world champion in 2011.
After his active career, he was manager of L&D Amsterdam Pirates for one season before turning to the KNBSB (Dutch Baseball and Softball Association), where he fulfilled various coaching roles.
Post views: 22
#Dutch #Baseball #loses #top #players #day