(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Haarlem Nicols Archive & Marco Stoovelaar)
IN MEMORIAM
...Frans de Bruijn...
(1962 - 2020)...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
 Former big league baseball-player; current Terrasvogels softball-coach Frans de Bruijn passed away
Nederlands
 DIRKSHORN (Neth.) -
Frans de Bruijn, who played eight seasons in the Dutch baseball big league, passed away on Sunday, June 7 at the young age 58.
De Bruijn also has been active for many years in softball as a coach.
Since last year, he was the 1B Coach of the women's softball-team of Terrasvogels in the Golden League.
Despite his severe illness, De Bruijn planned to return in that position again this season.
Unfortunately, due to the measures regarding the coronavirus, only a limited amount of people will be able to attend the memorial and funeral service on Saturday (June 13), which will be a private ceremony.
As it is not possible for everyone to attend Saturday's funeral service, a memorial for Frans de Bruijn will be held on Friday-evening (June 12) at the site of Onze Gezellen in Haarlem, starting at 7:30 PM.
Those who want to come to the memorial are ask to bring a flower with a personal note.
The flower will represent your attendance at the funeral, where all flowers will be standing.
After a walk over the field, the flowers and notes will be collected at home plate, then everyone will take a position on the field separated by 1,5 meters to observe a minute of silence at 8 PM.
Frans de Bruijn was born on February 3, 1962 in Haarlem.
De Bruijn started playing baseball at Haarlem Nicols.
At age 18, he made his debut in the main-squad of the team during the 1980 season, playing in two games and hitting 0-for-6.
Back then, Haarlem Nicols was one of the most successful teams in the Dutch big league.
In the following three seasons (1981-1983), De Bruijn again played for Nicols, but mostly as a back-up player.
He was able to play at several positions in the infield and outfield, but also was used as a catcher.
With Nicols, which then was led by successful coach Jan Dick Leurs, De Bruijn won the Dutch Championship-title in 1982 and 1983.
Amongst De Bruijn's teammates in his four seasons at Haarlem Nicols were Frank Bos, Bill Groot, Hennie Jenken, Marcel Joost, Hans Lemmink and Thijs Vervaat.
At Nicols, De Bruijn also played with Peter van Dalen, Gerlach Halderman, Jan Hijzelendoorn, Frank Koot, Leo van Schreven, Haitze de Vries and Pim Winkel.
They all joined the team after De Bruijn had made his debut in 1980.
He also played with Americans John Brickley, Skip Clark, Marc Morrison, Douglas Morton and Bill Nardi.
Douglas Morton unexpectedly passed away in April at age 70.
While playing in youth-teams at Haarlem Nicols, De Bruijn was selected to play for Netherlands Youth Teams.
In 1977, in Brasschaat (Belgium), Frans participated in the European Championship with the Netherlands Cadets Team (age 13-15), which then was led by Manager Floor Blaauw, who was assisted by Wim Hageman and Herman Thomas.
Other players from that team who went on to play in the big league (and some of them also in the National Team) were Remco Blaauw, Gerlach Halderman, Rob Hendriks, Roel Klaassen, Marcel Kruyt, Fred Mäkel, Franklin Richardson, Ronald Stoovelaar, Erwin Visser and Pim Winkel.
...The Netherlands Cadets Team at the 1977 European Championship in...
...Brasschaat (Belgium); Frans de Bruijn is standing fourth from left...
(© Photo: Archive Marco Stoovelaar) |
After the 1983 season, Frans de Bruijn transfered from Haarlem Nicols to Giants Diemen and there, he became a regular outfielder.
In 1984, De Bruijn played in all 36 regular season-games and hit four homeruns.
His best season came in 1985 when he batted .278 (32-for-115), scoring fifteen runs and batting in eleven.
De Bruijn recorded a career-high .37 basehits and 14 runs batted in during the 1986 season.
In his four seasons at Giants Diemen, amongst his teammates were Frank Koene, Steve Matthew and Ron van Zuilichem.
Other players with whom he played at Giants included Judsel Baranco, Dave Bisceglia, Bart Bruin, Ricardo Bryson, Peter Callenbach, Craig McGinnis, Han Prinsen, Orlando Stewart, Eric de Vries and Juani Werleman.
At Giants, De Bruijn also played with two of his former teammates from Nicols, Frank Bos and Frank Koot.
Frans de Bruijn, who mostly was used as an outfielder, played his last big league-game in the 1987 season.
In eight big league-seasons, De Bruijn played in 170 games.
In following years, De Bruijn kept on playing at a lower level.
In most of these seasons, he played in the main-squad of Onze Gezellen, where he still played in the third team in 2008.
De Bruijn also went on to coach the baseball-team of Onze Gezellen, where he also played softball.
While playing softball for SC Haarlem, he played in the highest league in 1997.
In the meantime, Frans de Bruijn also started a career as softball-coach, something he loved to do and did so for more than 25 years.
As a coach, he was most active for Haarlem-based Onze Gezellen, where he was not only was involved in coaching the main squad, but also youth teams.
...Frans de Bruijn with Haarlem Nicols in 1982...
...Back: Marcel Joost, Leo van Schreven, De Bruijn,...
