(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen, Rob Jelsma, Ron Kroon (Anefo), AFC Ajax & Marco Stoovelaar)
  Legendary Dutch sports-icon Johan Cruijff passed away
Nederlands
IN MEMORIAM 
...Johan Cruijff...
(1947 - 2016)
(© Photo: Henk Seppen)
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 BARCELONA (Spain) -
Legendary Dutch soccer-player Johan Cruijff has passed away on Thursday (March 24) at the age of 68 in Barcelona, surrounded by his family.
With the passing of Cruijff, not only the Netherlands sports world, but also the international sports-community, has lost one of its most iconic personalities.
In October last year, Cruijff was diagnosed with lung cancer, but his passing came unexpectedly, as it was reported in February that the results of his treatment were very positive.
However, it was reported today that his health worsened rapidly in the last week.
Johan Cruijff was generally recognized as the best Dutch soccer-player in history and one of the best worldwide.
He was a true sports ambassador for the Netherlands and frequently attended other sports events.
...Cruijff as catcher with...
...the Ajax-juniors in 1961...
(© Photo: AFC Ajax) |
Hendrik Johannes Cruijff was born on April 25, 1947 in Amsterdam.
In his youth, Johan Cruijff not only was a very talented soccer-player, he also was a very talented baseball-player, being a pitcher and catcher, who also played in the Netherlands Youth Team.
There have been several other wellknown soccer-players, who have played both sports, like Johan Neeskens, who even played in the Netherlands Junior Baseball Team.
They played soccer in the wintermonths and baseball in the summer.
Cruijff played both sports for Amsterdam-based Ajax.
Cruijff lived a few streets away from 'De Meer', the now former stadium of Ajax.
He grew up in the area and learned the sports in the streets.
At one time, he had to make a decision in what sport he wanted to continue.
At age 15, Cruijff opted to focus on soccer and developed into the best soccer-player in Dutch history and for always was and will be associated with his shirt-number 14.
However, he always kept on following Dutch baseball.
Throughout his career, Cruijff was known for his techniques, football philosophy, his quickness and leadership on the field.
On November 15, 1964, he made his professional debut in the main squad of Ajax at the highest level (Eredivisie) and scored the only goal for the Amsterdam-squad in a 3-1 loss against GVAV.
Cruijf played for Ajax through 1973.
With Ajax, Cruijff won the Dutch Championship-title six times, the KNVB Cup four times and also won three consecutive European Cups, as well as one World Cup.
In 1973, he was sold for a then-record six million guilders to Barcelona in Spain, where he played the next five seasons.
In his first season, he led Barcelona to its first Championship-title since 1960.
...Johan Cruijff playing for Ajax in 1967...
(© Photo: Ron Kroon - Anefo) |
Cruijff then moved to the USA, where soccer was not a very popular sport, but became more acquainted thanks to several, wellknown international players, who went on to play there in the North American Soccer League.
That was founded in 1967, had its peak in the late seventies, but folded in 1985.
He played in the NASL for two seasons, one with the Los Angeles Aztecs (1979-1980) and one with Washington Diplomats (1980-1981).
After returning from the USA, he played briefly for Levante in Spain,but then returned to Ajax.
He played two more seasons in Amsterdam, won the Dutch championship-title in both seasons and also won another KNVB Cup.
Hereafter, a surprise transfer followed to arch-rival Feyenoord, where he played for one season (1983-1984) and concluded his career with another Championship-title.
After having retired as a player, he started coaching and again was successful as Trainer, which is the common name in soccer for a Head Coach or Manager.
Cruijff first was the Technical Director of Roda JC (1984-1985), but he then was the Manager of Ajax for three seasons (1985-1988) and then led Barcelona for eight seasons (1988-1996).
Under his leadership, Barcelona won the Championship-title four times and also won two European Cups.
While being the coach of Barcelona, Cruijff, who was a heavy smoker, underwent double heart bypass surgery in 1991 and afterwards gave up smoking.
In 2009-2013, he was the Manager of the National Football Team of Catalonia.
Through the years, Cruijff remained an influential advisor for both Ajax and Barcelona.
For Ajax, Cruijff has been a member of an advisory board.
...Johan Cruijff arrives at the baseball-stadium in...
...Viladecans (Spain) during the 2007 European...
... Baseball Championship and is welcomed by...
...then-KNBSB President Ruud van Zetten...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
From 1966-1977, Johan Cruijff played for the Netherlands National Soccer Team, making 33 goals in 48 games.
In 1971, he was the first Dutch player to be named European soccer-player of the year.
He again won the 'Golden Ball Award' (Ballon d'Or) in 1973 and 1974.
It then took until 1987 for the next Dutch player to win the award, being Ruud Gullitt.
