(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Robert Bos, ADO, Leidse Courant, Bart Volkerijk & Marco Stoovelaar)
IN MEMORIAM
...Willem Tuyn...
(1955 - 2024)
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
 Former longtime Netherlands Men Softball Team Manager Willem Tuyn passed away
Nederlands
 THE HAGUE (Neth.) -
Willem Tuyn, who led the Netherlands Men Softball Team as Head Coach for ten years, has passed on Monday, January 15, at the much too young age of 68.
In the past years, Willem bravely battled a severe illness, which unfortunately returned last year.
Besides leading the National Team, Willem Tuyn als played an important at The Hague-based club Kokolishi.
He also played baseball in the big league for Storks and ADO.
Willem has made a big contribution in general in the development of men-softball in the Netherlands and for that, he was decorated by the KNBSB.
The memorial- and cremation-ceremony for Willem will take place on Sunday, January 21 at 10 AM at Crematorium Haagse Duinen at the Wijndaelersingel 1 in The Hague.
Willem Tuyn was born on June 12, 1955 in Den Helder.
However, being the son of a military father, Willem grew up on an island of the Indonesian part of New Guinea.
In the early sixties, the Tuyn-family returned to the Netherlands and went on to live in The Hague.
Coincidentally, there home was located close to the street where the Vollkerijk-family resided.
Shortly thereafter, another baseball-family moved into the neighborhood, which was the Van Rest-family.
Willem and his brother Harry went on to play baseball at Storks, as did Frank van Rest.
Bart Volkerijk, Erik Volkerijk and Martin Volkerijk went on to play at ADO, where their father Leen was a longtime coach and mother Henny was an active club-contributor.
Willem, Frank, Bart and Erik played together in the big league for ADO.
Playing in youth-teams of Storks, Willem Tuyn developed into a talented third baseman and catcher.
In the early seventies, his career was interrupted for a few years, as he served in the Dutch Marine-corps and was stationed in Curaçao and Aruba.
There, he got acquainted with the sports-mentality of young Antillians and their emotions.
From that moment on, Willem also developed interest in the Antillian culture, fell in love with the Caribbean islands and learned to speak Papiamento, the most widely spoken language on Curaçao and Aruba.
Back in the Netherlands, Willem became a sports-teacher in The Hague.
As such, he took it upon him to look after young migrants, but especially young Antillians, who grew up and went to school in The Hague.
Willem stimulated them to do sports and helped them by finding a sports-club.
Through the years, Willem has done a lot for the Antillian community, especially in The Hague.
In the meantime, Willem had also returned to Storks.
In 1975, he made his debut in the main-squad of the club, which played in the highest league.
Willem appeared in one game and got two at bats.
Other players then in the Storks-team, which was coached by Bertie de Caster, included Ton Bodaan, Raymond Bronsgeest, Roy van den Dungen Gronovius, Lou Halkema, Rob Lucas, Ron Renooy and Frank van Rest.
Storks relegated and after the season, Halkema and Van Rest transfered to ADO.
Willem Tuyn continued to play for Storks in the First Division, as did Bodaan, Bronsgeest, Van den Dungen Gronovius and Renooy.
In 1978, they helped Storks promote back to the big league.
In the 1979 season, Willem had become a regular player and played in 24 games in the team, which was still coached by Bertie de Caster.
Besides the already mentioned players, other players in that season included Tico Capriles, Roy Ersilia, Rob Groeneveldt, Ton de Jager, Wil Koot, Hans Remmerswaal, Jerry Remmerswaal, Richard Rietveld and Willem's brother Harry Tuyn.
Again, Storks relegated and this time, Ersilia and Jerry Remmerswaal transfered to ADO.
...The team of ADO in the 1981 season...
...Willem Tuyn is standing second from left in the back row...
...Back: Hugo Wapperom (Head Coach), Willem Tuyn,...
...René Nieveld, Frank van Rest, Rob Reijndorp (Asst.Coach)...
...Center: Richard Caudron (Team Manager), Harrie Heikoop,...
...Lou Halkema, Rob van der Valk, Wout Püper (Physio),...
...Bart Volkerijk, Berry Eijgendaal, Anneke Driessen (Scorer)...