...Skip Clark and Pim Winkel...
...Front: Frank Koot, Marc Morrison, Haitze de Vries,...
...Rob Visser and Frank Bos...
(© Photo: Archive Haarlem Nicols) |
De Bruijn made his coaching-debut in the Dutch softball big league in 1994 when he was the Assistant Coach of Jan Leijen at DSC '74 (the current Olympia Haarlem).
After that season, De Bruijn succeeded Leijen as Head Coach and led the women's team of DSC '74 in 1995 and 1996.
In 1994, the team lost a relegation series against VUC.
However, DSC '74 stayed in the big league after VUC withdraw its team for the following season.
After finishing in sixth place in 1995, DSC '74 finished in a tie for fourth place with Amsterdam Pirates and Terrasvogels in 1996.
Amongst the players at DSC '74 in De Bruijn's two seasons as Head Coach were Joyce Fortgens, Nathalie Franssen, Kim Ongena, Joyce Smit and Yolanda Vierhout.
The following season (1997), De Bruijn was the Head Coach Bussum-based HCAW where he had succeeded Frank Dielen.
Amongst the players, De Bruijn coached at HCAW were Madelon Beek, Petra Beek, Liesbeth Hofland, Nicole Meinster, Margot Mels, Afke Nijdam, Manon Scholte, Kitty van Stein and Martine Stiemer, who all played for (or had played for) either the Netherlands National Team or the Netherlands Junior Team.
HCAW finished in third place, then eliminated Sparks in the Play-Offs.
In the Holland Series, HCAW swept Terrasvogels in three games to capture the Championship-title.
De Bruijn left HCAW after this season and was succeeded by Gonny Reijnen.
De Bruijn formed a coaching-duo again with Jan Leijen in 2000 at Onze Gezellen.
Leijen then was the Head Coach and De Bruijn was his Assistant Coach and the team promoted to the big league.
After the 2000 season, De Bruijn again succeeded Leijen and led the team of Onze Gezellen in the Dutch big league in the 2001 season, assisted by former baseball big league and Netherlands Team-player Harm Horeman.
Amongst the players active for Onze Gezellen that season were Linda Hoenderdos, Dana Horeman, Nancy Lodder and Kirsten Scheele.
The team finished in seventh place, but secured its stay in the highest division for the next season.
After the 2001 season, De Bruijn remained active in coaching softball at Onze Gezellen and led both the main-squad as well as youth-teams through the years.
While leading the club's Junior-Team in following years, he coached several talented players, who later went on to play in the highest division and the Netherlands Juniors Team.
...Frans de Bruijn as coach of Terrasvogels in 2019 with...
...Edwin Pieneman (team manager/dug-out coach)...
...and Stefan Vessies (head coach)...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
He returned to the highest division in 2014 when he was the Assistant Coach of Sandra Gouverneur at Alcmaria Victrix.
Annette van Opzeeland, the wife of Frans and herself a former big league (DSC '74, Terrasvogels) and National Team-pitcher, was the Pitching Coach of the team that season.
Thereafter, De Bruijn continued coaching again at Onze Gezellen, where he was named Member of Merit for his many contributions through the years.
Another comeback to the highest league came last year.
At Terrasvogels, a few weeks before the start of the regular season, new Head Coach Stefan Vessies was in search of a Assistant Coach.
De Bruijn, who then was recovering somewhat from his illness, but had not coached for some time, was asked to join the coaching-staff.
Early April, he accepted and assisted Vessies as his 1B Coach during the 2019 season in which Terrasvogels again reached the Play-Offs.
With the team, in August, he also traveled to Prague (Czech Republic), where Terrasvogels participated in the tournament for the European Cup Winners Cup.
After the season, Vessies stepped down and veteran softball-coach Rob Walgien succeeded him.
With that, Walgien returned as Head Coach of Terrasvogels, whom he already had led in three earlier stints (1993-1999; 2002-2004; 2015).
De Bruijn, who coached with Walgien at Onze Gezellen, was to be his 1B Coach this season, while Edwin Pieneman completed the coaching-staff.
Frans de Bruijn could talk for hours about both baseball and softball.
As a coach, he always was patient and driven.
Frans was available for his players, listened to them and created a great team-atmosphere.
But he also stepped up for his team and could go into a heated discussion with an umpire after a questionable call was made in the eyes of the coach.
A few years ago, De Bruijn was diagnosed with a severe illness, but he continued with his coaching-duties as coach at Onze Gezellen.
Despite his illness, De Bruijn always remained positive and underwent every possible treatment.
Last year, he enjoyed everyday back on the field while coaching at Terrasvogels.
With that, he earned a lot of admiration by just being on the field during practice sessions, on game-days and traveling to Prague for the European Cup, while being ill.
The sympathetic Frans always had a brought smile on his face and always looked ahead.
Frans will be missed by his many friends in both softball and baseball.
He will be remembered for his smile and his positive attitude.
The webmaster of Grand Slam * Stats & News offers his condolences to Frans' wife Annette and other family and wishes them a lot of strength with this big loss.
(June 9)
It is possible to post personal memories of Frans de Bruijn at this condolence-register.
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