{{short description|Dutch baseball player (born 1976)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox baseball biography | name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1976|12|25}} | image = Percy Insenia.jpg | caption = Isenia with Sparta-Feyenoord in 2008 | birth_place = Zwijndrecht, Netherlands | position = First baseman / Designated hitter | bats = Right | throws = Right | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's baseball}} {{MedalCountry | {{NED}} }} {{MedalCompetition|Intercontinental Cup}} {{MedalSilver| 2006 Taiwan | National team}} {{MedalCompetition|European Baseball Championship}} {{MedalGold| 1999 Italy | National team}} {{MedalGold| 2001 Germany | National team}} {{MedalGold| 2003 Netherlands | National team}} {{MedalGold| 2005 Czech Republic | National team}} }} '''Percy Paul Isenia''' (born 25 December 1976) is a Dutch former baseball first baseman who played for the Netherlands national team and several Honkbal Hoofdklasse teams. He played in the 2000 and 2008 Summer Olympics and 2006 World Baseball Classic. He also managed the Netherlands women's national team at the 2010 and 2012 Women's Baseball World Cup.
==Playing career== Isenia debuted with the Netherlands national team in the 1999 World Port Tournament,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Percy Isenia |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/nederlandsteam/percyisenia.html |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=Honkbalsitearchief.nl |language=nl}}</ref> batting .304/.385/.478 and helping the Netherlands to the title. He was 3-for-9 with a double, triple, and 5 walks in the 1999 European Championship, also won by the Dutch. In the 1999 Intercontinental Cup, he hit .320/.370/.360 as the best Dutch hitter in a disappointing tournament for the team.{{cn|date=October 2022}} He won the national Guus van de Heijden Award as the best national player under 23.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Over ons {{!}} Onderscheidingen {{!}} Awards |url=https://knbsb.nl/over-ons/onderscheidingen/awards |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=KNBSB |language=nl}}</ref>
In 2000, the Neptunus player tied for fourth in Hoofdklasse with 35 runs, tied for 8th with 3 home runs, and tied for fifth with 29 RBI. In the 2000 Haarlem Baseball Week, Isenia was 4-for-15 with a double, two walks, two RBI and a run.{{cn|date=October 2022}} He then hit .250/.280/.333 as the Dutch first baseman in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney in which the Netherlands finished fifth.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Official Results 2000 page 35 |url=https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll8/id/50043/rec/4 |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=digital.la84.org |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Percy Isenia |url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/82569 |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=Olympedia}}</ref>
In 2001, Isenia helped the Netherlands win the European Championship,<ref name=":0" /> batting fifth and playing first base in the gold medal game. He batted .250/.324/.375 but led the team with 9 RBI.{{cn|date=October 2022}} His 39 RBI for Neptunus in 2001 were second in Hoofdklasse to {{Interlanguage link|Mike Crouwel|nl}}.<ref name=":0" /> He helped Neptunus to the title.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hoofdklasse seizoen 2001 |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/competitie/2001/index.html |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=Honkbalsite archief |language=nl}}</ref> In the World Port Tournament, he hit two home runs for the silver medalists.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 July 2001 |title=Geslaagde negende editie WPT |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/wpt2001/geslaagd0807.html |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=honkbalsite archief |language=nl}}</ref> In the 2001 Baseball World Cup, Isenia batted .250 with one home run, playing all 10 games for the Orange.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tournament records |url=http://www.baseball.ch/2003/T/WC/records/wc02001.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050216160550/http://www.baseball.ch/2003/T/WC/records/wc02001.htm |archive-date=2005-02-16 |website=baseball.ch}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2001 |title=Statistieken Nederland |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/wk2001/stats_nl.html |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=Honkbalsite Archief}}</ref>
In the 2002 Intercontinental Cup, Isenia hit .182 with one of only two homers for the Netherlands, with Hensley Meulens providing the other.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statistieken Nederland |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/icup2002/statistieken.html |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=www.honkbalsitearchief.nl}}</ref> In the Dutch league that year, Isenia excelled. He hit .340 (4th in Hoofdklasse),<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/baseballamericaa0000unse_h5j5 |title=Baseball America almanac 2003 |date=2003 |publisher=Baseball America |isbn=978-0-684-01929-1 |page=379}}</ref> had 67 hits (second to Dirk van 't Klooster), scored 29 runs (10th), smacked 16 doubles (leading the league, one ahead of Raily Legito), hit 3 homers (tied for 8th) and drove in 43 (second-best, one behind leader Sidney de Jong.{{cn|date=October 2022}} During 2002 Haarlem Baseball Week, he went 2-for-16 with one walk, run, and RBI.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002 |title=Statistieken Nederland |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/hhw2002/stats_nl.html |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=honkbalsite archief}}</ref>
