(Story & Photos by Marco Stoovelaar; Other Photos: United Photos/De Boer, Henk Seppen and private photos)
IN MEMORIAM
...Gerard Stenzler...
(1932 - 2023) |
 Legendary longtime baseball-coach, De Spartaan-icon, Gerard Stenzler passed away
Nederlands
 HAARLEM (Neth.) -
Gerard Stenzler, who was one of the most colorful baseball-coaches for many years and was a club-icon of Amsterdam-based De Spartaan, passed away on Thursday, January 26 at age 90.
Mister Stenzler has been active himself in baseball as a player, coach, administrator, general manager and much more for almost 65 years, but has been involved in the sport for over 75 years and also has led the National Team of France.
For his contributions to baseball through the years, Gerard Stenzler was honored by the Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Association (KNBSB) twice.
Gerardus Cornelis (Gerard) Stenzler was born on November 30, 1932 in Amsterdam.
Already at a young age, Gerard Stenzler was interested in sports.
Despite the difficulties back then just after the ending of World War II, Gerard went on to play soccer, but also baseball.
In 1947, at age fourteen, he joined Quick Amsterdam and that was the start of a long career in baseball, which lasted over 75 years.
Stenzler played in ten seasons for Quick, which was founded in 1913 and will celebrate its 110th anniversary in March as being the oldest baseball/softball-club in Europe.
From 1957 on, Stenzler played baseball for THOR, Blauw-Wit, Arsenal, Schoten and De Volewijckers in the following eleven seasons.
Except for Schoten (Haarlem), all teams were based in Amsterdam.
During his playing days, Stenzler started to develop an interest in coaching.
It was in 1960, when he played for Amsterdam-based Arsenal, that he coached a team for the first time.
Stenzler was the playing coach of the team, which then played in the Fourth Division of the Amsterdam Rayon.
He led the team to second place.
Inititially, Gerard returned to playing thereafter, but he returned to coaching seven years later after he had changed from Arsenal to AMVJ, another club in Amsterdam.
In 1967, Stenzler was the Head Coach for the first time of this team in what also was his 21st and final season as a regular player.
From that moment on, his long coaching-career began.
In the meantime, from the late fifties on, Gerard becomes the father of four children, Marianne, Ellen, Annemieke and Mike.
His daughters all went on to play softball.
Son Mike played baseball for many years and most of them, he played for De Spartaan, while his father was the Head Coach.
His real first success as coach came in 1969, his third and final season with AMVJ.
Stenzler guided the team to first place in the First Division Amsterdam.
With that, the team promoted to the National Competitions and played in what was then the Third Division the following year.
However, after the 1969 season, Gerard Stenzler transfered to De Spartaan to become its Head Coach.
From 1970 on, this club became his passion and Gerard led the main baseball-team in 26 consecutive seasons, including six in the Dutch big league.
In his first season with his new club, there was immediate success in 1970.
De Spartaan captured the title in the National Third Division and promoted.
After two tough seasons in the Second Division, De Spartaan finished in fourth place in 1973.
It was also in 1973 that Gerard Stenzler made his international debut.
A year earlier, in April 1972, De Spartaan celebrated its 35th anniversary and organized an international tournament on its home-site.
One of the participating teams was a team from France.
It was during that tournament that Stenzler was approached by representatives of the French Baseball Federation who asked him to be the Head Coach of the France National Baseball Team during the European Championship in 1973, which was to be organized in Haarlem (Netherlands).
Stenzler agrees and sets up some actions to help French baseball, such as raising funds for equipment.
He was supported by then-umpire Henk Ronnenbergh, who in those years was the owner of a baseball/softball-equipment store in Amsterdam.
Ronnenbergh sold equipment to Stenzler for a special prize to help the French players.
...Gerard Stenzler as Head Coach of...
...France during the 1973 European...
...Championship in Haarlem (Netherlands)...
