1967 European Baseball Championship

1967 European Baseball Championship
Tournament details
CountryBelgium
Dates6–12 August
Teams5
Final positions
Champions Belgium (1st title)
Runners-up Great Britain
Third place West Germany
Fourth place Spain
Tournament statistics
Games played10
Best BA Edgar Vaerendonck (.643)
Awards
MVP Roland Hoffmann

The 1967 European Baseball Championship was held in Antwerp, Belgium and was won by Belgium. Great Britain, in its first continental championship, finished in second place. It was the best-ever finish for either team, with the British also finishing second in 2007 and 2023.[1][2]

The two dominant European teams, the Netherlands and Italy, winners of every other title from 1956 through 2023, did not compete. Both teams had left the Confederation of European Baseball over how the federation's president was elected. Both countries returned for the 1969 championship.[3][1][4]

It was the last edition of the tournament held in Belgium until 2025, when Antwerp hosted part of the first round of the championship.[5]

Standings

Pos. Team Record
1  Belgium 4–0
2  Great Britain 3–1
3  West Germany 2–2
4  Spain 2–2
5  Sweden 0–4

Sources[3][6]

Awards

  • Most valuable player: Roland Hoffmann[7]
  • Best hitter: Edgar Vaerendonck, .643 batting average[8]
  • Best pitcher: Edmond van Trichtveldt[9][3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Archief Europees kampioenschap". Honkbalsite archief (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  2. ^ "Spain beat Great Britain to win first Baseball European Championship in 68 years". WBSC. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Chetwynd, Josh (2008). Baseball in Europe : a country by country history. McFarland. pp. 240, 241. ISBN 978-0-7864-3724-5.
  4. ^ "Geschiedenis" [History]. EK Honkbal 2012 (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2014-08-14. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  5. ^ "Historic EuroBaseball 2025 to be hosted across Belgium, The Netherlands and Italy". Royal Belgian Baseball and Softball Federation. 15 June 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  6. ^ "Baseball - European Championships 1967 - Calendar & Results". the-sports.org. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
  7. ^ "International baseball mourns the passing of Roland Hoffmann". World Baseball Softball Confederation. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
  8. ^ Pernas López, Julio (March 2019). BALL!… El béisbol en España de 1961 a 1975 (PDF) (in Spanish). Real Federación Española de Béisbol y Sófbol. pp. 104–105 – via World Baseball Softball Confederation.
  9. ^ "It is with sadness that we inform you of the passing of Edgar Vaerendonck". Royal Belgian Baseball and Softball Federation. November 8, 2024. Retrieved 2026-01-27.