A masterful year is behind us. We were rewarded for our efforts and in the end we were able to experience and enjoy the beautiful emotions that the sport offers. But we must not let up. There are major challenges ahead of us. Be it for the league, be it for volunteer-run clubs in general.
The Challengers Baseball and Softball Club Zurich would like to thank all of its members, fans, friends, sponsors, patrons and supporters for their support. Have a relaxing holiday, a happy new year and, above all, a healthy 2024!
Posts in the Allgemein category:
Merry Christmas
International Volunteer Day
Volunteers are the driving force behind Swiss sports – without them nothing works.
They work in the background, do a lot and do it all voluntarily: the volunteers who enliven, support and advance Swiss sport. Across Switzerland the volunteers occupy 96 percent of the approximately 350,000 positions that exist in Swiss sports organizations. If the hours worked had to be paid, costs of around CHF 2 billion would be incurred.
Today is the International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development – as well as the Challengers’ 43rd birthday! It is the ideal opportunity to say thank you to all of our volunteers for your commitment and your passion for the Challengers and their juniors.
Swiss Baseball & Softball Awards Night
The Swiss Baseball & Softball Awards Night took place on Saturday, November 25th at the Crowne Plaza in Zurich. The champion teams of the various leagues were honored. The Challengers received the awards as Swiss champions in the Baseball NLA and the U15 Cadets. The Wittenbach Panthers won in softball, the Zurich Barracudas in the NLB, Wittenbach-Romanshorn in the 1st league and the Geneva Dragons in the U12 Juveniles.
The individual awards were also presented. In the Baseball NLA, Taka Oshima of the Therwil Flyers was named MVP, while Challengers pitcher James Sanders was named Playoff MVP. The MVP award in softball went to Kim Zehnder from the Wittenbach Panthers, MVP in the NLB went to Devin Flühmann from the Therwil Flyers, the award in the first league went to Marvin Müller from the Hünenberg Unicorns.
Newly inducted into the Hall of Fame was Challengers legend Peter Rothenhäusler. He played a leading role in the implementation of scoring in the early 1980s, was involved in the first Swiss version of the regulations and was active as a coach for the juniors and in softball as well as on the Challengers club board.
The Swiss national baseball team was also honored, as they unexpectedly finished in 12th place in their first ever participation in the European Championship and thus qualified for the 2025 European Championship. National coach Chris Byrnes was named “Coach of the Year”, while social media specialist Marc Fussenegger was named “Official of the Year”. The proceeds from the Awards Night will benefit the Swiss national teams.
Challengers GA on January 14th
The ordinary general assembly of the Challengers Baseball & Softball Club Zurich will take place on Sunday, January 14th at Baseball in the City in Dübendorf. The meeting begins at 3 p.m. and is mandatory for active members. The best players from each team will also be honored at the GA.
Continue Reading » Challengers GA on January 14thNick Siemers at the MLB European Development Tournament
Challengers homegrown Nick Siemers has been selected by MLB to compete in the prestigious MLB European Development Tournament as part of the 2023 MLB London Series. The 19-year-old Swiss national team player takes part from June 19 till 25 with the best European baseball talents at the London tournament.
Siemers plans to transfer to a US college in the fall to take the next step in his career.
Season Opener for NLB- and 1st League-Team
The NLB- and the 1st League team of the Challengers will start their 2023 campaign on the upcoming weekend. Both start the season with a home opener.
On Saturday, April 29, the NLB team will face the Luzern Eagles at the Heerenschürli ballpark. This will be the first appearance for the second team of the Challengers since they lost in the playoff quarterfinals at the beginning of September. The games start at 11.00 am and 1.30 pm.
The 1st league team will be in action on Sunday, April 30. The Challengers will meet the Zurich Barracudas and the newly formed SG Pirates/Lions at the Heerenschürli ballpark in the first day tournament of the season. The games start at 10.00 am and 12.30 pm.
Heerenschürli should get higher fence
The Heerenschürli ballpark is the only baseball facility in Switzerland that meets international standards. In addition to the practices and championship games of the four Zurich based clubs Barracudas, Challengers, Eighters and Lions, the Swiss national teams also practice in Zurich-Schwamendingen. In addition, the Heerenschürli ballpark was also the venue for the 2013 European B Championship and in 2017 for the U18 European Championship. Zurich was recently awarded the U18 European Championship qualifier tournament from 10.-15. July 2023.
However, the height of the fence, which is not able to intercept some of the foulballs, gives cause for concern. That’s why the foulballs become a danger for spectators or athletes on the neighboring fields. Based on a study and after examining various options, a new steel fence around 100 meters long and 27 meters high has now proven to be the most practical solution. The Zurich city council is now presenting the project to the municipal council for cost approval.
Further information is available in the media release from the City of Zurich of April 5, 2023.
Challengers Ski Day
The traditional Challengers Ski Day took place on Saturday, February 24 as usual in magnificent weather. As many as 15 Challengers enjoyed the sun and the snow at Flumserberge. When the event will develop further as it did so far, the Challengers will soon have to discuss about the formation of a ski and snowboard section. Anyway the name for the project would already exist. The table at the restaurant Prodalp was reserved for “challenge RS”.
Continue Reading » Challengers Ski DayChris Hardy visits the Heerenschürli
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.
Continue Reading » Chris Hardy visits the HeerenschürliU18 EC at the Heerenschürli
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