IN MEMORIAM ...Louis Witloks... (1946 - 2026) (© Photo: Private photo)

Former ADO-catcher Louis Witloks passed away
Nederlands

THE HAGUE (Neth.) - Louis Witloks, who played in five big league-seasons (1971; 1973-1976) for ADO, has passed away on Saturday, October 10 at the age of 80 in his home-town The Hague. In his playing-years, Witloks was one of several catchers in the ADO-squad, which back then was one of two big league-teams, the other being Storks.

The memorial-ceremony for Louis Witloks will be held on Saturday, October 17 at 1:00 PM at Crematorium Haagse Duinen, located at the Wijndaelersingel 1 in The Hague. Afterwards, there is a get-together to offer condolences to the family.

Ludovicus (Louis) Witloks was born on June 9, 1946 in The Hague, where he also played during his baseball-career. Since the late sixties, Louis Witloks was a member of the main-squad of ADO, which then team played in the Second and First Division. In 1970, the team won the championship in the First Division and promoted to the Dutch Major League.

In that first season on the highest level, amongst Louis' teammates were John Barrett, Jaap Bijl, Berry Eijgendaal, Ronald Jansse, Eric Joosse, Ruud Kasten, Hans Leeflang, Hans Leenen, Ferry Neuteboom, Gerard Salemink, Alwin Toppenberg, Hugo Wapperom, Henk Weenink and King Zschuschen.

Back then, Louis Witloks was one of the catchers of the team. He was the back-up of John Barrett (who also played in the Championship-team of 1970) and Hugo Wapperom, who unfortunately both also passed away recently. Barrett in 2022, Wapperom in May of this year. Barrett later coached Haarlem Nicols, but would become more known as an (international) umpire in both baseball and softball. Leenen also went into umpiring later and Toppenberg would become a longtime member of the Jury of Appeal of the Dutch Federation. Eijgendaal, Neuteboom and Zschuschen all played in the Netherlands National Team.

In this first big league-season, ADO was coached by Leen Volkerijk, who has played an important role for the club in these years. Leen led the team in 1963-1972 and guided the team from the Second Division to the highest league. Later, Leen would be the Pitching Coach of the Netherlands National Team for several years. From ADO's first big league-team in 1971, Barrett, Bijl, Eijgendaal, Leeflang and Wapperom all coached ADO in later years.

...Louis Witloks tags out OVVO-runner... ... Paul Koch in a game in 1975... ...in the background King Zschuschen... (© Photo: unknown photographer)

During the 1971 season, for the first time in big league-history, two teams from The Hague faced each other, ADO and Storks. In April of that year, the teams opened the season against each other. Storks won the first meeting with a 4-1 score. In that game, Louis Witloks would produce two of ADO's eight basehits to support winning pitcher Gerard Salemink. Playing at home the next day, ADO won 7-6. In that game, ADO trailed 6-5 in the seventh inning, but came alongside thanks to a double by John Barrett. Moments later, ADO took the lead on a squeeze-bunt by Berry Eijgendaal, who also was the winning pitcher. In later seasons, Eijgendaal became more known as an outfielder.

In ADO's debut-season at the highest level, Zschuschen was the eighth best hitter in the league with a .323 average. Witloks played in 17 games and collected ten basehits.

However, in 1971, the finished in last place with a 4-24 record and relegated again to the First Division. Most players stayed with the team and in 1972, Leen Volkerijk again guided ADO to the First Division-title. With that, ADO returned to the big league and this time, the team played in the league ever since, except for 1979 and 1988.

In the first year back at the top (1973), Hans van der Lande was the new Head Coach. Amongst the new teammates of Louis Witloks were Yvo Boersma, Steve Burr and Harrie Heikoop.

Louis Witloks continued playing for ADO through 1976. In those seasons, other teammates included Ron Clem, John van Gulik, Wim van de Ham, Bas van Hees, Frank Luyando, Paul Mulder, Frank van Rest, Peter Stoker and Bart Volkerijk. In 1973, 1974 and 1975, Witloks shared the catching-position with Hugo Wapperom. In 1976, Van Rest became the back-up of Witloks.

In the 1974 season, the young and talented 17-year old Bart Volkerijk (son of Leen) made his debut in the ADO-team. Witloks caught several of Volkerijk's games since then. Volkerijk would play in 21 big league seasons for ADO and would be the all-time strikeout-leader in the highest league for many years. He later also would coach ADO. And he played many years in the National Team.

In 1975, John Barrett succeeded Hans van der Lande as new Head Coach. And with that, Witloks was coached by his former teammate and fellow-catcher. Another former teammate, Yvo Boersma, was Barrett's assistant.

1975 was the best season of Witloks. In 17 games, he batted .294 and was the fourth best hitter of ADO, trailing Berry Eijgendaal (.427), King Zschuschen (.329) and Paul Mulder (.313).

In his years with ADO, including five big league-seasons, Louis Witloks not always was the prime catcher, but he was a very valuable player, contributing with effective contact-hitting and solid fielding. He will surely be missed by his former teammates.

The webmaster of Grand Slam * Stats & News offers his condolences to Louis' wife Elly, son Job, daughter Meike, daughter-in-law Eveline, son-in-law Mark, grandchildren Kees, Frank and Maximilien, other family and friends and wishes them a lot of strength with this big loss.

(October 15)