(© Photo: UnitedPhotos/De Boer) |
Baseball is played in France since the twenties, but due to a lack of enough international contact, it was clear that the young team that participated in the 1973 Championship was still was in a learing process.
The youngest player in the team is 14-year old Jean-Louis Achille.
Gerard Stenzler, who then is 40 years old, does everything to improve the level of his players, he organizes practice-sessions, exhibition games and even arranges new uniforms.
'Uncle' Joop van Heuven, who is the masseur of De Spartaan baseball-team, takes care of the players during the Championship.
In 1973, there are some 350 baseball-players in entire France, the half of them in capital Paris, the rest in the south of the country.
France is one of six countries that participate, the others are Belgium, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.
Initially, what was then West-Germany also was to come to Haarlem, but it has to withdraw due to financial problems.
It is France that plays the first game in the Championship on June 30, 1973.
The team of Gerard Stenzler meets Sweden in a morning-game that is played at the Sports Complex at the Badmintonpad, which at that moment is the home of Kinheim.
During the tournament, games are also played in the Pim Mulier Stadium.
That first game becomes a memorable one, as France wins 8-7 against Sweden to record its first international win in eleven years.
It was the second international win for France after World War II.
Trailing 4-0 halfway the first inning, France comes to a 5-run rally in its first at bat.
In the ninth inning, France trails 7-5, but in the bottom of the ninth, the team scored three runs to win.
Jean-Philippe Kunetz went the distance for France.
In the seventies and eighties, Kunetz was Member of the Board of the French Federation.
Two other future Board-members also played for the team, being Emmanuel Dubaut and Olivier Dubaut, who both also became Member of the Board of the European Baseball Federation (CEB).
The next day, trailing 1-0, France manages to come alongside in the top of the fifth inning against Italy, but ends up losing 14-1.
That is followed on the third day by a big 19-4 loss against Belgium.
It was during the game against Belgium that Gerard Stenzler initially leaves the team after an argument with American Pitching Coach Bruce Irving.
While it is clear that Stenzler had been appointed as Head Coach, Irving goes against his directions and take several decisions in this game.
In the second inning, the French starter is changed too late after issuing five walks.
The reliever is not the pitcher Stenzler wanted to insert.
This new pitcher walks nine batters, Belgium scores 13 runs in this at bat (nine with two outs).
Afterwards, things are settled again by the French Federation and Stenzler is back in charge.
On Day 4 of the tournament, France suffers a big 21-0 loss against the Netherlands.
Although there are many big scores in several games during the event, Stenzler is annoyed by the fact that players from the Netherlands Team, but also spectators laugh at the actions of his players.
There is one thing that everyone will agree and that is that Gerard Stenzler always voiced his opinion through the years.
And that is what he did in an interview with Hans Doeleman in Het Parool-newspaper during the tournament.
Stenzler: ,,Let those Dutch who are laughing at us rather do something for us.
They forget what my French players had to do financially to be here.
And they apparently don't remember how the level was here in the past.
That annoys me enormously, that laughter.
Not only from the players, but also from the audience.
The French goal here in Haarlem is nothing more than reasonable results, that could open up possibilities for more financial support from the French state.
In eleven years, they had lost some 35 games and now we have beaten Sweden.
We shouldn't laugh at that.
My French are doing their best to get this sport off the ground in their own country.
They are willing to train and to learn something.
They feel every round of applause as a token of appreciation.
The KNBSB also could provide some support.
I've suggested that some French players could participate in the National Youth-camps.
If the Dutch Federation won't do anything, I'll do it with De Spartaan.
This is a challenge for me, but I can't do it on my own''.
These reactions were typical for Gerard Stenzler, not only in his support of the French players, but also during his years with De Spartaan.
Full of passion, he did everything for the team(s) and players he loved, to enable them not only to play in a good team, but also to secure that things are done properly.
France closes the preliminary round of the European Championship with a small 4-1 loss against Spain and gets a good outing from pitcher Jean-Philippe Kunetz, who strikes out fourteen batters.
