Miscellaneous

For the eighth consecutive record, the site attracted more visitors, this time more than 160.000. This brings the total to more than 490.000, meaning the magical 500.000 mark is coming into vision.
Also, visitor records were set for singles days, weeks and months.

Grand Slam * Stats & News opened in November 1997 and still is the only site which combines Dutch baseball AND softball news with statistics and news from around the world.
The Webmaster thanks everyone for visiting and hopes you again enjoyed the previous year and looks forward to see you back in another exciting baseball and softball season in 2006.
Starting in December, new stories will be added, including the announced baseball and softball previews for the upcoming season.
(November 30)

Dutch Softball Women

Sparks Haarlem
The Dutch champion acquired American RHP Blake Hoorelbeke, who this season pitched for DSC '74 and was named the MVP of the CupWinners Cup-tournament. Also coming from DSC is OF Tessa Hofmans, along with IF Chantal Versluis (Birds) and OF Lyanne Horeman (Terrasvogels).
Leaving Haarlem are American RHP Andrea Lindgren and IF Sandra Catoen, who decided to go to Twins. OF Jasja Bos (DSC '74) and Dana Wassenaar (First Divisionist Alcmaria Victrix) are also leaving. Experienced Catcher Sabine Franssen retired.
Former Coach Johan Kluijskens is returning to assist Head Coach Bas Langezaal. 1B Coach Jacqueliene de Heer and Pitching Coach Monique Sanches stopped at the end of the season.

Terrasvogels
The only newcomer from outside the club is IF Femke Haage, who is coming from Tex Town Tigers.
OF Lyanne Horeman went to Sparks Haarlem, while RHP Maaike Zijlstra and OF Marissa Wienholds retired. 1B Hannah Owings returned to the States.
Terrasvogels will have a new to be named coachingstaff, as the club parted with Head Coach Michel Croes and his assistant Renée van den Berg during the Holland Series.

Twins
From the Top-4, Twins acquired the most players from outside the club: six. Besides RHP Andrea Lindgren and IF Sandra Catoen (both Sparks) Haarlem), also coming is Antillian RHP Rozelin Kinburn (Birds). Also new are Katrijn van de Broek (Ducks), Claudia Kranendonk (Zwijndrecht) and Patty Van Wymelbeke (Brasschaat Braves, Belgium).
Leaving are RHP Andrea McNary (back to the States), IF Debby Connor (Euro Stars), OF Graciela Henriquez and OF Marjorie Henriquez (both to First Division-champion Centrals). RHP Denise Theulings retired.
Junny Francisca and Marcel Schippers, who this season led Birds, are taking over the coaching at Twins, which this season was done by Pablo Mayerhofer and Mark van de Heuvel.

DSC '74
The CupWinners Cup-winner added experienced RHP and former national team-player Laura van der Berg (Storks). Also coming are IF Gallieth Haaker (Amsterdam Pirates), OF Jasja Bos (Sparks Haarlem) and Lindy Prins (Storks). Added from within the club were Laura Burggraaf and Nanda Eygenhuijsen.
Besides RHP Blake Hoorelbeke and OF Tessa Hofmans (both Sparks Haarlem), IF/P Annemiek van Riessen (First Divisionist Onze Gezellen) and OF Jacqueline Wesselink (DSS) also decided to leave the club. Pitcher Kim van der Helm retired.
Ton van Koeverden was promoted to Head Coach and succeeds Glynniss Kenepa. Van Koeverden will be assisted by Carolien Teunissen, who this year was active with Amsterdam Pirates.

other moves
Birds, which secured its spot for next year by winning a Relegation Play-Off vs. Amsterdam Pirates, added eight new players, including four from Storks, which lost six players to big league-teams.
Newcomer Centrals also added OF Nienke Meester and C Amber Dammers from Amsterdam Pirates, which will play in the First Division next season under new coach Marjan de Groot.
(November 2)

Al Lopez played his first full season in the Major League in 1930 and played 19 seasons in the big league for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians.
In his Major League-career, Lopez hit .261 with 51 Homeruns and 652 Runs Batted In. He set a record by catching 1918 games. The current recordholder is Carlton Fisk. Lopez played in two All Star Games.
After his playing career, Al Lopez was named Manager of the Cleveland Indians (1951-1956), whom he guided to the American League-title in 1954.
In 1957, Lopez became the Manager of the Chicago White Sox and remained there until the 1965 season. In 1968, he returned as skipper of the ChiSox and ended his career in 1969. In 1959, Lopez led the White Sox to the title in the American League and into the World Series, which was the last appearance in the Fall Classic for the Chicago-team, before it got back into the final this year and won the title for the first time since 1917.
(November 1)

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