Neptunus won another title in 2003 thanks to Isenia. He tied Norbert Lokhorst for the lead with 11 doubles and his 4 homers were one behind leader Evert-Jan 't Hoen. He tied van 't Klooster for 5th in RBI (26).{{cn|date=October 2022}} In the Baseball World Cup, Isenia played DH so that Sharnol Adriana could be used at first. Isenia batted .333 with 1 home run and 5 RBI in six games.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003 |title=Statistieken Nederland |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/wk2003/statistieken.html |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=Honkbalsite archief}}</ref> During the European championship, playing alongside his brother Chairon, Isenia was 3-for-6 in two games for the Dutch champions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statistieken Nederland |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/ek2003/statistieken.html |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=Honkbalsite archief}}</ref> In the 2003 World Port Tournament, he hit .243/~.282/.378, with his 7 RBI tied with Fausto Álvarez for third-most in the event.{{cn|date=October 2022}} He hit one of the two homers in the tournament that year, with teammate Tjerk Smeets socking the other.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Raily Legito uitgeroepen tot MVP |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/wpt2003/prijzen.html |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=Honkbalsite Archief |language=nl}}</ref>
In 2004, the 27-year-old did not finish among the Hoofdklasse leaders in anything for the first time in five years. Isenia did not make the Dutch team for the 2004 Summer Olympics, as Yurendell de Caster was chosen at first base instead with de Jong as the backup.{{cn|date=October 2022}} During Haarlem Baseball Week, Isenia went 2-for-11 with one double, walk, run, and 3 RBI.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004 |title=Statistieken Nederland |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/hhw2004/statistieken.html |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=Honkbalsite archief}}</ref>
Isenia hit .271/.347/.349 for Neptunus in 2005 as they won their sixth straight title.{{cn|date=October 2022}} In the 2005 Baseball World Cup, he batted .289 to help the Dutch finish 4th, their best finish to that point. He had 7 doubles, 11 runs and 8 RBI in 10 games.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005 |title=Statistieken Nederland |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/wk2005/statistieken.html |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=www.honkbalsitearchief.nl}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=17 September 2005 |title=Prijs voor Dirk van 't Klooster |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/wk2005/persoonlijke_prijzen.html |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=honkbalsitearchief.nl |language=nl}}</ref> He made the All-Tournament team at first base.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/baseballamerica200edit |title=Baseball America almanac, 2006 : a comprehensive review of the 2005 season, featuring statistics and commentary |date=2006 |publisher=Baseball America: Distributed by Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-1-932391-07-7 |pages=349}}</ref> Isenia also did well in the 2005 European Championship, tying Ivanon Coffie for third in hits (14), finishing 4th in slugging (.710) and tying for third in RBI (10); Jairo Ramos Gizzi beat him out for All-Star honors at first base.{{cn|date=October 2022}}
In the 2006 World Baseball Classic, Isenia struck out against J.C. Romero as a pinch-hitter for Adriana in the 8th inning of the team's first game. In game three, he was 2-for-4 with a walk as the #5 hitter and DH in a rout of Panama.{{cn|date=October 2022}} Overall, his .400/.500/.400 line produced a better OPS than the team's other 1B/DH options, major leaguer Randall Simon and minor-league veteran Adriana.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WBC Stats {{!}} WBC Team Stats {{!}} WBC Leaders |url=https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/stats/kingdom-of-the-netherlands/2006 |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> Isenia hit .273/.385/.273 in the 2006 Haarlem Baseball Week and scored the tying run in the finale against Cuba.{{cn|date=October 2022}} In 2006, he moved to SV ADO and produced at a .240/.308/.331 clip, a shadow of his former self. He tied Harvey Monte for fifth in doubles. He hit .226 with 2 home runs, 7 runs, and 8 RBI in 8 games in the 2006 Intercontinental Cup to help the Dutch to a silver medal.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006 |title=Statistieken Nederland |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/icup2006/statistieken.html |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=Honkbalsite archief}}</ref>
