SV Amsterdam Pirates, commonly referred to as Amsterdam Pirates, is a Dutch baseball and softball organization based in Amsterdam that plays in the Honkbal Hoofdklasse. It was founded as an expansion of the football club SV Rap on 17 February 1959 by Loek Loevendie. 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 and became the Amsterdam Pirates.
The Honkbal Hoofdklasse is the highest level of professional baseball in the Netherlands. It is an eight-team league that plays a 42-game schedule and is overseen by the Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Federation (KNBSB).
Eugene Humphrey Kingsale is a Dutch-Aruban former Major League Baseball player with the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, and Detroit Tigers from 1996 until 2003. At six-foot-three, and his weight ranging from 170 to 194 pounds, Kingsale was known as a slick fielding, speedy switch-hitter.
Kinheim is a baseball and softball team based in Haarlem, the Netherlands. The title sponsor of the club is currently Corendon, so that the official name of the team is Corendon Kinheim.
Pioniers is a baseball and softball team based in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands. The club is currently sponsored by Worldwide Pharma Logistics BV, and the team is officially called Worldwide Pharma Logistics Hoofddorp Pioniers. Under a previous sponsorship, the team had been called the Vaessen Pioniers.
Evert-Jan Axel Charles 't Hoen is a Dutch baseball coach and former player who is the current manager of the Netherlands national baseball team.
Diegomar Raymundo "Diego" Markwell is a Dutch professional baseball pitcher for Curaçao Neptunus of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse.
Rogearvin Argelo "Roger" Bernadina, nicknamed "The Shark," is a Dutch Curaçaoan professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals, Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He also played in the KBO League for the Kia Tigers and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the Lamigo Monkeys. He was a member of the Dutch national baseball team in international competitions including the World Baseball Classic (WBC).
Tjerk Smeets is a former Dutch baseball player for Kinheim and the Dutch national team and technical director of the Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Federation (KNBSB). He is the son of Dutch radio and television personality, writer, and columnist Mart Smeets.
Juan Carlos Sulbaran is a Dutch-Curaçaoan professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played for the Dutch national team. He throws a changeup, curveball and fastball. He played for Team Netherlands in the 2019 European Baseball Championship, at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament, in Italy in September 2019.
Saskia Kosterink is a Dutch softball coach and former player who played for the Dutch national team in international competitions in 151 games. She became the head coach of the Dutch softball team in 2024, beginning with the 2024 European Championships in Utrecht.
Sharlon Romans Emederio Schoop is a Dutch-Curaçaoan professional baseball shortstop. He played for several organizations in Minor League Baseball and for the Amsterdam Pirates of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse. He played for the Netherlands in many international baseball tournaments, including the World Baseball Classic and WBSC Premier12.
Yurendell Eithel DeCaster is a Dutch-Curaçaoan former professional baseball third baseman. He played 3 games in Major League Baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2006. He played for Team Netherlands in many tournaments, including the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Kalian Rivalino Sams is a Dutch former professional baseball outfielder who reached Triple-A in Minor League Baseball and played professionally in other countries. He also played for the Netherlands in many international baseball tournaments.
The Honkbal Overgangsklasse is the second highest level of professional baseball in the Netherlands. It is a twelve-team league that plays a 22-game schedule followed by two separate 15-game schedules for the best six teams and the weakest six teams, and is overseen by the KNBSB. Games are played principally on weekends. The season runs from April to August and is followed by a promotion and relegation system with the highest level of baseball in the Netherlands, the Honkbal Hoofdklasse, so that the composition of the top level may change from year to year.
Randolph F. Oduber is a professional baseball outfielder for the Hoofddorp Pioniers of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse. He played for Team Netherlands in the 2019 European Baseball Championship, and at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament in Italy in September 2019.
Dashenko Adriano Ricardo is a Dutch-Curaçaoan professional baseball catcher for Curaçao Neptunus of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse. He played for Team Netherlands in the 2019 European Baseball Championship, and at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament in Italy in September 2019.
Tom Robin de Blok is a Dutch professional baseball pitcher for the Curaçao Neptunus of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse. He played for Team Netherlands in the 2019 European Baseball Championship, and at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament in Italy in September 2019.
Kevin Kelly is a Dutch-Curaçaoan professional baseball pitcher for the Sultanes de Monterrey of the Mexican League. He played college baseball at Western Oklahoma State College and Southwestern Oklahoma State University and has also played professionally in the Netherlands and Italy. He has also represented the Netherlands national baseball team at events beginning in 2010.
The 2019 Honkbal Hoofdklasse season began Thursday, April 4. Curaçao Neptunus was the regular season champion, but it lost in the Holland Series to L&D Amsterdam, four games to three.