...Front: Erik Volkerijk, Jerry Remmerswaal, John van Gulik,...
...Harold van Duinen (Asst. Coach), Rob Vakkers, Frank Luyando...
(© Photo: ADO) |
Willem Tuyn played one more season for Storks, but after the 1980 season, he also transfered to ADO.
There, he played for two seasons, playing in 21 games in 1981 and in 14 games in 1982.
Playing for ADO, Willem hit his lone two homeruns, one in each season.
Amongst his teammates at ADO were Ronald Albertus, Berry Eijgendaal, John van Gulik, Lou Halkema, Harrie Heikoop, Frank Luyando, Ferry Neuteboom, René Nieveld, Jerry Remmerswaal, Frank van Rest, Richard Rietveld, Peter Stoker, Rob Vakkers, Rob van der Valk, Bart Volkerijk, Erik Volkerijk and Americans Joe Barret (1981) and John McEldowney (1982).
ADO was coached by Hugo Wapperom in 1981 and by Leen Volkerijk in 1982.
Harold van Duinen was the Assistant Coach in both seasons.
But from the early eighties on, Willem's main interest became men softball and fell in love with the sport.
In 1980, some Antillian players, who also liked to play softball, wanted a club of their own.
They not only wanted to show that a club with primarily Antillian members could be realized, but they also wanted to promote the sport of softball.
And so, in October 1980, Storks-players Mel Simmons and Roy Ersilia founded Kokolishi, which became one of the most successful clubs in Dutch softball-history.
From the beginning, Willem Tuyn played a supporting role at Kokolishi and was one of the players.
In its first season, Kokolishi immediately dominated and captured the Dutch Championship-title.
The team underscored its strength during an exhibition-game in July against Eschborn Travellers, a team compiled from American players coming from what was then West-Germany.
Kokolishi won 2-1 and ended Eschborn's winning streak of 54 games!
Besides Willem Tuyn, other players in the 1981 season included Tico Capriles, Ritchie Daal, Jacky Jakoba, Wendell Libiana, Herbert Ramlal, Carlos Sint Jago, Ron Steward, Harry Tuyn and Hugo Wapperom.
The team was coached by Bob Capriles, who also was the club's chairman.
As games were played during the week, it was possible for baseball-players to be part of the team.
Like Daal, Jakoba, Steward, who all played for De Spartaan, Tico Capriles, Harry Tuyn, who both played for Celeritas and Willem Tuyn, who played for ADO, where Wapperom was the Head Coach.
Libiana and Steward later became longtime softball-players.
The Tuyn-brothers and Wapperom were the lone Dutch players in the team.
In December 1981, the Kokolishi-team traveled to Curaçao to play some games there at the wellknown Sentro Deportivo Korsou in Brievengat, near Willemstad.
As the team also plays some baseball-games in its 2-week stay on Curaçao, it has four baseball-pitchers as guest-players, which are big league-players Steve Donovan, Eddie Tromp (both Neptunus), Jerry Remmerswaal (ADO) and Raymond Bronsgeest (Storks).
In following years, Willem Tuyn focused more on softball.
He retired from baseball and played and coached for many years at Kokolishi.
For several seasons, he was the lone Dutch player in the Antillian-squad.
,,I was the lone makamba in the team'', Tuyn frequently said, with the word 'makamba' meaning 'person from the Netherlands' in Papiamento.
Kokolishi played its home-games at the always cozy and intimate field at Sportpark 'Stokroosveld', which was located in the middle of a residential area.
Everyone who has been there, remembers the barbeques there during games and that is always was a pleasure to be there.
After having captured the title in 1981, Kokolishi also was the best team in 1982,1984, 1985 and 1987.
...Willem as Manager of the Netherlands...
...Men's Softball Team in 1992...
(© Photo: Leidse Courant) |
Willem continues to combine playing and coaching at Kokolishi through 1995.
Amongst his teammates are Sjoerd Boers, Win Bonafacio, Ben Brouwer, Lionel Emerenciana, Peter Finies, Juny Francisca, Milton Gilbert, Elroy Klosteren, Windy Legrand, Wendell Libiana, Jerry de Palm, Gregory Ranis, Ciro Ricardo, Ron Steward, Julius Veeris, Owen de Windt and his brother Harry.