Thereafter, France meets Sweden in a best-of-three for fifth and sixth place with the round-robin game counting as the first game.
France plays two good games, but ends up short, 10-7 and 6-5.
...Hippopotamus Hugo of Circus Toni...
...Boltini at the site of De Spartaan in...
...Amsterdam to 'throw' out the ceremonial...
...first pitch during an international...
...tournament in 1977...
(Unknown Photographer) |
For Gerard Stenzler, this remained his lone international coaching-year.
But he continued to coach at De Spartaan with whom he climbed on the ladder.
From 1974 on, the team captured two titles to promote to the highest league.
In 1974, the Amsterdam-team finished in first place in the Second Division to promote to the First Division.
After finishing in the middle in the following two seasons, De Spartaan clearly was a contender from 1977 on.
Stenzler makes sure that everything is well arranged for his club.
Besides that, he becomes a father-figure for his foreign players, whether they are coming from America or the Antilles.
He helps them wherever possible during the season, gets them a job and Gerard's then-wife Tilly makes all uniforms for the baseball-team herself.
In these seventies, not only the Stenzler-family does a lot for De Spartaan.
Also Miel van Heuven and his wife Ria, Jaap van Nifterick and his wife Diny, Wim Geestman, Sr., Freek and Jan Leijen are hard workers at the club.
Miel van Heuven and Diny van Nifterick are secretary of the club for several years.
Towards the ends of the seventies, Gerard Stenzler also becomes the chairman of De Spartaan, a position he would held for some twenty years.
Oh, he also coached a softball-team of the club several years.
In the early eighties, Wil Hofer does the game-administration for a few years and from halfway the eighties, Bert Groot handled the public relations and also is a longtime Public Address Announcer.
Gerard's daughter Marianne becomes the club's secretary in 1983.
Other longtime contributors since the late eighties are John van den Berg and Chris Lubbe.
Not to take anything away from anyone, it can be stated that Gerard Stenzler really was the driving force with De Spartaan for many years.
It also was in the seventies (and eighties), that rumors circulated about a rivalry between De Spartaan and Amsterdam Pirates.
It appeared that both clubs were not talking to each other, but the truth of the matter is that the rivalry only was a sportive one.
The two clubs had a good relationship, worked together and helped each other when needed.
Since 2000, Pirates has its home-site at te former site of De Spartaan at Sportpark 'Ookmeer'.
Gerard Stenzler was also known for doing things something different and enjoyed having some fun.
Like in 1977 when De Spartaan celebrates its 40th anniversary and organizes an international tournament before the season with the participation of Mannheim Tornados (West-Germany), Navarro (Italy), Dutch big league-club Quick Amersfoort and host De Spartaan.
Actress Willeke van Ammelrooy and singer Ria Valk were approached to throw the ceremonial first pitch of the tournament on April 10, but both were unavailable.
To do something special, De Spartaan's then publicity-person Rob Jansen was able to pull off a great stunt.
He approached wellknown Dutch circus-director Toni Boltini of the circus with the same name.
Boltini immediately wanted to cooperate and so, on Day One of the tournament, it was a hippopotamus named Hugo, who entered the baseball-field, donned with a cap from De Spartaan and 'threw' the first ball to open the event.
By the way, De Spartaan won all its three games to win the tournament.
The fine seasons in the seventies also led to agreements with some big companies who served as main-sponsor.
In 1979, it was the Japanese photo-equipment company Canon that was the sponsor of De Spartaan for the first time.
Because it now has some more financial means, new players are added to the team.
One of the new players for the 1979 season is Canadian pitcher Bernie Beckman.
He had played for Dutch big league-team Giants Diemen in 1978, but was unable to come to an agreement for a new season.
And so, Beckman transfered to De Spartaan.
That was the beginning of a long and close friendship between Beckman and Stenzler.
Beckman was born in the Dutch city of Groningen, grew up in Ter Apel, but moved with his family at age three to Canada.
