Hungary Baseball Ministry
2030 Erd, Kende utca 3.
Update!!

History
It was the spring of 2002 when Terry Lingenhoel made the decision to start a Baseball program in Érd. Through the experience of his own children in the school system of Hungary, Terry realized how few opportunities there were for kids to be involved in team sports. Soccer, the main team sport, only allows boys to play and often the competitiveness only allows those who excel to participate in the sport. Being American and having played baseball since he was six years old, he had a burden to help introduce the sport of Baseball to Hungarians and to his own children.

The first baseball camp was held during Easter break of 2002. Through only a small advertisement in the local paper, he was surprised when more than 60 kids and adults showed up to check out the sport.

In the Spring of 2003, after a year of practicing together, the Baseball Team Association was established in Érd with the registration of an adult men's baseball team (16 years and up), a women's softball team (14 years and up) and a youth baseball team (ages 12-15) with the Hungarian Baseball and Softball League (MOBSSZ). Since then these teams have been competing in their respective divisions. A children's team (ages 10-12) was also established in Érd but without a league in which to play.

The Association has served the community by holding open spring and summer camps to teach and demonstrate the sport of Baseball to any who are interested in participating. Those showing an interest are integrated into the existing teams for training and competing against other teams in Hungary and abroad.

Values
Involving youth and adults in Baseball has the following positive results:

  1. The players learn the value of community and how to work as a team.
  2. Through coaching, training and participation, the players gain self-confidence, self-control and self-discipline that benefit them in other areas of their lives.
  3. Coaches and trainers teach and demonstrate Christian values of serving others, considering others better than themselves and self-sacrifice for the success of the team.

Services
The Association is able to provide the following:

  1. Training and coaching for our teams.
  2. Register them in leagues and organizing of games for the their enjoyment and to improve their skills.
  3. Attend and organize tournaments with Hungarian and/or foreign teams.
  4. Invite and organize trainers from other countries to hold clinics at least once a year for the benefit of our club and other Hungarian clubs.
  5. We help provide necessary baseball equipment through donations or purchase that can be given or sold our players.

Plans for the Future
Without a doubt the biggest thing planned is to build a adult regulation sized baseball field. The local government of Érd agreed in October 2007 to donate land that is to be shared with the new rugby association. This land is in a beautiful setting near the Danube in the historical part of the city. The plan calls for the building of a clubhouse with workout room, restrooms and locker rooms in addition to the baseball field with the left portion of outfield being shared with the rugby field.

In order to make this plan a reality the ministry must raise $20,670 to pay for the cost of materials and equipment needed.

This includes:

All labor will be done by players or parents of players or other volunteer labor!

 

 

To make a donation today, click the button above. On the following page, you should choose the option "Give to support OM's ministry through a particular country/field". After clicking "Next >>" you should choose "Hungary" from the list of OM Country/Field names and in the message box, write "Hungary Baseball Field".

We appreciate you taking the time to read about the exciting way young people's lives are being changed in Hungary through the game of Baseball.

For more information on how you can support this project, please contact:
Terry Lingenhoel
OM Sportslink Coordinator: Hungary
terry@h.om.org
Telephone: 330-315-3877