SKSB Arrows Ostrava, z.s., or simply Arrows Ostrava, is a baseball team from Ostrava, Czech Republic. The team plays in the Czech Extraliga and have won the league title three times in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
| Arrows Ostrava | |||||
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| Information | |||||
| League | Czech Extraliga | ||||
| Location | Ostrava, Czech Republic | ||||
| Ballpark | Arrows Park | ||||
| Established | 1973 | ||||
| League championships | 3 (2018, 2019, 2021) | ||||
| Colors | Navy blue, red and white | ||||
| Manager | Boris Bokaj | ||||
| Uniforms | |||||
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History edit
The roots of Arrows Ostrava go back to 1971, when a group of young people led by Zdeněk Ploskonka started playing softball. Later, in 1973, the club was established as Permon Ostrava, with a baseball and softball section. In 1976 the team changed its name to Permon Sokol Pustkovec and in 1985 to TJ VOKD Poruba. In 1996, the baseball section split from VOKD Poruba and changed its name to SK Arrows Ostrava.[1][2]
Arrows Ostrava has played in the Extraliga since 1995 and have never been relegated. The club finished as runner-ups in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2017 and 2020. In 2018, Arrows won its first Czech championship, an achievement they would repeat in 2019 and 2021, all under player-manager Boris Bokaj.[3][4]
Arrows Ostrava has participated four times in the European Champions Cup, Europe's top baseball club competition. The team made its debut in the 2019 edition, where they finished 7th with a 2–3 record.[5] Arrows hosted the 2021 tournament, finishing 6th with a 2–2 record.[6] The club has had its best performance so far in the 2022 tournament, held in Bonn, where they finished 5th.[7] In their last appearance, in the 2023 cup, Arrows finished 7th with a 3–2 record.
Four Arrows Ostrava players represented Czech Republic at the 2023 World Baseball Classic: pitchers Michal Kovala and Ondřej Satoria, infielder Jakub Kubica and outfielder Jakub Grepl.[8][9]
Ballpark edit
Arrows Ostrava plays their home games at the Arrows Park, located in the Poruba district in Ostrava. The complex has two softball fields, a secondary baseball field and the main baseball field, that has a capacity of 600 seated spectators. There is also a restaurant, a conference room, VIP are and a press room.[10]
Arrows Park hosted the 2021 European Champions Cup, the top European competition for baseball clubs, won by Parma Baseball, with the local team finishing sixth.[11]
Roster edit
| Arrows Ostrava roster | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches | |||
Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
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Manager
Coaches
Roster updated on 12 January 2024
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Achievements edit
- Extraliga : 3 (2018, 2019, 2021)
European Champions Cup record edit
| Year | Venue | Finish | Wins | Losses | Win% | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 |  Bologna |
7th | 2 | 3 | .400 |  Boris Bokaj
|
| 2021 | Ostrava |
6th | 2 | 2 | .500 | Boris Bokaj
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| 2022 |  Bonn |
5th | 1 | 3 | .250 | Boris Bokaj
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| 2023 |  Bussum |
7th | 3 | 2 | .600 | Boris Bokaj
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| Total | 8 | 10 | .444 | |||
References edit
- ^ "Arrows Ostrava". Extraliga (in Czech). Retrieved 13 April 2021.
- ^ "Historie". arrows.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 13 April 2021.
- ^ "Arrows Ostrava". Baseball-stat.cz. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ "Český Baseball 2018" (PDF). baseball.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 13 April 2021.
- ^ "Standing". baseballstats.eu. Confederation of European Baseball. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ "Parma Baseball wins the 2021 Champions Cup". WBSC Europe. 18 July 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ "2022 EU-CHAMP-CUP-M-BB European Baseball Champions Cup 2022 Final Report" (PDF). WBSC Europe. 11 June 2022. p. 2. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ "Czech Republic Roster & Staff". MLB.com. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
- ^ Kubovčík, Petr (12 March 2023). "Hráči Arrows bojují na WBC". arrows.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ "Areál". arrows.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ "Champions Cup and CEB Cup underway in Ostrava and Sénart". WBSC Europe. 12 July 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2023.