Bonn Capitals

{{Infobox baseball team

|name = Bonn Capitals

|logo = Bonn Capitals logo.png

|cap_logo = Official_insignia_of_the_Bonn_Capitals_baseball_club.png

|league = Baseball-Bundesliga

|division = Bundesliga Nord

|city = Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia

|founded = 1989

|ballpark = {{ill|Baseballstadion Rheinaue|de|Baseballstadion Rheinaue}}

|league_champs = 3 (2018, 2022, 2024)

|division_champs = 10 (1997, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)

|colours = Green, gold and white
{{color box|#0F481C}} {{color box|#FFB81C}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}}

|manager = Wilson Lee

|president = Udo Schmitz

|website = {{url|https://www.capitals.de}}

}}

1. Baseball- und Softballclub Bonn Capitals e.V., commonly referred to as Bonn Capitals, is a German baseball and softball club from Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, founded on November 8, 1989. Its first men's team has been competing in the DBL (German Baseball League, formerly the Baseball Bundesliga) since 1994 and currently plays in its northern division, the Bundesliga Nord, after initially playing in the southern division until 1996. The women's softball team was promoted to the northern division of the Softball Bundesliga in 2018.{{Cite web|title=Über uns|url=https://www.capitals.de/ueber-uns/|access-date=2021-07-01|website=Bonn Capitals|language=de-DE}}{{Cite web|title=Bonn Capitals › 1. Baseball-Bundesliga|url=https://www.baseball-bundesliga.de/clubs/bonn-capitals/|access-date=2021-07-01|language=de-DE}}{{Cite web|title=Bonn Capitals|url=https://www.softball-deutschland.de/clubs/bonn-capitals/|access-date=2021-07-29|website=Softball-Deutschland.de|language=de-DE}}

The Capitals have won the northern division championship ten times, most recently in 2024,{{Cite web |title=Bonn mit Sweep gegen Dohren |url=https://www.baseball-bundesliga.de/bonn-mit-sweep-gegen-dohren/ |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=1. Baseball-Bundesliga |language=de-DE}} and advanced to the finals of the Bundesliga play-offs eight times, winning thrice (in 2018, 2022, and 2024).{{Cite web|title=All-Time-Club-Rangliste 1. Bundesliga › 1. Baseball-Bundesliga|url=https://www.baseball-bundesliga.de/all-time-club-rangliste-1-bundesliga/|access-date=2021-07-01|language=de-DE}}{{Cite web|last=Bonn|first=General-Anzeiger|date=2018-10-15|title=German National Baseball League: Bonn Capitals win championship|url=https://ga.de/ga-english/news/bonn-capitals-win-championship_aid-43931509|access-date=2021-07-24|website=General-Anzeiger Bonn|language=de}}{{Cite web |title=Bonn Capitals sind Deutscher Baseballmeister 2022 |url=https://www.baseball-bundesliga.de/bonn-capitals-sind-deutscher-baseballmeister-2022/ |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=1. Baseball-Bundesliga |language=de-DE}}{{Cite web |title=Bonn Capitals sind Deutscher Baseball-Meister 2024 |url=https://www.baseball-bundesliga.de/bonn-capitals-sind-deutscher-baseball-meister-2024/ |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=1. Baseball-Bundesliga |language=de-DE}} They were runners-up in the European Cup in 2021, the third German team ever to do so and the first in over a decade.{{Cite web|title=European Baseball Champions Cup 2021|url=http://www.wbsceurope.org/en/events/2021-european-baseball-champions-cup/schedule-and-results|access-date=2021-07-17|website=WBSC Europe|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Bonn|first=General-Anzeiger|date=2021-07-18|title=Europäischer Baseball: Bonn Capitals erreichen beim Champions Cup den zweiten Platz|url=https://ga.de/sport/regional/bonn-capitals-erreichen-beim-champions-cup-den-zweiten-platz_aid-61562325|access-date=2021-07-24|website=General-Anzeiger Bonn|language=de}} In the 2022 European Cup, the team advanced to the semi-finals before being narrowly defeated by Parma Baseball Club{{Cite web |title=L&D Amsterdam and ASD Parma reach Final at European Champions Cup in Bonn |url=http://www.wbsceurope.org/en/events/2022-european-baseball-champions-cup/news/l-d-amsterdam-and-asd-parma-reach-final-at-european-champions-cup-in-bonn |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=WBSC Europe |language=en}} and subsequently secured the third place after defeating San Marino.{{Cite web |title=Parma wins European Champions Cup 2022 in Bonn, Germany |url=http://www.wbsceurope.org/en/news/parma-wins-european-champions-cup-2022-in-bonn-germany |access-date=2022-06-12 |website=WBSC Europe |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=European Baseball Champions Cup 2022 |url=http://www.wbsceurope.org/en/events/2022-european-baseball-champions-cup/standings |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=WBSC Europe |language=en}} In 2023, they again lost to Parma in the semi-finals and finished fourth after co-host Amsterdam Pirates won the bronze medal game.{{Cite web |title=Baseball European Champions Cup 2023 |url=http://www.wbsceurope.org/en/events/2023-baseball-european-champions-cup/standings |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=WBSC Europe |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=HCAW wins the Baseball European Champions Cup 2023 |url=http://www.wbsceurope.org/en/events/2023-baseball-european-champions-cup/news/hcaw-wins-baseball-european-champions-cup-2023 |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=WBSC Europe |language=en}}