In July 1988, a new Men's Softball Committee is formed by the KNBSB.
The Committee is chaired by Johan Kluyskens with Rinie Scheele as secretary and Willem Tuyn as member.
They form the Committee for seven years.
Other members are Henk Martens (1988-1991), André van der Meulen (1990) and Pieter Voet (1992).
This Committee wants to promote and stimulate men softball in the upcoming years.
In 1989, a national competition is set up and the first steps are set to create an official National Team.
This comes less than a year after the Netherlands was invited to play an official international game against Belgium during the opening of the European Cup-women's tournament in Antwerp.
There, the Netherlands wins its first international game with a 28-1 score to win the Svend Eriksen Cup.
The team is led by Kluyskens, Scheele and Ton Hendriks and Willem Tuyn is one of the players.
In 1989, the first 'real' Orange-squad participates for the first time in the Zeister Slot Tournament, organized by Phoenix in Zeist (Netherlands).
During the event, the team loses 6-1 against what then was Czechoslovakia, but later during the tournament, there is a 5-1 win against Denmark.
The team is successful immediately and reaches the Final against Bentwater Phantoms, losing 4-2.
Two individual awards go to Netherlands Team-players, Henk van Zijtveld (Best European Pitcher) and Jacky Jakoba (Best European Hitter).
A month later, the Orange-squad finishes in fifth place at the Bill Jeffrey Tournament, organized by DSC '74 in Haarlem (Netherlands).
Van Zijtveld again is the Best Pitcher.
In October 1989, the Netherlands wins the Svend Eriksen Cup in Antwerp (Belgium).
In 1991, Willem Tuyn is named Head Coach (Manager) of the Netherlands Team.
In that year, the team finishes in second place in the Bill Jeffrey Tournament.
A highlight comes in March 1992 when the Netherlands Team participates for the first time in a World Championship, which then is held in Manila and Pasig in the Philippines.
Afterwards, this is called a new step in the development en route to a full-fledged National Team.
In the Philippines, the Netherlands wins four games, defeating the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) (14-4), Papua New Guinea (12-10), Hong Kong (7-2) and Botswana (9-2).
Four other games, against the Philippines, Argentina, the USA and Japan, are lost.
With its 4-4 record, the Netherlands finishes in a tie for ninth place with Chinese Taipei.
With that, it is the best European team, as Czechoslovakia finishes in 12th place with an 1-7 record.
...The Netherlands Men's Softball Team in the Rizal Memorial Ball Park in Manila...
...during the 1992 World Championship in the Philippines...
...Back: Sherald Obispo, Nelson Orman, Stanley Boutisma, Marcel Kappe, Frank Dielen,...
...Guus van Bon, Olav Starreveld, Tico Jacobus, Wendell Libiana, Robert Wansing,...
...Sjoerd Boers and Frits Budding (Physical Therapist)...
...Front: Johan Kluyskens (Team Manager), Eddie Dunlock (Assistant Coach),...
...Felix Bijlhout, Lloyd Todman, Anthony Irausquin, Erik Boland, Joslin Falcon,...
...Henk van Zijtveld, Rinie Scheele (Team Manager) and Willem Tuyn (Head Coach)...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
The players who participate in this historic moment for Dutch men softball in the Philippines are Sjoerd Boers, Erik Boland, Guus van Bon, Stanley Boutisma, Felix Bijlhout, Frank Dielen, Joslin Falcon, Anthony Irausquin, Tico Jacobus, Marcel Kappe, Wendell Libiana, Sherald Obispo, Nelson Orman, Olav Starreveld, Lloyd Todman, Robert Wansing and Henk van Zijtveld.
Willem Tuyn is assisted by Eddie Dunlock.
Johan Kluyskens and Rinie Scheele are the Team Managers, Frits Budding is the Physical Therapist and Marco Stoovelaar is the Team Scorer/Media Officer.
Dick Bliek travels with the team as Head of Delegation and Rob Kerkman represents the Netherlands as Umpire.