Isenia batted .282/.331/.444 in his final season with ADO in 2007.<ref name=":2" /> He was 4-for-19 with a double and 3 RBIin 6 games in the 2007 World Port Tournament.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007 |title=Statistieken Nederland |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/wpt2007/statistieken.html |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=Honkbalsite archief}}</ref>
Isenia was selected by coach Robert Eenhoorn for the Netherlands national team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.<ref>[http://www.knbsb.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1392&Itemid=174 Dutch Olympic Baseball squad 2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080804032141/http://www.knbsb.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1392&Itemid=174 |date=2008-08-04 }}, knbsb.nl, ret: Aug 5, 2008</ref><ref name=":1" />
Isenia moved to Sparta-Feyenoord in 2008, then Amsterdam Pirates in 2011, ending his Hoofdklasse career after 2014.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Percy Isenia Career Stats Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=isenia001per |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=Baseball Reference}}</ref>
== Coaching career == Isenia was an early promoter of women's baseball in the Netherlands. He was the manager of the Netherlands national team in the 2010 Women's World Cup, the team's first appearance in the tournament.<ref>{{Cite web |last=van Zon |first=Rogier |date=11 May 2010 |title=Debuut Nederland op WK in Venezuela |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/dwk2010/damesteam_wk1105.html |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=Honkbalsite archief |language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=van Zon |first=Rogier |date=25 August 2016 |title=Dix: ‘we zijn fitter en sterker dan twee jaar geleden’ |url=https://honkbalsoftbal.nl/2016/08/25/dix-we-zijn-fitter-en-sterker-dan-twee-jaar-geleden/ |website=HonkbalSoftbal.nl |language=nl}}</ref> The Dutch women lost all their games in the tournament.<ref>{{Cite web |last=van Zon |first=Rogier |date=21 August 2010 |title=Nederland tiende op WK voor vrouwen |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/dwk2010/wedstrijd8.html |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=honkbalsite archief |language=nl}}</ref> He managed the team at the 2012 World Cup,<ref>{{Cite web |last=van Zon |first=Rogier |title=Nederlandse vrouwenhonkballers naar WK |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/wkv2012/deelname_nederland0702.html |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=Honkbalsite archief |language=nl}}</ref> where the team won its first game, defeating Cuba in the seventh-place game to finish second-to-last in the tournament.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Schedule and Results |url=http://www.wbsc.org/tournaments/2012-womens-baseball-world-cup/schedule-and-results/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809130535/http://www.wbsc.org/tournaments/2012-womens-baseball-world-cup/schedule-and-results/ |archive-date=2016-08-09 |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=Tournaments {{!}} WBSC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=van Zon |first=Rogier |date=19 August 2012 |title=Nederland zevende na historische zege |url=https://www.honkbalsitearchief.nl/events/wkv2012/wedstrijd9.html |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=Honkbalsite archief |language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=19 August 2012 |title=Women’s BWC: Netherlands upsets Cuba to finish 7th |url=https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2012-womens-baseball-world-cup/news/womens-bwc-netherlands-upsets-cuba-to-finish-7th |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=World Baseball Softball Confederation |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{baseball stats|brm=isenia001per}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20101227050156/http://www.honkbalsite.com/nederlandsteam/percyisenia.html Isenia's profile at honkbalsite.com] {{in lang|nl}}
{{Netherlands roster 2003 Baseball World Cup}} {{Netherlands 2006 World Baseball Classic roster}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Isenia, Percy}} Category:Dutch baseball players Category:Olympic baseball players for the Netherlands Category:Baseball players at the 2000 Summer Olympics Category:Baseball players at the 2008 Summer Olympics Category:Baseball players from South Holland Category:Sportspeople from Zwijndrecht, Netherlands Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:Dutch people of Curaçaoan descent Category:2003 European Baseball Championship players Category:2003 Baseball World Cup players Category:2005 European Baseball Championship players Category:2005 Baseball World Cup players Category:DOOR Neptunus players Category:ADO players Category:Sparta-Feyenoord players Category:L&D Amsterdam Pirates players Category:Women's baseball coaches Category:World Baseball Classic players of the Netherlands Category:Dutch sports coaches