(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Marco Stoovelaar & Fred Versluis)
IN MEMORIAM
...Henk den Duijn....
(1946 - 2024)
(© Photo: Internetbode) |
 Former KNBSB-chairman and former Mayor Henk den Duijn passed away
Nederlands
 ALPHEN AAN DEN RIJN (Neth.) -
Henk den Duijn, who led the Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Federation (KNBSB) as chairman for almost eight years, unexpectedly passed away on Monday (September 16), thirteen days after he had celebrated his 78th birthday.
Henk den Duijn, who was named Honorary Chairman in 1998, also has been the chairman of Alumni-Association De Kieviten.
He also was a longtime politician and served as Mayor of two different municipalities for almost twenty years.
Henk den Duijn received a Royal Decoration from both the Netherlands and Belgium.
The memorial service for Henk den Duijn will be held on Tuesday, September 24 at 2:00 PM in Crematorium Alphen aan den Rijn, located at the Verlengde Aarkade 22 in Alphen aan den Rijn.
Hendrik Wijnand (Henk) den Duijn was born on September 3, 1946 in Zandvoort.
After having fullfilled his military service, Henk den Duijn continued working for Defense for sixteen years and became a Captain in the Dutch Royal Air Force.
In the meantime, Henk also developed organizational, leadership and political skills.
With these qualities, in 1975, he became a member of the municipal council on behalf of the VVD in his home-town Alphen aan den Rijn, where he later also became an alderman.
In this city, Henk also became involved in local baseball/softball-club Alphians.
In 1988 and 1989, Henk is a member of the youth-committee in Rayon The Hague.
Amongst the other members are René de Bree (chairman), Joop Kölker, Fred Charité and Ferry Neuteboom.
In 1990, the Board of the KNBSB is led by Paul Moerman.
In that year, plans to reorganize and re-align the nine then-existing Rayons into four Districts per 1992 are worked out in a taske force, led by Wil Koet, who is the vice-chairman for organization in the KNBSB-board.
In order to ease the transition into four Districts, four Rayon-chairmen are added to the KNBSB-Board, being Ed Klokkers, Jan Lensselink, Jan Prins and Cees Rietveld.
They are the intended chairmen to lead the new Districts in 1992.
In early September 1990, Paul Moerman suddenly steps down as chairman due to personal reasons.
Jules de Pierre, who is vice-chairman for baseball-affairs, is named interim-chairman.
Henk den Duijn is added to the Board as vice-chairman without portfolio and will be presented as candidate for the chairman-position during the following council meeting in April 1991.
When Den Duijn joined the Board in September 1990, the other boardmembers besides De Pierre, Koet, Klokkers, Lensselink, Prins and Rietveld were Rolf Moll (vice-chairman financial affairs), Dick Bliek (vice-chairman softball-affairs), Frans van Aalen (technical affairs baseball), Truus Ruiter (technical affairs softball), Jan Esselman (competion affairs baseball), Rob Kruijk (competition affairs softball), Paul Bokern (umpire affairs) and Rob van Tuyl (interim public relations).
Ben de Brouwer, who is the director of the KNBSB Head Office, is the secretary in what is a non-board position.
...Henk den Duijn is interviewed during the 1991...
...European Baseball Championship in Nettuno (Italy)...
...by Pauline Blom (Haarlems Dagblad) and...
...Richard Dubbeld (Algemeen Dagblad)...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
During the KNBSB council meeting on April 13, 1991, Henk den Duijn was officially elected as new chairman and Jules de Pierre returned to his post of vice-chairman for baseball-affairs.
The position for public relations is not filled in, meaning Rob van Tuyl doesn't return.
As new chairman, Henk den Duijn not only heads the KNBSB-board, he also is responsible for policy affairs, international affairs, publicity, contacts with official authorities, legal affairs and the Head Office of the KNBSB, which is then located in Santpoort.
Back then, in 1991, only eight persons are working at the Head Office, who handle all competition-affairs, assignments of officials, contacts with clubs and publications.
