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LF Zakaria Venetiaan and SP Jorn Kuhnel both earned first ballot inductions with the 1999 European Baseball Federation Hall of Fame voting. Venetiaan earned an impressive 91.1%, while Kuhnel made it on a respectable 73.0%. SP Johannes Soderberg barely missed joining them on his second try at 65.5%, less than a point short of the needed 66%. SP Cornelius Danner saw 60.9% on his sixth attempt, SP Jose Calderon got 54.1% in his ninth ballot, and LF Husnija Kojic grabbed 52.7% for his third go. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots.



Zakaria “Troll” Venetiaan – Left Field – Marseille Musketeers – 91.1% First Ballot.

Zakaria Venetiaan was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from the capital of Belgium, Brussels. Nicknamed “Troll,” Venetiaan had good contact ability with a strong pop in his bat. He regularly averaged around 40 home runs and around 35 doubles/triples per year. Venetiaan had a decent eye with average walk and strikeout tallies. He was a competent baserunner despite having below average speed. Venetiaan mostly played left field, although he had a few starts in right. His poor range meant he graded out as a mediocre defender. However, Venetiaan boasted a reliable bat and great durability, playing 130+ games each year except for his final season.

Venetiaan quickly emerged as the top amateur prospect coming out of Belgium. His hometown squad Brussels took notice and picked Venetiaan 22nd overall in the 1976 EBF Draft. They couldn’t come to terms on a deal though, and he went back for one additional year of college. In the 1977 EBF Draft, it would be Marseille getting Venetiaan with the ninth overall pick. He negotiated a four-year, $1,500,000 contract to begin his run with the Musketeers.

Venetiaan was a full-time starter immediately and considered elite by his third year. He posted 9.7 WAR in 1980 and 10.0 WAR in 1981, leading the latter season with career bests in home runs (52), and RBI (136). Fierce competition at the position meant that his only Silver Slugger came in that 1981 season. Venetiaan also took second in MVP voting and never again was a finalist. After the 1981 season, Marseille gave Venetiaan an eight-year, $5,458,000 extension.

Most importantly, 1980 marked the start of a decade of dominance for Marseille. They made the playoffs nine times in the 1980s, five times getting to the Southern Conference championship. The Musketeers won the European Championship in 1981, 1985, and 1986. Teammate Jacob Ronnberg received tons of accolades, but Venetiaan played a big role in the playoffs. Over 78 postseason starts, he had 99 hits, 56 runs, 12 doubles, 20 home runs, 54 RBI, a .325/.368/.593 slash, 169 wRC+, and 4.5 WAR.

Venetiaan continued his stay in south France with a five-year, $6,500,000 extension with Marseille after the 1988 season. He did sporadically appear with Belgium in the World Baseball Championship, competing in six editions in his career. His stats were underwhelming over 49 games and 36 starts with 32 hits, 25 runs, 15 home runs, 32 RBI, a .212/.276/.543 slash and 1.1 WAR.

Not long after that last extension, age began to catch up with Venetiaan. His batting average started to drop, as did his already poor defense. He would cross the 2500 hit, 500 home run, and 1500 RBI milestones. Marseille begin a rebuild though in the 1990s, as 1991 saw their first losing season since 1977. As part of the rebuild, he was traded to Lisbon with four prospects coming back that summer.

Venetiaan had a herniated disc keep him out most of the brief stay in Portugal. The Clippers would make it to the Southern Conference championship, falling to Zurich. Venetiaan’s final action came in the 1994 WBC for Belgium, as he was unsigned for the 1994 season. He retired that winter at age 39. Marseille soon brought him in to celebrate his career by taking his #36 out of circulation.

Venetiaan’s career statistics saw 2575 hits, 1425 runs, 438 doubles, 581 home runs, 1661 RBI, 249 stolen bases, a .296/.347/.565 slash, 152 wRC+, and 83.1 WAR. He was definitely overlooked by many as he shared an outfield with Ronnberg, who won multiple MVPs plus double-digit Silver Sluggers and Gold Gloves. Venetiaan was still a critical part of Marseille’s 1980s dominance and an easy choice for most Hall of Fame voters, leading off the 1999 EBF class at 91.1%.



Jorn “Sneezy” Kuhnel – Starting Pitcher – Berlin Barons – 73.0% First Ballot

Jorn Kuhnel was a 6’2’’, 190 pound right-handed pitcher from Berg, a town of 8,400 people in south Germany. Kuhnel had great stuff, very strong control, and above average movement. He hit 97-99 mph with a great slider and sinker, along with a good curveball and okay changeup. His stamina was much lower than most EBF starters and his 20 complete games would be the fewest of any Hall of Fame starter. Kuhnel still got you 200+ innings reliability with good durability. He was a good defensive pitcher and had an impressive work ethic, always willing to go above and beyond.

Many viewed him as Germany’s strong prospect entered into the 1978 EBF Draft. Berlin selected him eighth overall and Kuhnel would play his entire career in the capital. Kuhnel was okay as a rookie, but became a full-time good starter from 1980 onward. He also pitched for Germany from 1983-92 in the World Baseball Championship, posting a 2.27 ERA over 154.2 innings, 213 strikeouts, a 162 ERA+, and 5.0 WAR. Kuhnel had a 2.59 ERA in six starts helping the Germans take the 1983 world title.

Kuhnel never won the top award, but took third in 1984 Pitcher of the Year voting, second in 1986, and third in 1988. He led the Northern Conference in strikeouts twice, WHIP thrice, quality starts twice, FIP- twice, and WAR once. Berlin would lock him up on a six-year, $6,360,000 contract extension after the 1984 campaign.

Kuhnel also helped Berlin become a regular playoff contender. The Barons made the playoffs nine times from 1983-93, although the franchise was snake bitten. They got to the Northern Conference Championship five times, but were unable to advance beyond that. Some pointed to Kuhnel as a scapegoat, as he had a lousy 5.09 ERA over 86.2 career playoff innings with 93 strikeouts and a 75 ERA+.

The Barons gave Kuhnel another four years and $5,920,000 after the 1990 season. In 1991, he notably tossed a no-hitter with six strikeouts and two walks against Stockholm on September 17. Kuhnel still looked solid the next year, but injuries popped up, starting with a bone spur in his elbow costing him six weeks. Soon after coming back, a torn triceps required surgery and knocked him out seven months. He became the 22nd pitcher to 200 career wins in his 1993 comeback attempt, but looked middling in his limited action. Kuhnel retired that winter at age 37 and saw his #32 uniform retired by Berlin.

For his career, Kuhnel had a 202-126 record, 3.10 ERA, 3107.2 innings, 3436 strikeouts, 584 walks, 308/443 quality starts, 119 ERA+, 75 FIP-, and 81.2 WAR. He was the steady ace in a decade of contention for the Barons, but some felt his lack of dominance and poor playoff numbers made Kuhnel worthy of exclusion. The accumulations weren’t overwhelming, but certainly not out of place compared to other Hall of Famers. Kuhnel received 73.0% on his ballot debut, earning the first ballot recognition to close out the 1999 class.