Later, he played professionally before returning to the Netherlands.
Just before the end of the transfer-deadline, catcher Ron van Zuilichem, who also played at Giants, also joins De Spartaan.
Before the 1979 season, the baseball-team has a training-camp in Arizona (USA) and De Spartaan again finished in second place.
Then, in 1980, the long-awaited success was there.
De Spartaan captured the title in the B-Division of the First Division to promote to the Dutch big league.
Winner of the A-Pool was Tex Town Tigers, which therefore also made its debut in the highest league in 1981.
...The team of De Spartaan that captured the First Division-title in 1980...
...and promoted to the highest league; Head Coach Gerard Stenzler stands at left...
...Pitching Coach Wim Geestman stands 5th from left, Bernie Beckman is...
...standing 6th from left; Gerard's son Mike Stenzler sits 2nd from right...
(De Spartaan Team-photo 1980) |
In 1980, Bernie Beckman is playing in his second and final season for De Spartaan.
Thereafter, he returns to Canada to become a Minor League Coach in the Toronto Blue Jays-organization.
Later, he becomes the Head Coordinator of the Canadian Baseball Federation.
However, after a few years, Beckman comes back to the Netherlands and is re-united with Stenzler.
Other players besides Beckman in the championship-team include Hennie Heijsteeg, Louis Hofer, Frank Koot, Totti Martina, Jan Prinsen, Erik Ronnenbergh, Anthony St. Aubyn, Fred Stakelborough, Mike Stenzler, Jack Zijlstra and Americans Brian Lewis and Eddy Packard.
Stenzler is assisted by Toon van de Sande, while legendary Wim Geestman, Sr. is the Pitching Coach.
Herman Koot, who passed away last year, is the Team Manager.
De Spartaan secures the title on July 26 in a home-game against Amsterdam-club OVVO, winning 13-3.
Unfortunately, the festivities of the 1980-title have a black edge.
After the 1979 season, 26-year old second baseman Brian Lewis had joined De Spartaan after having played in the big league for UVV and he clearly enjoyed his stay in Amsterdam.
But in the early night of Monday, July 7, tragedy struck.
On Sunday-evening, Lewis attended a meeting of the Dutch American All Star Team, a team composed of American players in the Netherlands who annually played exhibition games against the Netherlands Team for its prepartions for international tournaments.
Afterwards, Lewis and fellow-American Gary Robson (who played for The Herons) went downtown Amsterdam to eat somewhat.
However, they got into an argument and a fight follows.
While trying to get away, Lewis is stabbed and passed away.
Three weeks later, De Spartaan captures the title.
Gerard Stenzler immediately gets in contact with the Municipality of Amsterdam regarding renovations and expansions of De Spartaan's home-site at Sportpark 'Ookmeer', but also to talk about possibilities of installing a light-installation.
Stenzler also announces that new players will be added for the debut-season in 1981.
,,Our stay in the big league will not be limited to only one season'', Stenzler said in some interviews.
,,It has cost too much time and too much energy to come this far''.
...Head Coach Gerard Stenzler coaching at 3rd base...
...for De Spartaan while Raymond Soerka scores a run...
...during the 1994 season in the second highest league...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
After the 1980 season ended, De Spartaan indeed attracts several new players.
The club is criticized for playing money to get them away from other teams.
Oddly enough, back in those days and surely enough in several following seasons, some other teams have done just the same.
De Spartaan acquires Ritchie Daal (Kinheim) and Ron Steward (HCAW).
For the latter, Neptunus also had shown interest after the Rotterdam-team already had added Americans Kevin McDonald and Steve Donovan.
HCAW initially didn't want to cooperate in the transfer of Steward.
Ritchie Daal became Stenzler's son-in-law.
Also coming to De Spartaan are pitchers Paul Mulder (UVV) and Fred Ernsting (The Herons).
From the USA, De Spartaan added former professionals George Jax and Jim Unmacht.