Thanks to Willem Tuyn, the Antillian and Aruba House in The Hague supports the team financially, but everyone involved also has to pay an amount of money themselves to finance the trip.
Back home after the World Championship in March, the team later in the year wins the Zeister Slot Tournament and Bill Jeffrey Tournament.
In Zeist, Lloyd Todman is the Best Hitter and Joslin Falcon steals the most bases.
In Haarlem, Robert Wansing wins the award for Best Defensive Player.
Another highlight comes in 1993.
For the first time, the European Softball Federation (ESF) organizes an European Championship for men's softball.
In Prague (Czechia), the Netherlands Team dominates and Willem Tuyn leads his team to the best-of-three Final against Denmark.
The Netherlands win 6-0 and 2-0 to become the first-ever European Champion.
The players who capture this first European title are Luigi Anasagasti, Guus van Bon, Stanley Boutisma, Felix Bijlhout, Frank Dielen, Joslin Falcon, Marlon Frolijk, Ronny Gumbs, Alfons Illis, Tico Jacobus, Marcel Kappe, Wendell Libiana, Olav Starreveld, Lloyd Todman, Reggie Valpoort, Erwin Visser and Henk van Zijtveld.
Willem Tuyn's Assistant Coach again is Eddie Dunlock, while Rinie Scheele is the Team Manager.
Frits Budding again is the Physical Therapist and this time, Ben de Brouwer is the Head of Delegation.
The accomplishments in 1992 and 1993 lead to more successes in following years.
The team annually participates in the two international tournaments, the Zeister Slot Tournament and Bill Jeffrey Tournament.
Under leadership of Willem Tuyn, the Netherlands wins the tournament in Zeist in 1994 and 1996 and finishes in second place in 2000.
The Orange-squad wins the Bill Jeffrey Tournament in 1994, 1995, 1997 and 2000 and is second in 1996 and 1999.
In 1995, in Hørsholm (Denmark), the Netherlands again captures the European title.
Again, Denmark is the opponent in the Final and opens the best-of-three with a 4-2 win.
That comes in a tumultuous game full of problems and Willem Tuyn makes adjustments to his team, benching some players.
The next day, the Netherlands wins 11-1 and 9-0 to capture the title.
With his actions after the first game, Tuyn shows that he wants discipline within the team.
In a team that has several players with different backgrounds, and some of them could show their emotions, it is Willem Tuyn who creates a pleasant atmosphere.
His leadership and decisions are well-respected and accepted by everyone within the team.
...A team with former ADO-players, who played games together...
...Back: Bart Volkerijk, Harm Nieuwland, Gerard Salemink, Louis Witloks...
...Hans Hendriks, René Nieveld, Frank van Rest,...
...King Zschuschen and Berry Eijgendaal...
...Front: Frank Luyando, Erik Volkerijk, Hugo Wapperom,...
...Rob Lucas and Willem Tuyn...
(© Photo: Bart Volkerijk) |
At the 1996 World Championship in Midland, Michigan (USA), the Netherlands is 5-5 and finishes in 13th place.
The following year, in Bussum (Netherlands), the team misses the Final of the European Championship after losing twice against in the Preliminary Round against Denmark.
In the game for third place, the Netherlands ends up short against Czechia.
However, the team has the tournament's Best Hitter in Kenny Dame.
From the 1996 Championship on, Stanley Boutisma is Willem's Assistant Coach, together with Eddie Dunlock..
The Netherlands is back in the Final during the 1999 European Championship in Prague.
However, host Czechia wins the Final (which then is a single game) with a 9-4 score.
Again, two individual awards go to Dutch players.
Sendley Reina is the Most Valuable Player and Tuti Rumai is the Best Hitter.
In 2000, Willem Tuyn heads the Netherlands Team in his tenth and final year.
As mentioned, the team is second in Zeist and wins the Bill Jeffey Tournament via a 13-2 victory against Lakenheath Eagles from England.
Humphrey Martes is the Best Pitcher of the tournament.
Tico Jacobus, who played in all these ten years for the Orange-team, is the Best Hitter.
Later in the year, in East London (South Africa), the team has a disappointing performance at the World Championship.
The team records only one victory, 6-5 vs. Chinese Taipei, and finishes in fourteenth place.
