A Historic Edition: The 2026 Dutch Old Star Game
It has evolved into an absolute, can't-miss staple on the international baseball calendar. Every two years, the legendary Pim Mulier Stadium packs the stands for the biggest baseball spectacle on European soil: Honkbalweek Haarlem (HWH).
This year, in 2026, with a rock-solid Czech Republic, the always dangerous Chinese Taipei, archrival Italy, a high-octane squad from Curaçao, the electric newcomers of the International Globetrotters, and of course, our very own Team Kingdom of the Netherlands.
But right before the tournament’s grand finale, the heartbeat of baseball skipped an extra beat for something truly special...
The Pre-Game of the Year: Game #20!
With the official tournament schedule running up to Game 21, Game 20 served as the ultimate prize for the nostalgic baseball purist. Right before the championship game on Saturday, July 4th, the icons of yesteryear stepped back onto the diamond.
Renowned Old Stars and brand-new "Rookie" Old Stars dug back into the batter's box. Make no mistake: father time may have taken a slight toll on their bodies over the years, but the focus, the drive, and the pure championship mentality were exactly the same as when they were making history. A number of these legends were responsible for the single greatest achievement in Dutch baseball history: capturing the legendary GOLD at the 2011 World Cup, where they brought the seemingly invincible powerhouse of Cuba to its knees.
The architects of that golden run were back in the dugouts, drawing up the game plans for this spectacular edition:
Brian Farley – Manager of the ROYAL OLD STARS
Charles Urbanus – Manager of the ORANGE OLD STARS
A Memory Etched into History
The game has been played, and it was truly an edition for the history books. The atmosphere, the action, and the pure love for the game all came together perfectly. It turned into a fantastic matchup—a true happening and an unforgettable experience for both the players and the crowd.
A Touching Moment of Remembrance
Following a spectacular presentation of the teams, the Old Stars requested a special moment to honor the memory of their teammate Sidney de Jong, who passed away far too soon. A profound silence fell over the stadium as the Old Stars and the audience shared the exact same thoughts, paying a beautiful tribute to a legendary player.
The First Pitch
The ceremonial first pitch was thrown by good old Hudson John (85)—the legendary First Baseman, four-time Home Run King, MVP, and winner of the historic Triple Crown in 1970.
A Perfect Day of Baseball
Game time kicked off at 12:00 PM on Saturday, July 4th, setting the stage perfectly for the absolute thriller of a final that followed right after between the Netherlands and Italy.
VIEW THE PLAYERS CHECK THE OLD STAR DAY PICTURES
Curious to see exactly who stepped onto the field for the 2026 edition? Click on the names in the column below to view the unique, custom-made player cards of your favorite heroes!
| ORANGE | OLD STARS | ROYAL | OLD STARS |
| Tom Nanne | Roelie Henrique | Rene Rijst | Eugene Henson |
| David Bergman | Jurjan Koenen | Mark Giroldi | Raily Legito |
| Diegomar Markwell | Percy Isenia | Nick Veltkamp | Vince Rooi |
| Dave Draaijer | Bryan Engelhardt | Elton Koeiman | Rene Cremer |
| Michael Crouwel | Glenn Romney | Max Clarijs | Jeffrey Cranston |
| Jason Halman | Dirk van 't Klooster | Mark Duursma | Ronald Jaarsma |
| Kenny Berkenbosch | Ken Brauckmiller | Jeffrey Arends | Erik de Rijcke |
| LINE-UP | ORANGE | Roger Kops | ROYAL |
| MANAGER: | Charles Urbanus | MANAGER: | Brian Farley |
| BULLPEN CATCHERS: | Yur Zijl | Cros Pires | |
| Old Star Statistician | Marco Stoovelaar | ||
| The Young One UMPIRES: | Lieven de Bruin (23) | Doron Kuin (16) | Aurelio Gaal (15) |
The Old Stars love to seeing you again in 2028
Game pictures by Team Louie Jay Sienders