Club structure

The club consists of 16 teams total,{{Cite web|title=Ballpark|url=https://www.capitals.de/ballpark/|access-date=2021-07-18|website=Bonn Capitals|language=de-DE}} including:

1st Men's Baseball Team, 1. Bundesliga (1st Division)
2nd Men's Baseball Team, 2. Bundesliga (2nd Division){{Cite web|title=Teams 2. Baseball Bundesliga|url=https://www.baseball-softball.de/bundesligen/2-baseball-bundesliga/teams-2-baseball-bundesliga|access-date=2021-07-29|website=Deutscher Baseball und Softball Verband e.V. (DBV)}}
1st Women's Softball Team, Bundesliga
2nd Women's Softball Team, Landesliga (State League){{Cite web|title=Softball Landesliga|url=https://www.capitals.de/softball-landesliga/|access-date=2021-07-18|website=Bonn Capitals|language=de-DE}}

as well as baseball teams playing in the NRW-Liga (State League){{Cite web|title=NRW-Liga|url=https://www.capitals.de/verbandsliga/|access-date=2021-07-29|website=Bonn Capitals|language=de-DE}} and Bezirksliga (District League){{Cite web|title=Bezirksliga|url=https://www.capitals.de/bezirksliga/|access-date=2021-07-29|website=Bonn Capitals|language=de-DE}} and a number of junior teams.

Women's softball teams

The first women's softball team was established in 1992 and played its first season the following year. In 1994, it was disbanded following an accident and would not be reestablished until 2005. In 2018, the reformed team ascended to the Softball Bundesliga. A second team is playing in the Landesliga (State League).{{Cite web|title=Softball|url=https://www.capitals.de/softball/|access-date=2021-07-18|website=Bonn Capitals|language=de-DE}} Bonn first reached the play-off finale for the German softball championship in 2021, losing to the Wesseling Vermins,{{Cite web |title=The Wesseling Vermins win the 2021 German Bundesliga {{!}} European Softball Federation |url=https://www.europeansoftball.org/articles/detail/1243 |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=www.europeansoftball.org}} but won the Deutschlandpokal Softball in the same year.{{Cite web|author=Deutscher Baseball und Softball Verband eV|title=Bonn Capitals gewinnen Deutschlandpokal Softball 2021|url=https://www.baseball-softball.de/bonn-capitals-gewinnen-deutschlandpokal-softball-2021|access-date=2021-07-18|website=baseball-softball.de|language=de-DE |date=October 3, 2021}} In 2022, the team again faced Wesseling in the Bundesliga finale and went on to win their first league championship.{{Cite web |last=Daniela |date=2022-09-26 |title=Bonn Capitals feiern ihre erste Meisterschaft |url=https://www.softball-deutschland.de/bonn-capitals-feiern-ihre-erste-meisterschaft/ |access-date=2022-10-05 |website=Softball-Deutschland.de |language=de-DE}}

Due to winning the Deutschlandpokal in 2021, the Capitals represented Germany in Group A of the 30th Women's European Cup Winners Cup, which was held in Viladecans, Spain between August 15 and 20 in 2022.{{Cite web |title=European Softball Federation |url=https://europeansoftball.org/competitions/detail/342 |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=europeansoftball.org}} The 1st Women's Softball Team finished their first participation in an international competition ranked third.{{Cite web |last=Weller |first=Laura |date=2022-08-20 |title=Bronze im ersten internationalen Turnier |url=https://www.capitals.de/softball-bl/bronze-im-ersten-internationalen-turnier/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=Bonn Capitals |language=de-DE}}{{Cite web |title=Women's Softball European Cup Winners Cup "A" 2022 |url=http://www.wbsceurope.org/en/events/2022-womens-softball-european-cup-winners-cup-a/standings |access-date=2022-08-24 |website=WBSC Europe |language=en}}

Ballpark

File:Bonn_Rheinaue,_Baseballstadion.JPG, home of the Bonn Capitals]]

The Bonn Capital's ballpark is located in the Rheinaue park in the district of Hochkreuz in northern Bad Godesberg. The facilities consist of two baseball fields and one softball field for professional play as well as a smaller baseball field for students.{{Cite web|title=Sportstätten|url=https://www.bonn.de/bonn-erleben/aktiv-und-unterwegs/sportstaetten.php|access-date=2021-07-29|website=Bundesstadt Bonn|language=de}} The fields are arranged in a clover formation.

