Due to the Dulliken Ravens’ last-minute withdrawal from this year’s NLB Championship, the schedule is undergoing some changes. After the opening day of the second Challengers team on April 2nd was canceled due to rain, the second planned game day on April 16th in Dulliken is now canceled as well. So the season for the Challengers will now start on April 29th with a double header at the Heerenschürli ballpark against the Luzern Eagles. Since the home games against the Ravens on May 21st are also canceled, the Challengers will play in the Heerenschürli for the second time on Wednesday, May 31st. Opponent in a night game will be the Barracudas Academy.
Continue Reading » Changes for NLB schedulePosts in the Front page category:
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.
Opening Day postponed
The opening day in Swiss baseball on Saturday, April 1st in the Heerenschürli ballpark has to be canceled because of an unplayable field. The reprise of last year’s final between the Zurich Challengers and the Therwil Flyers cannot take place. The field, which was soaked after the wet last week of March and the occasional heavy rain on Friday afternoon, is in no condition to play. No make-up date has been announced so far. The earliest possible date according to the league’s schedules would be July 22nd.
The season opening of the NLB-Team on Sunday, April 2 has also been canceled. The second team of the Challengers would have met the Barracudas Academy on their opening day. A rescheduling of the games is still pending. And also the first game day of the 2023 season for the U15-Cadets has been canceled. (photo Stadt Zürich)
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
Nightgames on Friday and Saturday at the Heerenschürli
The upcoming weekend offers everything for the fans of the Challengers. It starts on Friday, June 30 at 6.30 pm with a NLA nightgame at the Heerenschürli ballpark between the Challengers and their cross-town rivals Zürich Barracudas. The C’s won the first two games against the Barracudas, but both games were on the edge till the last play. Friday’s game will be under a special motto, as the C’s are collecting for the expansion of the vacation center Wannental of the Altried Foundation. More informations about the project can be found at Stiftung Altried and Ferienzentrum Wannental
On Saturday, July 1 the NLB-Team will host the Hünenberg Unicorns at 11.00 am and 2.00 pm at the Heerenschürli ballpark in a fight for 1st place between the best two NLB teams in 2017. Both teams lost only one game in 2017, as they split in their first double header in May.
And at 6.00 pm there will take place the second NLA nightgame between the Challengers and the Barracudas.
Opening Day on Saturday
The Challengers 2017 season will start with a Home Opener against the Luzern Eagles on Saturday, April 22 at the Heerenschürli ballpark. The team of head coach Robert Sedin added several players to their 2017 roster. The debut of pitcher Sandy Patrone in a Challengers uniform is particularly exciting. The Dominican played 13 years for Rimini Baseball in the Italian Baseball League and won the Italian Championship in 2006. The 33-year-old also pitched 25 times for the Italian Nationalteam and played 2003, 2007 and 2009 at the World Chmapionships. The games against the Eagles will also be very special for Andrea Girasole and Patrick Maier. Both played the last three seasons for the Eagles before returning to the Challengers in 2017. Patrick Zöllig will also give his comeback almost eight years after his last game for the C’s. The games start at 11 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. at the Heerenschürli.
The NLB-Team will open its 2017 campaign against the Thun Hunters. The two teams will meet on Sunday, April 23 at the Heerenschürli ballpark. The games will begin at 11 a.m. and 2.00 p.m.
Challengers Ski Day 2017
The 2nd Challengers Ski Day took place on Saturday, March 11 at Flumserberge in perfect conditions. The Challengers for once changed the Baseball gear into the skiing or snowboarding equipment. Some took a course for their first runs on a snowboard, while others carved on the ski-slopes at the top of the mountains.
Continue Reading » Challengers Ski Day 2017Participants at the Spring Tournament announced
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.
Continue Reading » Participants at the Spring Tournament announced