And from the Antilles, the team adds pitcher George Brown, catcher Gershwin Leuteria and outfielder Sidney Jakoba.
The latter of course becomes more known as Jacky Jakoba and develops into one of the best Dutch baseball-players.
Unfortunately, Jacky Jakoba passed away on December 17 at age 61.
In the end, both Brown and Jax didn't came to Amsterdam, while powerhitter Unmacht's stay also was brief.
But Stenzler made his promise come true, De Spartaan extends its stay in the highest league.
The team does much better than other debuting team Tex Town Tigers, which remains winless in all its 36 games in its lone season in the highest league.
De Spartaan wins 17 of its 36 games with one of them ending in a tie.
Before the start of the season, the team again prepares in Florida (USA) and returns home only a few hours before its first scheduled regular season-game.
In that game, De Spartaan plays at home against Neptunus and loses 10-1.
The following day, in Rotterdam, De Spartaan shows that it is a tough opponent.
The team erases an 8-3 deficit and comes alongside.
Neptunus wins 11-9 in ten innings, thanks to a walk-off, 2-run homerun by Gerard Blacquiere.
In 1981, Neptunus went on to capture its first Championship-title.
Four days later, on what then was Queen's Day (April 30), De Spartaan plays a good game against Haarlem Nicols.
That team scores four runs in the first inning and then adds only one more run.
However, De Spartaan loses 5-3, as American pitcher Douglas Morton dominates and strikes out fifteen batters.
In the following weekend, De Spartaan meets UVV.
After losing in Utrecht 5-1, De Spartaan records its first win the next day at home, recording a convincing 17-7 victory.
In that game, De Spartaan hits seven homeruns, including three by Jack Zijlstra.
The other homeruns are hit by Ritchie Daal, Jacky Jakoba, Gershwin Leuteria and Jim Unmacht.
After a fine first season, De Spartaan plays in 1982 without a main-sponsor, has less financial means and adds younger players to its team.
However, only eight of its 36 games are won and the team relegates.
Despite the relegation, Gerard Stenzler remains optimistic, as always.
He wants to continue playing with a younger team and foresees that De Spartaan will return to the big league.
Also this year, Stenzler has moved from Amsterdam to Almere.
He even opts the possibility to bring big league-baseball to Almere.
...Gerard Stenzler has a talk with Umpire...
...Jos de Champs during a game in the 1994 season...
...in the second highest league...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
In the following seasons, De Spartaan initially plays a minor role in the First Division, but in 1987, the team qualifies for the new so-called 'Overgangsklasse', a Division between the big league and the First Division.
In 1988, De Spartaan reaches a Promotion Pool to promote back to the highest league.
And so, in 1989, the team returns in the big league, this time for a 3-year stay.
Amongst Stenzler's players are still his son Mike and his son-in-law Ritchie Daal, but also another longtime player, Tom Groot.
Amongst the newcomers are strong powerhitting catchers Rudsel Poulina and Raymond Soerka and effective pitchers Richard Mackay and Harold Pepin.
De Spartaan experiences three tough seasons during its comeback in the highest league and wins only 36 of its 116 games played.
In 1989, the team extends its stay after winning a tie-break game.
In 1990, the team finishes in eighth place, just ahead of the relegation spots.
In 1991, the team has a new main-sponsor and former player Judsel Baranco returns.
However, De Spartaan ends up in last place and relegates again.
That frustrates Stenzler, he does everything for the club, makes investments, has good players, but each time, the team ends up low.
In an interview in the Algemeen Dagblad in June 1991 with Frank van de Gevel, Stenzler said:
,,I think that I quite can handle difficult players.
A coach needs to give and take.
That also means that you can feel free to each other the truth and I think that someting like that works well''.
In the meantime, Gerard Stenzler had become secretary of the Association for Top Baseball Netherlands (VTN), which was set up to represent the teams in the highest league.
Seven of the ten big league-teams are members.
