Haitze de Vries

Heitzel de Vries

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Biographical Information

Haitze de Vries was a star pitcher in the Netherlands in the 1980s.

De Vries won the Ron Fraser Award in 1975. He pitched for the Dutch national team in the 1982 Amateur World Series, 1983 European Championship (Silver Medal; he teamed with Jan Hijzelendoorn on a no-hitter against Spain during the Euros), 1983 Intercontinental Cup, 1984 Amateur World Series, 1986 Amateur World Series, 1988 Baseball World Cup (0-2, 14.00, 20 H, 5 BB in 9 IP; the highest ERA for the Netherlands; he was also 1 for 3 with a run backing up Jacky Jacoba at DH), 1988 Olympics and 1990 Baseball World Cup (0-1, 12.79, 16 H in 6 1/3 IP; only René Rijst had a higher ERA on the Orange).

Haitze also starred in the Hoofdklasse, winning Pitcher of the Year in both 1983 and 1988 with Haarlem Nicols (Eric de Vries, who was not related, succeeded him in 1989). He led the league in winning percentage in 1982 (going 8-1), winning percentage and ERA in 1983 (12-1, 1.30), winning percentage in 1984 (16-2), strikeouts in 1985 (145) and ERA in 1988 (3.04). Through 2004, his 126 wins were third in league history, behind only Bart Volkerijk and Herman Beidschat.

He coached for Kinheim when they won the 1994 Holland Series.