Fastball attack in the Netherlands

Check out this story. Pretty wild.

Decos EHS player Eric Zomerdijk hospitalized
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Haarlem, Netherlands

Dear softball friends,

We are sad to inform you that our player Eric Zomerdijk has been hospitalized after being intentionally hit by a bat after the game TIW Survivors - Decos EHS.

After Decos EHS beat TIW Survivors, one of the TIW Survivors players first hit Zomerdijk in the ribs and immediately after that crushed his jaw with a bat. We are definitely not used to an incident like this in Softball The Netherlands and have to consider this as an act from a lunatic coward.

Eric went down and was unconscious for about 5-10 minutes lying on the field in a pool of blood. In the hospital he has been diagnosed with a very heavy concussion and a broken jaw. Luckily the brain scan didn't show any brain damage and they will probably operate surgery tomorrow.

The idiot who did this has been immediately suspended for life by his club and Softball The Netherlands will probably do the same the coming week. He has not been arrested yet but will be shortly.

Again, this has been a terrible act of violence by one man and we will not let this affect our great game.

Our heart goes out to Eric and his family

Norman Ames
Decos EHS Fastpitch, Haarlem, The Netherlands