Amongst its wishes, the VTN wants a guarantee that the highest league will be composed of ten teams in the future.
It also sometimes criticizes the policy of the Board of the Dutch Associaction KNBSB, regarding the set-up of competitions of looking ahead.
This time, the return to the highest league comes quicker.
As mentioned, Gerard Stenzler always was able to raise money and to attract sponsors and in 1994, Northwest Airlines is the new main-sponsor.
It becomes a successful season.
The team ends up in a tie for first place in the Overgangsklasse with Sparta.
In Utrecht, De Spartaan wins a tie-break game against the Rotterdam-team 6-2 to secure promotion.
Pitching-ace in the 1994 season for the Amsterdam-club is American righthander Jeffery Calderone.
...Gerard Stenzler has a talk with pitcher...
...Jeffery Calderone during a game in the 1994 season...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
During the 1994 season, in an interview with Jan van Ewijk in Het Parool-newspaper, Stenzer said that he has calmed down.
He doesn't want to return to the VTN-board and no longer want to get involved in general baseball policy.
He said he no langer wants to get 'into consultations with bigwigs with less flexibility than a baseball bat'.
,,I can spend my time more usefully at my club'', Stenzler said.
He also says that is spending far less money for players.
Stenzler: ,,In the past that sometimes had gotten out of hand.
De Spartaan is a healthy club now.
I may know better than anyone what the rattling with a money bag can lead to.
Players make clubs bid against each other.
That's how a club like Haarlem Nicols folded.''
But despite his criticism, he likes to be on the field.
And so, De Spartaan begins its third stint in the big league in 1995.
There is one big change this season, as Stenzler is not coaching at third base himself anymore.
After having led the baseball-team in the previous 25 seasons and coaching at third base, Gerard now is the Manager and leads the team from the dug-out.
Young American coach Pete Yarasavich is named new 3B Coach and he also sets out the lines together with Stenzler.
There is one final conflict during the 1995 season.
De Spartaan adds some young players and in those days, a new club had to pay the player's former club a so-called transfer-fee of development-fee.
In an article by Peter Bruin in De Volkskrant-newspaper in May, Stenzler states that the rule is complete nonsense.
He adds that in most cases that education is just a farce.
Stenzler: ,,And besides that, a player is free to play for whom he wants to''.
In 1995, De Spartaan relegates after having played in its final season at the highest level.
At also marks the final season of the club, which already had to do without a softball- and youth-section for a few years.
In the early part of 1996, De Spartaan merges with Almere '90, which therefore obtains the license to play at the national level.
At the moment of the merger, the main baseball-team of Almere plays in the highest league of what is then District East.
Talks of a possible working-agreement and merger already had started a few years earlier.
Thanks to the merger, Almere '90 plays in the national First Division in 1996.
...In his early years, Gerard...
...briefly played at De Spartaan...
(© Photo: Private-photo) |
It is the end of an era.
Through the years, there have been several memorable moments at the site of De Spartaan.
The 'throwing' of the ceremonial first pitch by a hippopotamus already has been mentioned.
But the site also was the location of the quickest ejection in history, which happened to be Gerard Stenzler.
In the middle of a double-header, which must have been in 1981, the coaches and umpires met for the second game.
Stenzler, as Head Coach of De Spartaan, approached Home Plate Umpire Erick Barkhuis, said something and was ejected before the first pitch of the second game was even thrown.
On another occassion, while being suspended, Stenzler had constructed a communicating device.
During the game, while seated in the stands, he was in contact with his 3B Coach to go over signs and tactics.
And on Tuesday-evening, July 11, 1989, Sportpark 'Ookmeer' was the site of the first-ever Perfect Game in the Dutch big league.
On that day, De Spartaan plays at home against Haarlem Nicols in what was a make-up game.
American lefthander Craig McGinnis is on the mound for Nicols and writes history, as he retires all 27 batters he faces in a row, striking out ten of them.
Nicols wins with a 5-0 score.
