(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Neptunus & Rien Schenck)
IN MEMORIAM 
...Dick van der Noordt...
(1952 - 2016)
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 Former Neptunus-trainer Dick van der Noordt passed away
Nederlands
 ROOSENDAAL (Neth.) -
Dick van der Noordt, who served as Physical Trainer of the baseball-team of Dutch big leaguer Neptunus for 32 years, passed away early Friday-morning, December 16 at age 64.
Dick had been ill the past few years, battling Parkinson's disease.
For his many contributions to the Rotterdam-based club, Dick had been named a Member of Merit.
The memorial and funeral service will take place on Thursday, December 22, starting at 3 PM at Crematorium Zegestede, located at the Ionweg 12 in Roosendaal.
Dick van der Noordt was with the baseball-team of Neptunus for the first time during the 1981 season.
It was the beginning of a long affiliation with the Rotterdam-based club.
Due to his illness, Dick stepped down during the 2012 season.
During these years, coaches and players came and went, but Dick van der Noordt returned every season.
With his 32 years, he was the longest serving member of the team's staff.
The second-longest serving member is Jan Collins, who will begin his 29th season as one of the coaches next year.
Team Manager/Scorekeeper Jan van der Sande had been active for 27 seasons with the team.
Other longtime staff-members have been 1B Coach Leen Staub and Equipment Manager/Groundskeeper Aad Dame.
When Dick van der Noordt joined the team in 1981, the squad led for the first time by Head Coach Wim Onderstal.
He was the first of fourteen Head Coaches, Van der Noordt served under in his 32 seasons in the dug-out of Neptunus.
The others were Tim Schmidt (1983), Harry van der Berg (1983-1984), Frans van Aalen (1984), Hamilton Richardson (1985-1987), Huub Kohl (1988-1990), Charles Urbanus (1991-1994), Jan Collins (1995-1996; 1998; 2002-2006; 2011-2012), Bill Froberg (1997; 1998), Robert Eenhoorn (1998-2001), Paul van den Oever (2002-2006), Ben Thijssen (2002-2005), Steve Janssen (2006; 2009-2010) and Eric de Bruin (2007-2008).
In 2002-2006, there was no Head Coach named.
In 2002-2005, Van den Oever, Thijssen and Collins formed a 3-man staff, while Van den Oever and Collins were joined by Janssen in 2006.
In all these years, Neptunus played in the Dutch big league, except for 1985.
In that season, Neptunus played in the First Division after having relegated the year before.
...Dick van der Noordt shakes hands with coach...
...Adonis Kemp and players Jeroen Sluijter and...
...Shaldimar Daantji after a win in the 2010 season...
(© Photo: Rien Schenck) |
With Neptunus, Van der Noordt was part of many successful teams.
In 1981, in his first season, he was able to celebrate Neptunus' first Dutch Championship-title.
In 1987, Neptunus qualified for the very-first Holland Series, but then was defeated by Amsterdam Pirates, which won its first title back then.
After winning its first title, it took Neptunus ten more years to capture its second Championship in 1991.
But that also was the beginning of a successful period, as Neptunus became Dutch Champion eleven more times between 1993 and 2010, including seven consecutive titles in 1999-2005.
During his 32 years with the team, Neptunus also won several European Cup Tournaments.
In these years, Neptunus won the European Cup seven times, the Cup Winners Cup five times and the Super Cup seven times.
The team also was named Rotterdam Sports Team of the Year seven times.
During his affiliation with Neptunus, Dick not only treated the players of the baseball-team for their injuries.
When needed, he also took care of other players of the club, including its women softball-team.
Dick had his own trainer's room at the home site of Neptunus, even before the current stadium was built there.
Before joining the baseball- and softball-department of Neptunus, Dick already had served some years as trainer for its soccer-teams.
Dick van der Noordt also served as an assistant at the secretary of the international World Port Tournament for many years.
At the head office of the tournament, which is located at the board-room in the stadium, Dick assisted the tournament's secretary and helped with the administrative work during the event.
Because of his long affiliation with the team, Dick became a wellknown and respected person in the Dutch big league and had good relationships with players and coaches of other teams, as well as umpires and other officials.
He always had a positive attitude and supported the team whenever possible, mostly showing a smile on his face.
The webmaster of Grand Slam * Stats & News offers his condolences to the family of Dick and wishes them a lot of strength with this big loss.
(December 19)
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