Former baseball player Win Remmerswaal has passed away at the age of 68, the KNBSB reported on Tuesday. The Dutchman was the first European-trained baseball player to reach the highest professional level in the United States.
Remmerswaal lived in a care home after he suffered a stroke in 1997.
The Hague-born pitcher played two seasons for the main squad of Boston Red Sox. He made his debut there on August 3, 1979 in a game against Milwaukee.
Ultimately, his career at the highest level was limited to two seasons. Then a chronic injury to his throwing arm made it impossible to continue playing for the Red Sox. He played a total of 22 games.
After his contract in Boston was terminated, Remmerswaal continued to play at a lower level. He was active in Puerto Rico and Italy. As a trainer, he had the Amsterdam Pirates under his wing for a year.
Remmerswaal also played for the Dutch team, for which he was first selected in 1972. A year later, he won the European title in Haarlem with the Orange squad.