Amongst the players who played for De Spartaan in its six big league-seasons were Nico Adam, Eugene Arrindell, Judsel Baranco, Marcel Benningshof, Tony Benningshof, Gilbert van den Bergh, Pat Burke, Viktor Caldera, John Caton, Angelo Clemensia, Raymond le Cuivre, Ritchie Daal, Scott Donop, Aldric Dunlop, Gerald Dunlop, Lukas van den Ende, Fred Ernsting, Colin Franker, Bob Frishette, Tom Geestman, Elmore Gibbs, Winston Gibbs, Frank Groen, Tom Groot, Hennie Heijsteeg, Edward van Heyningen, Jacky Jakoba, Wilfred Jelsma, John Jay Keeler, François Koehler, Minquelito Koek, Gershwin Leuteria, Richard Mackay, Totti Martina, Dik Moraal, Paul Mulder, Harold Pepin, Rudsel Poulina, Jan Prinsen, Stephan Rayer, Sendley Reina, Robi Rizvic, Erik Ronnenbergh, Renfis Selassa, Anthony St. Aubyn, Hensley Sluis, Kenneth Soerka, Raymond Soerka, Fred Stakelborough, Mike Stenzler, Ron Steward, Jim Unmacht, Henk Vereschildt, Romano Wattimena, Antoine van Wieringen and Jack Zijlstra.
After the merger, Gerard Stenzler has said goodbye to his beloved De Spartaan, but his career in baseball is far from over.
The answer is simple.
,,You know me, I love baseball and want to do something and help clubs'', Stenzler then said in an interview with Marco Stoovelaar, the webmaster of this site for the Het Nieuws van den Dag-newspaper.
After the merger, Stenzler keeps on supporting the Almere-board as an advisor.
But four years after his last game at De Spartaan, Stenzler returns in uniform.
As mentioned earlied, former De Spartaan-pitcher Bernie Beckman returned to Canada, where he coached in the Minor Leagues for Toronto Blue Jays, but also was the Manager of the Canadian National Team for seven years.
After having coached in Taiwan and Australia, Beckman returned to coaching in the Netherlands in 1998.
The following season, Beckman is the new Head Coach of Dutch big league-team Kinheim and after the season, he also joins the coaching-staff of the Netherlands Baseball Team.
In more recent years, Beckman was still active for the Orange Team as one of its scouts.
When Beckman was named Head Coach of Kinheim, Gerard Stenzler returned in uniform as his assistant at age 66.
Another Assistant Coach is Louis Hofer, who also had a long coaching-career.
With that, the three are re-united.
In 1980, Beckman and Hofer played for Stenzler at De Spartaan.
Stenzler is also re-united with American pitcher Jeffery Calderone, who was one of his pitchers at De Spartaan in the succesful 1994 season.
In 1999, Kinheim qualifies for the Play-Offs, but is then eliminated for the Holland Series.
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...Left: Gerard coaching at Kinheim in the 1999 season...
...Right: Bernie Beckman as scout of Netherlands...
...Team during the 2017 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photos: Marco Stoovelaar (left) and Henk Seppen (right)) |
After the 1999 season, Gerard Stenzler retires as coach, but remains the General Manager of Kinheim through 2005.
Bernie Beckman stays on as Head Coach through 2002 and is then succeeded by his Assistant Coach Louis Hofer.
Former player Marcel Joost, who had joined the coaching-staff in 2002, is his assistant.
Dave Daniels takes over as Head Coach in 2004, assisted by Louis Hofer, who becomes the Head Coach again during the 2005 season.
In his six seasons with Kinheim, the team qualifies for the Play-Offs four times.
In 2006 and 2007, Gerard Stenzler is the General Manager of Almere '90, which at that moment also plays in the highest league.
With that, he fulfills his promise to bring big league-baseball to Almere, a statement he had made in the early eighties after having moved to live in the city.