As mentioned, the Head Office is led by director Ben de Brouwer.
Handling competition-affairs and assignments are Rinus Paardekooper and Marco Stoovelaar.
Finances are overseen by Han de Jong (and later by Loes Wilmink), while Pia Houtkamp, Mieke van den Kerkhof and Carla Vergers handle the administrative duties.
Bob Krijnen is the coordinator of the so-called Sports Technical Cadre, heading a group of four, being Michel Aussems, Ingeborg Cleeren, René Ras and Gijs Selderijk.
Jan de Vos is the Top Sports Coordinator, but he doesn't work at the office.
In following years, there are only a few changes in the office-staff.
When Henk den Duijn is installed as chairman in April 1991, it marks the beginning of what would be a very stable period of the KNBSB-board, as there were not much changes in the almost eight years he headed the board.
However, less than two weeks after the council-meeting, Rolf Moll steps down as treasurer (vice-chairman finances) for health reasons and is later succeeded by Wil Kitslaar.
Halfway the year, Peter Foppen succeeds Cees Rietveld.
In October of Den Duijn's first year as chairman, a new proposal for compensations for officials in national leagues is accepted.
Also, new statutes and new versions of the internal rules are established after Feiko Drost had done a lot of work in the compilations of the new versions.
And the re-alignment of the Rayons into the Districts is completed and becomes effective in 1992.
Wijnand Agterberg becomes the new vice-chairman for organization in 1992, succeeding Wil Koet, who is not re-electable.
Harry Meijers is added to the board to handle recreation sports.
In this year, it is underscored how difficult it sometimes can be to combine (many) activities as boardmember with a regular job.
In October 1992, Frans van Aalen steps down and is succeeded by Thijs Vervaat.
However, the former National Team-player has to withdraw shortly thereafter due to his work and is replaced by Cees Herkemij.
A month later, Egbert van der Sluis (who already was an interim-boardmember) succeeds Truus Ruiter and Jos Gieskens succeeds Rob Kruijk.
Ruiter had stepped down earlier in the year due to having less available time because of a change in her regular job, while Kruijk had not re-electable.
Gieskens also succeeds Dick Bliek as vice-chairman for softball-afffairs.
Late December, Ben de Brouwer stops as secretary, as well as director of the Head Office, as he is named Manager Topsport of the KNBSB.
...Henk den Duijn with then former KNBSB-boardmember...
...Frans van Aalen (left) and American coach Bill Arce...
...during the 1993 European Baseball Championship...
...in Stockholm (Sweden)...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
The next change comes in March 1994 when Willem Wolters succeeds Wijnand Agterberg in the new post of vice-chairman for youth affairs and development.
Early May, there is a conflict regarding sponsor-affairs between Wil Kitslaar and Jules de Pierre.
Kitslaar steps down and Dries de Zwaan takes over as interim-treasurer.
A big blow comes in August of 1994 when the very active Egbert van der Sluis passes away.
He is succeeded by Olga Lablans.
During the council-meeting in March 1995, the new Rules for Games in youth baseball and softball are accepted.
Also, the statutes are changed which made it possible to name a secretary to the board.
In previous years, Ben de Brouwer had been the secretary, but the position had not been part of the board since August 1989.
Peter Foppen is elected as new secretary (which was vacant) and is succeeded by Samuel de Leeuw as chairman of District West.
In May 1995, Cees Herkemij steps down as boardmember for technical affairs baseball and Jules de Pierre takes over.
However, also in 1995, De Pierre announced that he would retire during the upcoming council-meeting.
And indeed, in March 1996, De Pierre, who had been a boardmember since March 1974, steps down and is succeeded by Peter van 't Klooster.
During the council-meeting in March 1996, Ruud van Zetten succeeds Ed Klokkers as chairman of District East.
In June 1996, the KNBSB gets another major blow, as Ben de Brouwer, who then is the Manager Topsport, passes away in a car-accident.
During 1996, a new reorganization of the board is discussed and is approved in November.
