(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by RTL4 press-service (Maurits Helfenstein, Daniel de Ruijter) & Henk Seppen; Trailer by RTL Nederland)
  Former National Team-player Kalian Sams contestant in new survival-program RTL4
Nederlands
...Kalian Sams as contestant...
...in 'The Summit'...
(© Photo: RTL / Maurits Helfenstein) |
 HILVERSUM (Neth.) -
Former Netherlands Baseball Team-player Kalian Sams is one of twelve contestants in the new survival-program 'The Summit', that will be broadcast by RTL4.
The program is produced by EndemolShine Nederland and is hosted by Beau van Erven Dorens.
The first episode of the weekly program is scheduled for Sunday, February 16, beginning at 8 PM on RTL4.
The hour-long episodes are also viewable on Videoland.
The announcement of the program describes that
''In the far north of Scandinavia, 12 unknown Dutch people, each with their own story, take on the ultimate challenge to reach a remote mountain top 'The Summit' within 12 days.
With backpacks filled with a share of a quarter of a million euros, they must reach the finish line to divide the joint prize money with the remaining participants''.
In an earlier press-release in January, RTL Nederland described the program as follows:
''The journey is full of challenges.
Not only physically, but also mentally and socially.
During the journey, the group dynamics and trust are put to the test by exciting elimination rounds, in which it is determined who has to leave the mountain prematurely.
The money of the dropout is divided among the remaining group members.
If the participant gives up, the group loses its share of the money.
Unexpected visits from the mysterious Mountainkeeper, who presents the group with cryptic and physical dilemmas, put everyone on edge even more.
Beau van Erven Dorens: ,,The Summit feels like a film in which the raw nature and the human struggle against both the elements and each other are central.
The group dynamics that arise under extreme conditions are fascinating.
It is great to live along from the sidelines and see how the mountain pushes the candidates to the limit.
It is truly a magnificent spectacle''.
The mountain is not only a literal high point, but also symbolizes the inner journey of the participants.
Who will stand firm?
Who will choose the money?
And who will reach The Summit?''
'The Summit' is based on the Australian reality television series of the same name.
That series premiered on May 14, 2023 and had a grand prize of 1,000,000 Australian dollars.
The series was produced by Nine Network and Endemol Shine Australia.
A second season premiered on May 12, 2024.
The series, which were shown on Nine Network (also known as Channel Nine), were filmed on the South Island of New Zealand.
The host of the series was Australian actor Jai Courtney.
On September 29, 2024, an American version premiered on CBS, was hosted by Australian/New Zealand actor Manu Bennett and was produced by Endemol Shine North America.
Like the Australian series, it was filmed in the Southern Alps on the South Island of New Zealand.
Although the press-release talks of '12 unknown Dutch people', Kalian Sams is pretty known in the Dutch sports-community, as he can look back to a long and successfful international and professional baseball-career.
...Host Beau van Erven Dorens...
(© Photo: RTL / Daniel de Ruijter) |
Sams, who was born in The Hague (Netherlands), signed his first a professional contract with Seattle Mariners in 2006.
He made his professional debut in 2007 playing in two Single-A teams of the Mariners-organization, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and Everett Aquasox (short-season).
While playing for this last team, Sams was a teammate of another Dutch outfielder, Greg Halman, who would play in the Major League-team of Seattle in 2010 and 2011.
Halman unexpectedly passed away in November 2011.
Since 2007, Sams played in Rookie League and Single-A through 2011.
He promoted to Double-A in 2012.
Before the start of the 2013 season, Sams was released by the Mariners, but signed with San Diego Padres.
For this organization, the outfielder played in Double-A and Triple-A.
In July 2013, Sams was released again and he went on to play in the Independent Atlantic League for Camden Riversharks.
He hit three homeruns in the only five games he played for the club, as three weeks later, he signed a Minor League-contract with Texas Rangers, who assigned him to its Double-A team.
After the season, Sams was a Free Agent.
He then initially signed a new contract with the Rangers shortly thereafter, but was released in March 2014.
Since then, Sams has played in Independent Leagues.
Like in 2013, he also played for Camden Riversharks in 2014 in the Atlantic League.
Also in 2014, the outfielder played for Topco Scientific Falcons in Taiwan.
Thereafter, he played four seasons (2015-2018) for Les Capitales de Québec in the Canadian-American Association (CanAm League).
In 2016, Sams had begun the season with Delfines de Ciudad del Carmen in Mexico, but he returned to Quebéc after being released in May.
In 2019, the outfielder played for Independent League-teams High Point Rockers and Sussex County Miners.
...Kalian Sams with the Netherlands Team...
...during the 2017 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Before turning professional, Sams played in the Dutch big league for The Hague-based ADO in 2004-2006.
He made his comeback in the highest Dutch league after nine years in 2015 when he played in five regular season-games for Kinheim from Haarlem and then also played for the team in the Holland Series.
Before making his comeback in the Dutch big league, Sams already had played for Neptunus in the 2013 and 2014 Holland Series.
Both times, the Rotterdam-based club captured the title.
Although he continued his professional career, Sams was eligible to play for Amsterdam Pirates since 2017.
In that year, he played in five regular season-games for the Amsterdam-club.
In 2018, Sams played in only three games, before leaving for Canada to play for Québec.
And in 2019, he played for Pirates in its opening-game on April 4, before returning to the Independent League in the USA.
Sams also played for Pirates in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Holland Series.
In 2020, 2021 and 2022, Kalian Sams played in three full seasons for Amsterdam Pirates, with whom he captured the Dutch Championship-title in 2019 and 2021.
Due to an ongoing shoulder-injury, the powerhitter announced his retirement in October 2022.
Between 2006 and 2022, Sams played for the Netherlands National Team, with whom he particpated in many international tournaments.
In 2011, he was a member of the Orange-squad that captured the title at the World Championship in Panama.
In 2013 and 2017, Sams reached the Semi-Final of the World Baseball Classic with the Netherlands.
In between, in 2015, he reached the Quarter Final of the Premier12 and also participated in this event in 2019.
In 2006, Sams won Silver with the Netherlands in the Intercontinental Cup in Taiwan.
Sams also participated in four European Championships, with the Netherlands winning three of them (2014, 2016, 2019).
Sams also was with the team when it won the France International Baseball Challenge in 2014 and 2016 and the Super6 in 2018.
In his first (2006) and last (2022) international year, Sams won the Haarlem Baseball Week with the Netherlands Team.
Overall, Kalian Sams played in 107 official international games for the Orange Team.
The 38-year old Sams currently is a motivational speaker.
He also developed a theatre show about his career and life, titled 'The Devil's Homerun' in Theater Diligentia in his home-town The Hague.
(February 9)
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