Baseballclub Hamburg Stealers e.V., commonly referred to as Hamburg Stealers, is a German baseball team based in Hamburg. The Stealers compete in the Baseball-Bundesliga as a member of the Bundesliga Nord. Established in 1985, the team has won the Baseball-Bundesliga once in 2000. The Stealers play their home games at Ballpark Langenhorst.
History
The Hamburg Stealers were founded in 1985 as the Lokstedt Stealers and participated for the first time in the Baseball-Bundesliga in 1991. In 1994, the team reached the final for the first time, but lost against the Mannheim Tornados. In 1996, the Stealers almost had a perfect season, finishing with a 27–1 record; in the playoffs, the team lost in semi-finals against the Mannheim Tornados.[1]
In 2000 the club had its best season. The Stealers won its first German championship after finishing the season with a 23–11 record and going undefeated in the playoffs, defeating the Mainz Athletics in the semi-finals and the Cologne Dodgers in the final. That same year, the club won the German Cup and the Pool B of the CEB European Cup.[2]
In 2006 the Stealers joined Hamburger SV sports club and changed its name from Lokstedt Stealers to HSV Stealers. However, in November 2014, the Stealers split from Hamburger SV and formed a separate club: Baseballclub Hamburg Stealers e. V.[2][3]
Ballpark Langenhorst is located in the Niendorf quarter of Hamburg, next to the FC St. Pauli training facilities. The ballpark has a capacity of 1200 spectators, including 500 seats.[6]
Since 2014 the ballpark has a clubhouse with two changing rooms, an umpires' changing room, terrace, a kitchen, a training room and several offices.[7]
