by Goran Supraha

At Saturday December, 20th members of BK Nada SSM – Split recalled its long history and is remembered for deserving members of the club. During the ceremony were awarded recognition for unselfish contribution to the club and baseball prominent members of the club:

Boris Vušković – first club president (1974-1978),

Edo Deković – club president (1978-1998),

Vinko Milas – club founder,

Danijel Seršić – club secretary (1990-1998),

Ela Ganza – long-time club member,

Božidar Kučić – club founder.

Also club awards for 2014 season was given to:

Jadran Dadić (best pitcher and MVP) and Andrija Tomić (best batter)

*This attractive and interesting sport was brought to Split by the US sailors in December 1918. At the end of World War II French, Italian, British and US warships were stationed in the harbour of Split. Sailors from their ships went out to town looking for fun and entertainment, and some of them looking for sports activities. Thus, some of the US sailors from the naval vessels ‘Pittsburgh’ and ‘Olympia’ started playing their favourite sport – baseball on Stari plac ( Hajduk Split football stadium). After some time they started playing it as a preliminary to Hajduk’s football matches. Soon young men from Split accepted this sport and started playing it on the fields of their town. Baseball was becoming more and more popular and the so called ‘street clubs’ were being founded – Marjan, Baščun, Mosor, Slaven etc.

Beside these clubs, two existing sports associations Hajduk and Borac founded their baseball sections. Great contribution to the development of baseball in Split was made by the captain of the admiral’s ship Olympia, US Admiral Philip Andrews. He was a great admirer of sports, especially baseball. He provided equipment for the new-formed clubs, i.e. sections in Split as well as in Omiš, Sinj, Imotski and Zagreb.

Intensive playing of baseball lasted as long as the US ships stayed in the harbour of Split. After the peace contract had been signed in Rapall on 12 November 1920, the US fleet left Split in April 1921 and playing of baseball stagnated. Baseball was revived in the part of town called Špinut in 1934 by a group of baseball enthusiasts and thus the baseball club Krupa was born, the fi rst registrated baseball club in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Its activity lasted until 1941 when with the beginning of World War II and the occupation of Split by the Italian army it completely ceased.

In Split, after WW II, young men played the so called ‘benze’ which in fact was a twisted version of baseball. Th is interesting game was played until about 1958 when Split started expanding rapidly and when there were less suitable fields to play on.

In 1972, Vinko Milas and Rajko Kraljević, teachers at Industrial highscool, restarted baseball in their school in Solin. They remembered playing ‘benze’ when they were kids in a part of Split called Pojišan, so they introduced baseball to their pupils during their gym classes. Th ese pupils together with their teachers founded Baseball club Salona in 1974 and the same year they moved its base to Split. Following years the development of baseball in Split, and Yugoslavia, was intensively supported by the Italian Baseball Association thanks to Karlo Tavčar, a Slovenian from Trieste.

Th e first historic baseball game was played in Split on 9 September 1978 between Baseball Club Nada (ex Salona) and Baseball Club Ježice from Ljubljana; the home team convincingly won with the result of 20:1. It was the beginning of baseball in Yugoslavia. Games were frequently played and according to the results of two tournaments held in Ljubljana and in Split, Nada (ex Salona) was announced the first champion of Yugoslavia in 1980. Ježice, Gunclje and Zajčki from Ljubljana and Nada from Split competed in that second championship of Yugoslavia in 1981. These clubs formed National Committee, a working group which was responsible for further development of baseball in Yugoslavia. It organized championships of baseball in Yugoslavia and accepted the Competition Rules. Two more clubs, Donat from Zadar and Golovec from Ljubljana, competed in the Yugoslav Championship in 1982.

Th e representatives of the European Baseball Federation, together with their president Bruno Beneck, stayed in Split and Belgrade from 5 to 8 of December 1982 where they discussed the further development of baseball in Yugoslavia. The cooperation with the Yugoslav Olympic Committee was agreed in Belgrade. Časlav Veljić, general secretary, participated on behalf of the Yugoslav Olympic Committee. Historic date for the Yugoslav baseball was 1 July 1983 when Yugoslavia was accepted as the member of the World Baseball Federation (IBAF, former AINBA) at the congress in Anverse.

The representative of Yugoslav clubs at the congress was Daniel Seršić from Split who was responsible for international relationships with the National Committee. Great contribution for Yugoslavia to become the member of AINBA came from the president of Italian Baseball Federation Bruno Beneck. During 1983 more baseball clubs were formed: Turbine in Karlovac, Varaždin 1181 in Varaždin and Zagreb in Zagreb. At the meeting of all Yugoslav baseball clubs held in Zagreb 24 March 1984 it was agreed to reorganize National Committee so that its members became representatives of all baseball clubs in Yugoslavia.

The Committee was renamed to National Committee for baseball and softball based in Split. Edo Deković, the president of the Baseball club Nada, was elected for its president. The Croatian Baseball Federation was founded in 1986, and it was officially registered in 1989 and based in Zagreb. Until 1991 besides the Championship of Yugoslavia, the Republic Championships were held in Slovenia and Croatia. After the independence of Croatia, the first Croatian Championship was held in 1992 and the team Nada from Split won.*

After result deficit from 1992 – 1997, new era begen for Nada Split; founding baseball school for kids under 12 years (1997), starting to play in Interleage (1999), club sponsor Split Ship Management (2000), playing finals in 2003, and winning Croatian championship in 2004 and 2005 and Inter League 2005.

At 2009 Nada SSM Split win Croatian cup what was start of great generation which will win 3 Croatian championships (2010, 2012, 2014) also playing in finals in 2011 and 2013, also in this period Nada SSM Split win Inter League in 2010, and play Interleague finals from 2009-2013 , also in 2010 NAda SSM sPlit win Eurocup qulifier in Athens 2010.

* from book “Nima baluna do baseball baluna”, author Mladen Cukrov; 2009