In the new structure, the board is reduced to only six persons, instead of the current fifteen.
And so, in April 1997, the new board is installed, headed again by Henk den Duijn as chairman.
Also returning are Peter Foppen (secretary), Peter van 't Klooster (chairman baseball) and Jos Gieskens (chairman softball).
Cees van Bemmel succeeds Dries de Zwaan as new treasurer and Dick Mos is named to the new post for recreational sports.
In the new reorganization, the four District-chairmen are no longer part of the board.
...Henk den Duijn honors the team of Sparta...
...in 1995 when it promotes to the big league...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
The new board initially also remains unchanged in 1998, but in November, both Den Duijn and Foppen have to step down during the fall's council-meeting.
Den Duijn no longer can combine his board-activities with his busy work as Mayor of Moerdijk.
Foppen steps down because of health reasons.
During the meeting in November, after he had stepped down, Henk den Duijn is named Honorary Chairman of the KNBSB.
He is only the fourth to receive this distinction since the founding of the Federation in 1912.
Earlier, Jan Grasé, Emile Bleesing and Guus van der Heijden were named Honorary Chairman.
In 1989, Peter Laanen also had been named Honorary Chairman, but he gave the title back in 1990.
Jos Gieskens acted as both interim-chairman and interim-secretary until the next council-meeting in March 1999.
By the way, like Den Duijn, Gieskens is a Mayor.
In these years (1985-2002), Gieskens is the Mayor of Loosdrecht.
During the meeting in 1999, Theo Reitsma and Ruud van Zetten are elected respectively as chairman and secretary.
When Henk den Duijn stepped down, he had been chairman of the KNBSB-board for seven years and almost seven months.
This not only was the longest tenure for a chairman since Guus van der Heijden had led the KNBSB for almost 14 years, it also still is the longest period for a chairman since then.
Van der Heijden was chairman since February 1973 until his unexpecting passing in January 1987.
Like Van der Heijden, Den Duijn's years as chairman were very solid, as there were no big problems, which was underscored by his long tenure heading the board.
Den Duijn had a amiable personality and a calm way of leading the board and the KNBSB.
As can be read above, there were not that many changes within the group of boardmembers with Henk den Duijn as chairman.
Other longtime members in this almost 8-year period were Jules de Pierre, Jos Gieskens, Jan Esselman, Paul Bokern, Peter Foppen and District-chairmen Ed Klokkers, Jan Lensselink and Jan Prins.
In the years that Henk den Duijn led the KNBSB-board, the nine Rayons were re-aligned into four Districts, new statutes and game-rules were approved and implemented and the board itself was reorganized to achieve more efficient decision-making.
...Henk den Duijn with Hans Dijkstal, who then is the...
...Dutch Minister of Internal Affairs during the 1996...
...Olympic Games in Atlanta (USA)...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
When Henk den Duijn became chairman in 1991, he also joined the board of the Netherlands Baseball and Softball Museum and Hall of Fame.
Leading the board as chairman at that moment is Gé Hoogenbos.
Other boardmembers are Jan Bruyntjes (secretary), Wim Endel (treasurer), Hans de Bie (vice-chairman), Maartje Nierop Groot, Elly Nijhuis and Jules de Pierre.
Henk den Duijn is a member of the board through 1999 and most of the preceeding mentioned persons do the same.
Hoogenbos is succeeded as chairman by Huub Nelissen in 1994 and Jos Gieskens succeeds De Pierre in 1997.
As mentioned, Henk den Duijn also was a longtime politician.
In April 1989, he is named Mayor of Rozenburg, succeeding Henk van der Goot.
Just over a year later, Henk is added to the KNBSB-board and becomes chairman in 1991.
While being chairman, he combines his activities with his job of Mayor of Rozenburg, which is located close to Rotterdam.
Since March 2010, Rozenburg is part of the Municipality of Rotterdam.
Henk den Duijn is Mayor of Rozenburg through the end of 1996, as he becomes the first Mayor of the new Municipality of Zevenbergen per January 1, 1997.
