? https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/16-october-2011-kingdom-of-the-netherlands-wins-final-ibaf-world-cup Only since after the Olympics of Sidney in 2000 players from the islands were selected for the Orange Squad. That was after what American papers described as the "3d biggest Olympic upset" of all times, us beating the Cubans, who never had lost a game in the Olympics. The Olympic stunt was added to the American student team's ice hockey win over the Russian state amateurs at the Lake Placid Games (1980) and the Russian basketball victory over the US in the final second at the Munich Games (1972). The 2011 world champions were a mix of players from Europe and the islands, not only from the islands. Eenhoorn became national coach. He not only brought his American experiences and passionate will to win, but also no longer only selected players from the Dutch big league. He also called on Antilleans who had never played in our country. "They gave the team more body with their athletic ability and power. But we also had players from the Netherlands who were perhaps a bit less physical, but who could read the game very well. In the end, it was a very nice mix of players who were complementary to each other." In fact, it was the American coach Farley, who played a huge role in melting these two groups into one fighting force. Despite a few European titles and some successful editions of the Haarlem Baseball Week, a close-knit group that mix of Dutch boys and Antilleans just didn't want to become. The cultural differences regularly played a role. The baseball association tried to narrow that gap by trips to the Antilles. "I think that has been very important," said former catcher Sidney de Jong. "The lesson was that we had to listen carefully to each other, respect each other and immerse ourselves in each other." Team builder With the appointment in 2010 of Farley, known as a team builder, as national coach, the next step forward was taken. "It is not what determines where you come from," he preaches, "but how you treat each other. Every person wants to receive proof that they matter. That crosses all cultures." That vision paid off at the World Cup in Panama, where the Netherlands defeated many top countries, including Olympic champion South Korea. And the still almost unbeatable Cuba was also beaten 4-1, a victory that was also good for a place in the final against the same 25-time world champion. "The boys played to become champions," Farley states retroactively. "Or to help the team win. We bled orange when the game started, we sweated orange. We played for the name on the chest and not for the name on the back." He has the ball at home, says Jonathan Schoop, safely stored. The ball with which the Dutch baseball players wrote history in 2011. The ball that the third baseman plucked out of the air, helping the Dutch team to another victory (2-1) over the mighty Cuba in the World Cup final and completing the sensation.
I was in Amsterdam something like seven years ago and was amused to see people playing baseball in the park there instead of soccer.
Johan Cruyff played baseball until age 15 at Ajax. I informed people at my kid's soccer club of that, to justify him also playing baseball lol.
The video of him faking a throw to second while getting the runner out at third with a behind the back throw are legendary...