Later, Marco van Basten also won the award three times (1988, 1989, 1992).
The only other player to win the award three times is Frenchman Michel Platini.
In 1999, Cruijff was elected European soccer-player of the 20th century.
In the election of World soccer-player of the century, he finished in second place behind Pelé.
In 1974, Cruijff also won the Golden Ball for Player of the Tournament at the 1974 World Cup.
From 1996-2009, Cruijff was a soccer-analyst for TV-show NOS Studio Sport.
For several decades, Johan Cruijff wrote a weekly column in De Telegraaf, the biggest newspaper in the Netherlands.
It was a much-read and love column, which he compiled with the newspaper Sports Editor-in-Chief Jaap de Groot.
In September 2007, the European Baseball Championship was held in Barcelona and Viladecans in Spain.
The event also was the Olympic Qualifying Tournament for the Olympic Games the following year in Beijing (China).
...Johan Cruijff congratulates Robert Eenhoorn...
...with the victory against Spain...
...Standing in the background is Dutch...
...baseball-legend Hamilton Richardson...
(© Photo: Rob Jelsma) |
In the prelimary round, the Netherlands Baseball Team won big in five games, then also started the championship-round with a convincing victory.
Next on the schedule was the game against Spain.
Cruijff of course has a long association with both countries.
Cruijff lived in Barcelona and had been in contact with Jaap de Groot of De Telegraaf-newspaper.
And so, Cruijff was a special guest at that game, which was played in Viladecans.
The game proved to be crucial and became a memorable thriller, which lasted almost five hours and was won by the Netherlands with a 10-8 score in eleven innings, ending just before midnight.
Cruijff attended the entire game and was one of the first afterwards to congratulate then-Manager Robert Eenhoorn and the players with the victory.
During the game, (Grand Slam-webmaster) Marco Stoovelaar, who was in Spain covering the event for De Telegraaf-newspaper, spoke with Cruijff.
During the interview, Cruijff talked about his youth-career in baseball and that at one point, it simply was impossible to combine both sports.
,,I played in the MC Bakker'', Cruijff referred to the youth-competion which was named after Dutch baseball-pioneer M.C. Bakker and nowadays is the cadets-age (13-15).
,,I've always liked playing baseball and the link and the interest always has remained'', said Cruijff, who knew the sport very well.
Cruijff: ,,I always have been interested in the confrontation between a pitcher and a hitter.
That's something very special.
What kind of pitch will he throw, how to react.
I have kept following baseball through the years, especially when the national team played somewhere''.
The next day, the Netherlands Team won the event and with that qualified for the Olympics.
Throughout his career, Cruijff was also known for his quotes, which are very comparable to the sayings done by legendary Major Leaguer Yogi Berra.
Were the ones said by Berra nicknamed 'Yogi-isms', the ones done by Cruijf were called 'Cruijff-ians'.
Cruijff also was closely associated with several social initiatives.
In 1999, he founded the Johan Cruijff Institute with a program for educating (top)athletes, sport and business professionals to become leaders in sport management.
Since then, this has become a global network.
...Johan Cruijff in 2013 with Richard Krajicek, Esther Vergeer and...
...Quinty Trustful at the ABN*AMRO World Tennis Tournament...
...in Rotterdam during the presentation of Esther Vergeer's book...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
The Institute also includes five Johan Cruijff Colleges in Amsterdam, Enschede, Groningen, Nijmegen and Roosendaal, which enables top athletes to follow studies for Sports & Business and Sports & Coaching.
Within this foundation, there also is the Johan Cruijff University, which has a education for Sports Marketing for top athletes.
His Johan Cruijff Foundation has provided more than 200 so-called Cruijff soccer-courts in 22 countries for children of all backgrounds to play street football together.
Johan Cruijff has received many decorations, including the Royal decoration of Officer in the Order of Oranje-Nassau in 2002.
In 2010, an asteroid was named after him, he received the FIFA Order of Merit in 2010 and the UEFA President's Award in 2013.
When the news of his passing broke on Thursday, Dutch national television interrupted its programs and broadcasted many highlights of Cruijff's career throughout the afternoon and evening.
There were many interviews and reactions from former and current Dutch soccer-players, coaches, reporters and executives, but also from abroad.
They all underscored that Cruijff was the best soccer-player ever in the Dutch history, but that he also has been one of the best soccer-coaches.
Several players named him the best coach they ever had.
Politicians and Dutch King Willem-Alexander also reacted.
In all comments, it was underscored that Cruijff has been a wellknown 'Dutch face' worldwide through the years and a sports-ambassador.
But also that he is considered one of the most influential figures in football history and was an inspiration for many.
The Netherlands has lost a true sports hero!
(March 24)
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