A decade ago, US sport in Salzburg was in crisis – interest was rather restrained.
Hornets are followed by Braves Hallein
In 2011, the Salzburg Bulls footballers were still in the AFL, Austria’s top division. After that, the traditional club went downhill rapidly. The Salzburg Hornets, the only baseball club in the state founded in 1987, finally disappeared from the scene in 2009 and ceased playing altogether.
Baseball returns to Salzburg
13 years later, the US sport is making a comeback. At the same time, the Salzburg Ducks are back in the AFL.
Former Hornets player Richard Jose Bermudez Fernandez wants to bring baseball to life in Salzburg and founded the new club almost six months ago ASKÖ Braves Baseball Hallein.
Sylvia Libiseller
Richard Jose Bermudez Fernandez (left) founded the baseball club “Braves Hallein”.
Fernandez founds new club
The 44-year-old ex-pro, who has already played in eight countries, is now enriching Salzburg with a new sport. “After my active career, I always had the dream of founding a baseball club in Salzburg. Thank God I was able to realize it now. Another dream of mine is to teach children and young people the sport and to work as a coach “, he told SALZBURG24 on Wednesday.
The club is still under construction. 18 players are currently registered. Some still know each other from the Hornets era and are still friends. But there are also newcomers.
Posted by ASKÖ Braves Baseball Hallein am Wednesday March 30, 2022
No home for new baseball club
However, the baseball players do not have a real home. In autumn, the football club SV Oberalm made its lawn available. During the winter months, the chairman and his crew trained once a week at the sports school in Neualm and in future the athletes will swing their rackets on an old soccer field in Hallwang.
“It’s always a challenge to hold the units without a real home and to prepare them with all the utensils. At some point it would be a dream to have your own baseball field, which currently doesn’t exist in Salzburg,” emphasized Fernandez, whose team of organizers around Ex -Kicker Christian Weber (Anif and Hallwang) are currently looking for sponsors. The request for space has also already been deposited with State Councilor for Sport Stefan Schnöll (ÖVP).
State league home games are increasing in Tyrol
The fact that the “home games” have to take place in Ebbs near Kufstein and in Schwaz (both in Tyrol) does not diminish the motivation of the baseball players.
On May 15th (at 12 noon) after ten preparatory games, the first match will take place against the Wolfins Tirol. Together with five teams, the Hallein Braves will duel in home and away games until August 20th in the Tyrolean state league.
“Our sporting goal is clearly defined: we want to become state league champions, build a stable club structure and move up one level to the second division.”
Youth work in focus
The association is currently financed by membership fees and searches by means of Crowdfunding Supporter. “We’re starting from scratch and we can only integrate girls and boys into the club with outside help,” says the full-time operations assistant.
The Venezuelan has already been to two schools in the province of Salzburg and wants to teach home runs to as many children as possible.
“Because in the end it’s all about getting young people to do sport.”
(Source: SALZBURG24)
