On August 18 2023, Belgium’s oldest baseball and softball club will turn 100 years old!
It all started in the early 1920s, when a couple of Antwerp boys walked along Wilrycksche Plein as they noticed a group of Japanese sailors that played a strange game they had never seen. Out of curiosity, the boys decided to have a look, not knowing that they were laying the groundwork for all what has become baseball and softball in Belgium.
Before long, on August 18th 1923, Belgium’s first baseball club: the Antwerp Black Cats was formed. Outlasting the war, having all the sportive high’s and low’s, changing names, merging, adding softball and turning 50: The Royal Antwerp Eagles Baseball and Softball Club was named.
Setting their mark in the 1980’s as national champions and the-club-to-beat; the Eagles are still going tough today and are celebrating their centennial in the weekend of 18, 19 and 20 August 2023.
Everybody is welcome at the RAE 1923-2023 Centennial Weekend
Friday 18 August 2023
18:00 – Opening by RAE Chairman Peter van Ackeren
18:30 – All Star Game with former RAE players and first pitch by Frank Mathys
20:00 – Reception
20:30 – Live Music & Party Time
Saturday 19 August 2023
>> 05:00 – Live Music & Party Time
14:00 – RAE SLD3 vs Chicaboo’s Stabroek
19:00 – RAE SMR vs Olen Titans
Sunday 20 August 2023
10:30 – RAE BD4 vs Deurne Spartans 2
13:30 – RAE SLD1 vs Beveren Lions
15:30 – RAE SLD1 vs Beveren Lions
Happy celebrations everyone!
Till the next 100!
More info and club history on: www.antwerpeagles.com