The American baseball hall-of-fame elected Bert Blyleven to the hall today. Blyleven is the first Dutch born player elected. A few years ago I was in a coffeeshop smoking and talking sports with some Dutch locals. I was wearing a Yankees cap and one of the guys asked me about American baseball. He mentioned that baseball is not widely played in Holland. I reminded him that Blyleven had put in a great career and was born in Holland. As I said this one of the other chaps turned around and with a thick accent said "Yes,and he should be in the hall-of-fame!!" It was one of those moments I will always remember

Hola Senor Block....

Best curveball I remember seeing in the 70's

His career was with a lot of mediocre teams as he ended up 287-250


Best Regards


Smuler

not that widely played in holland?

the netherlands and italy are the top two baseball nations in europe.
ok, baseball in europe comes nerly nowhere close to the us.


dutch:
http://www.knbsb.nl/

english:
http://home.planet.nl/~stoov/index.htm

http://www.mister-baseball.com/

His curve was a "knee buckler"

His nickname: Bert "Be Home" Blyleven.

Even though I don't follow baseball as much as most Americans, I remember watching him pitch when I was around toddler age as my older brother would watch baseball games. Of course this is at the tail end of his career.

I think it was Brooks Robinson who said his curve was a "knee buckler." I grew up in Cleveland and rsoem of my earliest baseball memories were watching him pitch, and pitch well, on some truely awful Indians teams.

I was listening on the radio the night the Rangers and Cleveland played and the Indians were having 10 cent beer night. The old stadium held about 100k and the usual Indians crowd was about 6000 at most so the joint looked empty. By the 3rd or 4th inning the crowd stormed over the right field wall and charged Jeff Burroughs,the Rangers right fielder. Game was cancelled and the Rangers won on a forfeit. You are correct,those Indians teams were awful year in and year out. Most folks forget that only two weeks before the Indians played the Rangers in Texas and there was a simular incident involving 10 cent beer. Those were the days... About 1975 I think

June 4, 1974...one week after the brawl in Arlington

Jeff Burroughs was a huge dude too


Best Regards

Smuler

I'm happy for him. Always thought he deserved it.

Gotta keep killing off those weak brain cells. I am right proud of me self for being able to recall that moment. The brain cells culling continues.

Brooks Robinson could tell ya about a curve...What a glove. I digress