Elmshorn Alligators

Elmshorn Alligators founded in 1989
Full name
Elmshorn Alligators - Elmshorn men's gymnastics club from 1860 eV
abbreviation
EA
Nickname (s)
Allis, Gators
Club colors
Green, black, white   
league
Men: 2nd Bundesliga North (2018)
Ball park (s)
Alligators Ballpark (Wilhelmshöhe) Coordinates: 53 ° 46 ′ 1.1 ″  N , 9 ° 41 ′ 11.6 ″  E
president
Dennis Scherfisee (Chairman)
Members
63
successes
Promotion 2nd Bundesliga 2017 Regional league champions 2014 (1st men) + District league champions 2014 (2nd men) Association league champions 2011 (1st men) National League Champion 2011 (2nd men) Association league champions 2010 (1st men) Participation in the 1996 European Cup Winners' Cup Vice-DBV cup winner 1995 Champion 2nd Bundesliga Northeast 1994, 2019
Website : http://www.alligators.de

The Elmshorn Alligators are a German baseball club from Elmshorn , organized as a division of the Elmshorn Men's Gymnastics Club (EMTV). The 1st team is currently playing in the 2nd Bundesliga North (2019).

history

The Alligators emerged from a hobby team that met regularly in the autumn of 1988 on Hart'schen Wiese in the Liether Forest of Elmshorn. After the group grew to more than 20 people in winter, players decided to join the Holsatia sports club as a division in spring. As early as April 2, 1989, the city's first baseball game took place on the football field of the Friedrich-Ebert-Grundschule. More than 250 spectators attended the game against the city's second club, the Dirty Socks.

In 1989 the Elmshorns marched unbeaten through the association league and thus rose to the 2nd Bundesliga North. In 1994, under coach John Sable, he was promoted to the 1st Bundesliga (North) , from which the team had to relegate after only one season. After four years in the 2nd league, in 1999, under coach Tim Pulmer, he was once again promoted to the top German division, in which the Alligators were able to hold out for another four years (best place 5th, 2000 and 2001).

Then began the creeping decline of the club. After four moderate years in the 2nd division and declining membership numbers, the Alligators attempted a new start in the Schleswig-Holstein Association League in 2007. After the goal of "returning to the regional league" was clearly missed, the division was even facing dissolution. Only the reactivation of numerous former players brought the upswing again.

Although the Alligators narrowly missed promotion to the regional league in 2008, the basis for a successful new beginning was laid. This ensured the return of more players in the 2009 season at the end of which was the return to the Regionalliga Nord-Ost.

The Alligators have been able to double their number of players since 2008 and, after a five-year break, registered two men's teams again in 2010. Since 2012 the 1st team has been playing in the Regionalliga again and after a successful season became runner-up in the Regionalliga North / East.

In 2017, coach Dennis Scherfisee's team rose to the 2nd Bundesliga North and was able to establish itself in the top group straight away in the 2018 season. The reason for this was also the commitment of the US American Robbie Ingram. The left-handed pitcher dominated the league (10 wins, 3 losses; ERA 2.13; 102 strikeouts in 84.1 innings) and was responsible for half of Elmshorn's victories at the end of the season. With 20 wins and 10 losses, the Elmshorns took second place behind master Kiel Seahawks.

2019: In addition to Ingram, his compatriot Jonathan Smart was also signed for this season. Smart played in the USA as a catcher for Division 1 College in Havard (Massachusetts / USA) when he was a student. Smart's signing turned out to be an absolute stroke of luck. The American was by far the best hitter in the league with a batting average of .538. Ingram was able to repeat his dominance from the year before, so that the Gators were able to take the lead in the 2nd League North on July 28, 2019 with a double victory against the Hamburg Stealers 2.

On August 25, 2019, the Alligators defeated the Stealers 2 again in their last game of the season. With the 11:10, a walk-off win in the ninth and final inning, they made the second second division championship perfect after 1994 and secured themselves at the same time participation in the playoffs for the Bundesliga.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Tables 2. Bundesliga - DBV. Retrieved April 10, 2018 . 
2. ↑ Baseball & Softball Portal - Statistics of the German Baseball and Softball Association: Teamstats Elmshorn Alligators . ( baseball-softball.de [accessed on August 20, 2019]).