In 2001, Tuyn is succeeded as Head Coach by Arthur Mari.
In the 10-year span that Willem Tuyn is the Head Coach, the Netherlands plays almost 200 games, 96 of them are official international games.
Amongst the players in these ten years are Luigi Anasagasti, Sjoerd Boers, Erik Boland, Guus van Bon, Stanley Boutisma, Felix Bijlhout, Ashwin Dall, Kenny Dame, Frank Dielen, Lionel Emerenciana, Joslin Falcon, Marlon Frolijk, Michel Groenhart, Ronny Gumbs, Alfons Illis, Anthony Irausquin, Tico Jacobus, Marcel Kappe, Wendell Libiana, Arthur Mari, Humphrey Martes, Sherald Obispo, Ingmar Ramharakh, Sendley Reina, Raffy Rohan, Tuti Rumai, Edgar Schimmelpenningh, Olav Starreveld, Ron Steward, Lloyd Todman, Reggie Valpoort, Erwin Visser, Robert Wansing and Henk van Zijtveld.
Throughout Tuyn's years with the team, men softball gets more popular.
Games in the highest league are very attractive and are well-visited.
Tuyn always said:
,,Softball is very attractive and is much quicker than baseball.
This surely is no 'soft' game and it deserves more attention.
It is great to play softball or watch it''.
From 1998 on, a National B-Team is created, as well as a National Juniors Team.
For his many contributions to the development men's softball in general, as well as to the development of the National Team(s), Willem is decorated by the Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Association (KNBSB) in 2003.
However, in 2001, Willem returns again to the field, this time as baseball-coach.
In that year, Pete Yarasavich is the Head Coach of his former club ADO with Aldric Dunlop as his assistant.
But halfway the (big league-)season, in July, ADO and Yarasavich separate.
Dunlop takes over, together with Willem.
As Co-Head Coaches, the two lead the team in the remainder of the season.
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...Willem as spectator at games of Neptunus...
(© Both Photos: Robert Bos) |
After having retired from coaching in 2001, in the following years, Willem played several games with a veteran team of ADO, which was compiled of former baseball-players of the club.
In September 2010, he comes into action again on a softball-field.
To conclude its season, the Netherlands Men's Softball Team plays a game against a team of former international players at the site of DVH in Amstelveen.
Willem Tuyn is one of the coaches of this team with Stanley Boutisma and Eddie Dunlock.
And he keeps busy in his work.
As physical education-teacher, Willem Tuyn worked at the Tweezaamchool in The Hague and the Dr. De Visserschool in Scheveningen.
From 1985 on, Willem also started to at the Technical University Delft.
There, he not only gives baseball- and softball-instructions, but also becomes a boxing instructor.
He kept on working and giving instructions at the TU Delft until last year.
In the past years, Willem is more a spectator.
He attends games of Kokolishi and other men softball-teams, as well as the Zeister Slot Tournament.
And he also frequently visits games of his former baseball-clubs Storks and ADO in his home-town The Hague.
In more recent years, he attended many home-games of Neptunus in Rotterdam.
And he always was in attendance at the World Port Tournament in Rotterdam, mostly in the company of his many Antillian friends.
Being an enthusiastic motorcyclist, he regularly stepped on his motor to travel to the different fields.
Willem regularly looked back to his years in softball and with the Netherlands Team.
In an interview with Marco Stoovelaar some years ago, he said:
,,What a great time that has been.
I enjoyed every minute of it.
Especially, that first trip to the Philippines was fantastic.
But you know that, as you were there yourself''.
Willem Tuyn was a colorful person and always has been very enhusiastic and passionate, as a player and as a coach.
He could for hours about softball, but also about enjoying life.
He was friendly with everyone and was able to create a great atmospere.
But he also liked discipline, something he learned from his military father, he said.
Willem had a powerful voice, always kept smiling and had a booming laugh.
And he always was optimistic, even during the difficult moments and treatments during his illness.
Willem's presence at the fields will surely be missed.
The webmaster of Grand Slam * Stats & News offers his condolences to Willem's partner Marja, son Dylan, other family and friends and wishes them a lot of strength with this big loss.
(January 19)
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