OSLOPRETENDERS

​The Oslo Pretenders Club History

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The Oslo Pretenders were founded in the summer of 1991. It was the first year of baseball in Norway and the Pretenders captured their first Norwegian Baseball Championship that same year. The Pretenders grew out of a group of friends that met once a week to play slow-pitch softball.

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The Pretenders have developed into a solid organization and have fielded a competitive team every year since. During this time the team has won 20 NBL (Norwegian Baseball League) titles and 22 Norwegian Cup Championships. The Pretenders are synonymous with Norwegian baseball. With 42 titles the Oslo Pretenders Sports Club is the 5th most successful ball club in Norway.

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The team has consisted of players of many different nationalities and from many different countries, residing in Norway over the years. The Pretenders have an A and B team in the two divisions in Norway, but from 2011 until 2013, they changed their teams into two equalized A teams which both played in the 1st division in the NBL. Now they are back with their A and B teams as the competition among the other teams have become much better.

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The Pretenders competed in the European Cup Qualifier between 2001-2010. The squad has competed in Belgium, Hungary, Bulgaria, Sweden, Slovenia, Poland, Portugal and Germany, during those 10 seasons.  The club’s biggest success came in Antwerp, Belgium in 2009 as the team captured 3rd place in the tournament – although single game performances such as the major upset in Bulgaria in 2004 when the club managed to beat Kranjski Lisjaki of Slovenia 11-9 after a game-winning home run in the bottom of the 8th inning (followed by thunder and rain delay for 15 min) or the great complete game shut-out performance by LP Sandvik (backed up by great defense by the rest of the team) in the 6-0 win over the Superfund Wanderers of Austria in 2006 in Slovenia, ranks higher in the clubhouse. In 2011 the club decided to try something different and participated in Finkstonball in Austria. Finishing at a disappointing 7th place (of 12 teams). In  2013 They went to Edinburgh and defeated an Allstar team in best of two Friendlies.

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In 2011 the club also expanded  with a new sport: Basketball. Our Basketball-team is currently playing in the 3rd division (out of 4).

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In 2016 the club expanded with yet another sport: Discgolf. So far the club members only play friendlies within the club, but we have a bag-tag ranking which makes every game count.

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As a result of the expansions the club have made in resent years, the club officially changed their name from Oslo Baseballklubb to Oslo Pretenders Sportsklubb on January 16th 2017.

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Once a Pretender, always a Pretender! The Pretenders still have players and people in the organization who have been involved since 1991. In the last decade, the club has also organized practices for children, many of whom have made appearances with the Pretenders' A and B team.

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The club has their own Hall of Fame with 10 members inducted so far. There have been many friendships created and developed throughout the years and many great memories and fun times.

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The Pretenders play for the LOVE OF THE GAME!