In 2006, Carlos Arrindell is the Head Coach, but he is succeeded by Ritchie Daal in mid-season.
Daal is assisted by Rob Keur, (former De Spartaan-player) Tom Groot and René Rijst.
They also lead the team in 2007.
During the 2006 season, the conditioning of the players is handled by Ben Spel, who unfortunately passed away two days before Gerard Stenzler, on January 24.
Fred van Leeuwen is the Team Manager and Gerard Kremer the Team Scorer.
In 2009, Stenzler again works together with Bernie Beckman, who in this year is the Head Coach of RCH.
The Canadian is assisted by Ab de Boer, Nick Heij and Peter van 't Klooster, who was another close friend of Stenzler.
Van 't Klooster passed away in 2020.
In 2010, Gerard Stenzler is active in one more season, as RCH's Team Manager.
After the season, he retires after having been active in 64 years.
In 1996, when he is active in fifty years, Stenzler is decorated by the Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Association (KNBSB).
In September 2007, this time after he celebrates his 60th anniversary in baseball, Stenzler receives the Silver Honoray Medal of the KNBSB for his many contributions to baseball.
At the Head Office of the KNBSB in Nieuwegein, KNBSB-chairman Ruud van Zetten hands out the decoration to the longtime baseball-veteran.
...In September 2007, Gerard receives the Silver...
...Honorary Medal from KNBSB-Chairman Ruud van Zetten...
...for being active in baseball for 60 years...
(© Photo: Private-photo) |
In February 2000, Gerard Stenzler married former Netherlands Team-player Nel Goedhart, the mother of former big league- and Netherlands Softball Team-pitcher Birgit Ferdinandus.
Through the years, Gerard and Nel are frequent visitors of baseball-games, mostly at Kinheim.
He enjoys watching games of his grandsons Rodney Daal, Randy Daal and Ricky Daal, the sons of Ritchie Daal and Gerard's daughter Annemieke.
All three play for several seasons in the Dutch big league and Rodney Daal even plays some seasons professionally in the Minor Leagues for San Diego Padres, which makes Gerard a proud grandfather.
Rodney also played in the Netherlands National Team and this season, he will play for Quick Amersfoort.
Gerard and Nel also are frequent visitors of games played by grandson Paris Aguilera Zayas, the son of Nel's daughter Birgit.
In 2021, the outfielder played for Kinheim and in 2022 for RCH-Pinguïns for whom he also will play this year.
Gerard also follows Melany Aguilera Zayas, Birgit's daughter, who in 2022 is one of the players of the Netherlands Under-15 Softball Team and participates in the European Under-15 Softball Championship in Enschede (Netherlands).
Above all, Gerard Stenzler loved his family, whether they play baseball or softball or not.
In the last few years, Gerard is a proud grandfather and enjoys his life with Nel.
Despite Gerard suffering several health problems in the past few years, the two are almost weekly spectators during the home-games of Kinheim in the Pim Mulier Stadium.
There, sitting in his mobility scooter, Gerard enjoyed watching the game, talking with friends and acquaintances, loving to talk about the accomplishments of his grandchildren.
And yes, of course having some criticism now and then.
But above all, Gerard Stenzler was more than proud of his family.
On a personal note, I've spoken with Gerard regularly the past few years, either for a newspaper-article or just to stay in touch, either by phone or in person on a field.
Those contacts always have been very pleasant.
Despite his health-setbacks, he kept on smiling, was always in a good mood and always remained positive.
Like in 1995 when he had to undergo eye-surgery or in more recent years when he was hospitalized a few times.
Gerard always was informative about others were doing.
Gerard was a special person and will surely be missed by many of us in the Dutch baseball-family.
The webmaster of Grand Slam * Stats & News offers his condolences to Gerard's wife Nel, his former wife Tilly, daughters Marianne, Ellen and Mieke, son Mike, stepson Edwin and stepdaughter Birgit, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other family and friends and wishes them a lot of strength with this big loss.
(January 31)
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