IN MEMORIAM ...Hamilton Richardson... (1940 - 2026) (© Photo: Henk Seppen)

Netherlands baseball-legend and Hall of Famer Hamilton Richardson passed away
Nederlands

MAASSLUIS (Neth.) - Hamilton Richardson, the legendary outfielder of Sparta and the Netherlands Baseball Team, passed away at the age of 85 on Thursday (January 8) in his home-town Maassluis. His passing was announced by soccer-club Sparta, which had a successful baseball-section through 2012.

Thursday was a very sad day for Dutch baseball, as it was also announced that Netherlands Team-coach and former player Sidney de Jong had unexpectedly passed away.

The memorial- and funeral-ceremony for Hamilton Richardson will be held on Friday, January 16 at 1:30 PM in the aula of Crematorium and Funeral-center Monuta Memoriam, located at Langenhorst 100 in Rotterdam. After the memorial service, it is possible to offer condolences to the family.

A livestream of the service will be available. This link will go directly to the correct page for the livestream and funeral-information.
In case the link does not work properly, go to www.monuta.memoria.nl, then fill in Hamilton in Name and KW8KRG in Code.

The charismatic and towering Richardson played in sixteen big league-seasons (1962-1977) for Rotterdam-based Sparta, with whom he captured nine Dutch Championship-titles. In these years, Richardson was a dominating player. He was the league's Best Hitter seven times, also led in Runs seven times, produced the most Hits four times. Three times, Richardson led in Homeruns and Runs Batted In and he was named Most Valuable Player six times. His offensive power earned him the nickname 'Hot Shot Hammy'.

In 1963-1974, Richardson was one of the outfielders of the Netherlands National Team, with whom he won five European titles. In his twelve Orange-years, Hamilton played in 80 official international games.

Afier his playing-career, 'Hammy' continued in coaching. In 1974-1978, he was an Assistant Coach of the Netherlands Team in the staff of American Manager Ernie Myers, whom he then succeeded. Richardson led the Orange-squad in 1979 and 1980. Next, in 1981-1985, Hamilton was involved with Spanish National Team as Supervisor and Manager.

On the club-level, he led Sparta three seasons (1981-1983), including one in the second highest league. In 1985, Richardson then became Head Coach of First Divisionist Neptunus with whom he promoted to the big league and coached two more years.

Hamilton Leopold Richardson was born on February 14, 1940 in Philipsburg, the capital of Sint Maarten, but he grew up on Curaçao after having moved with his parents at age four. On Curaçao, Hamilton started playing baseball at age sixteen, initially as pitcher. He showed talent and participated with the National Team of the Netherlands Antilles in several tournaments in Central and Latin America. The Richardson-family later moved back to Sint Maarten. In 1962, Hamilton came to the Netherlands for study and work in Rotterdam. There, he went to play baseball for Sparta and in the glory-years of .the team. Hamilton was one of the four Antillian players in the team, the others being Simon Arrindell, José Faneyte and Hudson John. Other players in the early sixties also included Hans Augustinus, Harry van der Berg, Piet Bouts, Cees de Bruin, Hans Corpeleyn, Rudi Dom, Toon Fabrie, Henk Hendriks, Jaap de Koning, Leen Staub, Piet van der Wilk and Theo Witstok. The team was led by legendary coach John Heyt, who tragically passed away with his wife and daughter in an accident on New Years Day 1968.

For his many contributions to the baseball-section of Sparta, Hamilton was named Member of Merit in 1988.

As player of the Netherlands Team, Hamilton Richardson participated in two World Championships (1970, Colombia; 1973, Cuba), five European Championship (1964, Italy; 1965, Spain; 1969, West-Germany; 1971, Italy; 1973, Netherlands) and seven Haarlem Baseball Week (1963, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1974). He was named Most Valuable Player of the 1969 European Championship and in 1970, Hamilton was chosen as Best Outfielder of the World Championship.

In February 1973, Hamilton Richardson was decorated by the Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Federation (KNBSB). In 1984, he was inducted into the Netherlands Baseball and Softball Hall of Fame in the second class that consisted of 13 persons and also included Hammy's former coach John Heyt. In 2000, Hamilton was knighted when he received a Royal Decoration. In 2014, in recognition of his service, Richardson was one of 200 people to have their own plaque bearing their handprint on Rotterdam's Walk of Fame. His plaque is now located at the Neptunus Familiestadium.

Hamilton Richardson also served as an ambassador for the Johan Cruyff Foundation for the Cruyff Courts on Curaçao and Aruba.

The webmaster of Grand Slam * Stats & News offers his condolences to Hamilton's family and friends and wishes them a lot of strength with this big loss.

(January 8)

(A more extended In Memoriam will be added later)