The Rheinaue Stadium hosted the European Baseball Championship in 2001 and 2019, co-hosting with Solingen on the latter occasion.{{Cite web|date=2017-05-12|title=Baseball-EM in Bonn und Solingen findet 2019 statt / Teil der Qualifikation für Olympia in Tokio 2020|url=https://www.baseball-softball.de/baseball-em-in-bonn-und-solingen-findet-2019-statt-teil-der-qualifikation-fuer-olympia-in-tokio-2020|access-date=2021-07-29|website=Deutscher Baseball und Softball Verband e.V. (DBV)}} The 2009 European Junior Baseball Championship also took place here.{{Cite web|date=2009-07-14|title=Junioren-Baseball-EM 2009 in Deutschland|url=https://www.baseball-softball.de/junioren-baseball-em-2009-in-deutschland|access-date=2021-07-29|website=Deutscher Baseball und Softball Verband e.V. (DBV)}}

It also hosted the 2022 European Champions Cup from 7 to 11 June, wherein the Bonn Capitals competed in Group B and finished third.{{Cite web|title=Baseball Europe announces the 2022 calendar|url=http://www.wbsceurope.org/en/news/baseball-europe-announces-the-2022-calendar|access-date=2022-01-21|website=WBSC Europe|language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Champions Cup 2022 |url=https://www.capitals.de/events/champions-cup-2022/ |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=Bonn Capitals |language=de-DE}}

Roster

{{baseball tournament roster

| TeamName = Bonn Capitals

| TournamentName =

| BC1 = #0F481C

| BC2 = #FFB81C

| FC1 = #FFB81C

| FC2 = #0F481C

| ActiveAlt = Players

| CoachesAlt = Coaches

| Pitchers =

| Catchers =

| Infielders =

| Outfielders =

| Manager =

| Coaches =

[https://www.capitals.de/baseball/bundesliga/roster/ Roster] updated on 19 May 2025

}}

European Champions Cup record

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" !scope="col" style="background-color:#0F481C; color:#FFB81C;" \| Year !scope="col" style="background-color:#0F481C; color:#FFB81C;" \| Venue !scope="col" style="background-color:#0F481C; color:#FFB81C;" \| Finish !scope="col" style="background-color:#0F481C; color:#FFB81C;" \| Wins !scope="col" style="background-color:#0F481C; color:#FFB81C;" \| Losses !scope="col" style="background-color:#0F481C; color:#FFB81C;" \| Win% !scope="col" style="background-color:#0F481C; color:#FFB81C;" \| Manager
2019	align=left\| {{flagicon\|ITA}} Bologna	6th	1	3	{{winpct\|1\|3}}	align=left\| {{flagicon\|USA}} Alex Derhak
style="background:#C0C0C0;" \| 2021	align=left\| {{flagicon\|CZE}} Ostrava	2nd	3	2	{{winpct\|3\|2}}	align=left\| {{flagicon\|GER}} Max Schmitz
style="border: 3px solid red; background:#CC9965;" \| 2022	align=left\| {{flagicon\|GER}} Bonn	3rd	3	2	{{winpct\|3\|2}}	align=left\| {{flagicon\|GER}} Max Schmitz
2023	align=left\| {{flagicon\|NED}} Bussum	4th	2	3	{{winpct\|2\|3}}	align=left\| {{flagicon\|AUS}} Wilson Lee
style="background-color:#FFB81C; color:#0F481C;" \| colspan="3" \| Total	9	10	{{winpct\|9\|10}}

References

External links

[https://capitals.de Official Website]
[https://www.baseball-bundesliga.de/clubs/bonn-capitals/ Baseball Bundesliga Page]
[https://www.youtube.com/c/BonnCapitalsBaseball Bonn Capitals Baseball Youtube channel]
[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKQzGQlXVvzPQIUN5ylcetA/featured Bonn Capitals Softball Youtube channel]

Category:1989 establishments in West Germany

Category:Baseball teams established in 1989

Category:Baseball teams in Germany

Category:Sport in Bonn

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" !scope="col" style="background-color:#0F481C; color:#FFB81C;" \| Year !scope="col" style="background-color:#0F481C; color:#FFB81C;" \| Venue !scope="col" style="background-color:#0F481C; color:#FFB81C;" \| Finish !scope="col" style="background-color:#0F481C; color:#FFB81C;" \| Wins !scope="col" style="background-color:#0F481C; color:#FFB81C;" \| Losses !scope="col" style="background-color:#0F481C; color:#FFB81C;" \| Win% !scope="col" style="background-color:#0F481C; color:#FFB81C;" \| Manager
2019	align=left\| {{flagicon\|ITA}} Bologna	6th	1	3	{{winpct\|1\|3}}	align=left\| {{flagicon\|USA}} Alex Derhak
style="background:#C0C0C0;" \| 2021	align=left\| {{flagicon\|CZE}} Ostrava	2nd	3	2	{{winpct\|3\|2}}	align=left\| {{flagicon\|GER}} Max Schmitz
style="border: 3px solid red; background:#CC9965;" \| 2022	align=left\| {{flagicon\|GER}} Bonn	3rd	3	2	{{winpct\|3\|2}}	align=left\| {{flagicon\|GER}} Max Schmitz
2023	align=left\| {{flagicon\|NED}} Bussum	4th	2	3	{{winpct\|2\|3}}	align=left\| {{flagicon\|AUS}} Wilson Lee
style="background-color:#FFB81C; color:#0F481C;" \| colspan="3" \| Total	9	10	{{winpct\|9\|10}}