Former Challengers player Chris Hardy visited the Heerenschürli ballpark during his trip to Europe with his family. The Challengers veterans lined up a team to honor Hardy in a friendly game against the Zürich Eighters on Monday night. Amongst the players were former Challengers greats as Gustavo Salami, Thomas Landis, Armin Blickenstorfer, Manuel Schretzmann or Pierre and Roger Burger. In his first game since 2005 Hardy, who works as a biologist and teacher in Maryland, delivered two hits. He played from 2002 till 2004 for the Challengers and hit .349 in 33 games for the NLA-Team, winning the Swiss championship twice.

From Monday, July 10 till Saturday, July 15 the first U18 European Championship Qualifier Tournament in Switzerland will take place at the Heerenschürli ballpark. It will be the second international Championship Tournament that will take place at the Heerenschürli after the Seniors European Championship Qualifier Tournament in 2013. The Swiss U18 Nationalteam will play the teams from Belgium, Ireland, Poland and Russia. The Qualification Round will last from Monday to Friday with two games each day, the final game between the 1st and 2nd placed teams will be played on Saturday at noon. For further informations please check the Tournament’s Website.
Schedule:

Monday, July 10, 2 pm: Belgium vs. Ireland
Monday, July 10, 6 pm: Switzerland vs. Poland
Tuesday, July 11, 2 pm: Russia vs. Poland
Tuesday, July 11, 6 pm: Ireland vs. Switzerland
Wednesday, July 12, 2 pm: Belgium vs. Russia
Wednesday, July 12, 6 pm: Poland vs. Ireland
Thursday, July 13, 2 pm: Poland vs. Belgium
Thursday, July 13, 6 pm: Russia vs. Switzerland
Friday, July 14, 2 pm: Ireland vs. Russia
Friday, July 14, 6 pm: Switzerland vs. Belgium
Saturday, July 15, noon: Final

The participants of the 20th Zurich Spring Tournament have been announced. The tournament will take place on the weekend of April 8 and 9 at the Heerenschürli ballpark. Besides the two hosting teams from the Zürich Barracudas and the Zürich Challengers the defending champions Dominican All Stars and the Herrenberg Wanderers will line up. The Gemans finished in fifth place in the Regionalliga Süd/West in 2016 and will play this year after the reform of the German Baseball Leagues – the Regional League has been deposed for 2017 – in the new 2nd Bundesliga Süd. The games will start on Saturday at 11 a.m. and on Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Heerenschürli.

Like last year we go to the Flumserberge to enjoy the winter. This year’s Challengers ski day will take place on Saturday, March 11. Meeting point is at the valley station of the cable car in Unterterzen, which can be reached comfortably by train from Zurich main station (eg. with the S2 from Zürich HB from: 07.47, to Unterterzen: 08.58). Of course, you can also travel by car and park at the valley station. Snow sports equipment can be rented on site.

The John Hopkins University blue Jays won the 5th Swiss International Alpine Cup at the Heerenschürli ballpark in Zurich. The team from Baltimore won all its four games. The Swiss Baseball Nationalteam finished in third place behind the Dominican All Stars.
Results:

Friday, June 24, 7 p.m.: Swiss National Team vs. Johns Hopkins University 1-11
Saturday, June 25, 12 a.m.: Dominican All Stars vs. Padres 13-0
Sunday, June 26, 8.30 a.m.: Johns Hopkins University vs. Dominican All Stars 4-3
Sunday, June 26, 11 a.m.: Padres vs. Johns Hopkins University 4-5
Sunday, June 26, 1.30 p.m.: Swiss National Team vs. Padres 2-0
Sunday, June 26, 4 p.m.: Dominican All Stars vs. Swiss National Team 2-1

For further informations please check the tournament’s Facebook page.