On that date, the then-former Municipalities of Fijnaart en Heijningen, Klundert, Standdaarbuiten and Willemstad merge with Zevenbergen.
An interesting trivia-fact is that famous Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh had lived in Zevenbergen in 1864-1866.
On April 1, 1998, the name of the Municipality is changed to Moerdijk.
Due to his sizable work as Mayor of Moerdijk, Henk den Duijn steps as KNBSB-chairman in November 1998.
Den Duijn continues as Mayor through June 2008.
He then takes an early retirement and is succeeded by Wim Denie.
However, he returns into politics in early 2009 when he becomes the chairman of the local VVD-section in Alphen aan den Rijn.
In 2012, a few years after having said goodbye as Mayor of Moerdijk, Henk returns in baseball/softball, as he becomes a member of the board of alumni-association De Kieviten.
Leading the board as chairman is Johan de Bie, while Wim Oosterhof is vice-chairman.
Dries de Zwaan is both secretary and treasurer and Kitty van Gilst is the second secretary.
Andy Houtkamp also is a member of the board.
...Henk den Duijn and Els Wedman hand out the Slugger...
...to Cobus Oosting of SoftbalDino! during the...
...KNBSB Awards Gala in 2016...
(© Photo: Fred Versluis) |
In 2013, Den Duijn becomes the new chairman, succeeding De Bie, who passed away early last month (on August 4).
De Bie had been chairman for 32 years.
Den Duijn was succeeded as board-member by Hans Heil, who in 2016 became vice-chairman and succeeded Den Duijn in 2020 as chairman.
A year after Henk had taken over as chairman, De Zwaan also stops with his activities and is succeeded by Ben Goorts (as secretary) and Jan Vlasveld (as treasurer).
In 2017, the latter is succeeded by Albert Tolen.
Another change follows follows in 2015 when Els Wedman succeeds Houtkamp.
And in 2017, Jacqueline de Jonge joins the board, filling in the vacant spot after Hans Heil had become vice-chairman.
Besides his administrative work for the KNBSB and his work as Mayor and in politics, Henk den Duijn has another big interest, as he is an avid stamp collector for many years.
Henk is so involved and passionate in this extensive hobby that in 2004, he succeeds Pim van der Bold as chairman of the Netherlands Association of Thematic Philately (NVTF), which was founded as Stichting De Beeldphilatelist in 1952 as national organization specifically focussing on promoting thematic philately.
Henk den Duijn is the NVTF-chairman through 2021 when he has to step down due to health reasons.
Henk Tollenaar takes over as chairman.
In many recent years, Henk and his wife Carla have been frequent visitors of the softball-team of Oosterhout Twins, where son Jeroen was one of the coaches and granddaughter Sterre was a player.
In the early nineties, Jeroen briefly pitched in the Dutch baseball big league for Neptunus.
Currently, Sterre plays in the big league-team of Roef! and also is a member of the Netherlands National Softball Team, with whom she participated in the World Cup Finals in July in Italy and the recent European Championship one-and-a-half-week ago in the Utrecht-region.
A month ago, Roef! participated in the European Cup Winners Cup-tournament in Haarlem, where Henk and Carla were the proud onlooking grandparents of Sterre.
Henk and his wife also attended games of the baseball-team of Twins in which grandson Lucas made his debut last year, pitching in four games at the big league-level.
Henk den Duijn has been known as a driven and passionate administrator and was well-liked and respected as chairman of the KNBSB.
He had a characterisic voice, which always sounded calmly, but at the same also firmly.
As chairman, he clearly had an interest in all sections and wanted the best for all member-clubs.
Henk always was friendly and interested in other people and informed in their well-being.
A few years ago, Henk had some health problems, but he had recovered fine and so, Henk's sudden passing came as a big shock.
He will be missed by many of us.
The webmaster of Grand Slam * Stats & News offers his condolences to Henk's wife Carla, sons Martijn and Jeroen, grandchildren, other family and friends and wishes them a lot of strength with this huge loss.
(September 18)
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