Gilmer Lampe of The Netherlands is out at second base in the group game between The Netherlands and Taiwan during the baseball Haarlem Honkbalweek in Haarlem, The Netherlands on July 13, 2014. On the right is Hsiao Po Ting of Taiwan. AFP PHOTO / ANP / KOEN SUYK netherlands out (Credit: KOEN SUYK/AFP via Getty Images)
The biannual Haarlem Honkbalweek, Europe’s biggest baseball event, begins July 12 and runs through July 19 at Pim Mulier Stadion in Haarlem, the Netherlands.
What is Haarlem Honkbalweek?
Haarlem Honkbalweek is a six-team international baseball tournament accredited by the World Baseball Softball Confederation. It has been played every other year since 1961 and has included teams from around the world. It’s the marquee baseball event in Europe, held in a city with multiple baseball clubs. Baseball has a history in The Netherlands that dates back to the early 1900s, with the country’s professional league, the Honkbal Hoofdklasse, starting play in 1922.
Where is Haarlem Honkbalweek Held?
Haarlem Honkbalweek is held at Pim Mulier Stadion in Haarlem, The Netherlands, about 20 kilometers from the center of Amsterdam. The complex where Pim Mulier Stadion is located has two baseball fields, though only Pim Mulier is used for games during Haarlem Honkbalweek.
What National Teams Are Playing in Haarlem Honkbalweek This Year?
This year’s field for Haarlem Honkbalweek includes The Netherlands, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Spain, Italy, and the United States. Italy announced their roster last week, while the NJCAA All-Star Team representing the United States announced its roster in June. The other four rosters will be revealed before the tournament begins on Friday, July 12.
What Is the Format for Haarlem Honkbalweek?
Each team will face the other five once during pool play, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals and the fifth- and sixth-place teams squaring off in the fifth-place game on July 18. The teams that lose in the semifinals will play for third place on July 19, with the winners playing for the championship that evening.
Who is Representing the United States?
The United States is being represented by a team composed of All-Stars from NJCAA (junior college) programs around the country. Sixteen NJCAA programs have players on the team, with Iowa Western represented by five players, which is the most of any NJCAA program. Nine players on the team were named 2024 NJCAA Division I and II Baseball All-America Selections. The NJCAA All-Star Team last competed in the tournament in 2010, when LSU-Eunice head coach Jeff Willis led the team to a fourth-place finish.