Dutch Baseball Loses Two Greats on One Day

It is a sad day for the Dutch baseball community. Today, two greats left us. At the age of eighty-five Hamilton Richardson passed away, and way too young, former catcher of Amsterdam Pirates and the Dutch national team, Sidney de Jong left us.

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 Hoofdklasse (Dutch major 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 on the right).

Since the baseball branch of Sparta does not exist anymore, the football branch of the club will play with crapes during their next match in the highest Dutch pro league, to honor Richardson, who died at the age of eighty-five.

Another baseball great who passed away today is Sidney de Jong. At the age of forty-six, De Jong passed way too young.

De Jong made his debut for the Dutch national team in 2001. The Amsterdam native won the World Cup with the Netherlands in Panama in 2011. With Amsterdam Pirates, De Jong won two Dutch championships and most of all, he was the captain of the Dutch team that won the World Championship 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 Federation), where he served in several coaching roles.