Steve van Dorpel
Encyclopedia
Steven van Dorpel (December 13, 1965 in Amsterdam
– June 7, 1989 in Paramaribo
) was a Dutch
-Suriname
footballer
. During his career he played for FC Volendam
.
He died at the age of 23, killed in the Surinam Airways Flight PY764
air crash in Paramaribo
on June 7, 1989. He was nicknamed "De parel van de Bijlmer" (The pearl of the Bijlmer), named after the Bijlmer district in Amsterdam where he lived. He was the nephew of fellow professional footballers Kevin Bobson
and Etiënne Esajas
and went to the same high school as Ortwin Linger
, who also died in the crash.
. He scored a backheel goal against FC Den Bosch; this highlight would continuously be replayed by NOS Studio Sport
. Against AFC Ajax he ran through a defence that included Danny Blind
and Aron Winter
to score another memorable goal against Stanley Menzo
. His achievements attracted serious interest from teams such as Feyenoord Rotterdam
, FC Twente
and Roda JC. Although FC Volendam did not want to let him go, he was close to signing a contract with Roda JC for the 1989-1990 season.
, needed them in their quest for promotion to the Eredivisie. Two of his other friends, Stanley Menzo
and Hennie Meijer
of Ajax, were also instructed to not go, but Menzo and Meijer defied their club and went, both taking an earlier flight.
On June 7, 1989, Surinam Airways Flight PY764 crashed during approach to Paramaribo-Zanderij International Airport, killing 176 of the 187 passengers on board, including Van Dorpel, making it the worst ever aviation disaster in Suriname's history. Only three members of the 18-member Colourful 11 contingent survived the crash.
Van Dorpel had never seen his father and was about to change his last name into his mother's name, "Esajas". He had planned to meet his father for the first time in his life in Suriname during the Colourful 11 trip. In memory of Van Dorpel, a statue was erected behind the "Amsterdamse Poort" police station. A hall in FC Volendam's Kras Stadion
is also named after him.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
– June 7, 1989 in Paramaribo
Paramaribo
Paramaribo is the capital and largest city of Suriname, located on banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 250,000 people, more than half of Suriname's population...
) was a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
-Suriname
Suriname
Suriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
. During his career he played for FC Volendam
FC Volendam
Football Club Volendam is a Dutch football club based in Volendam, North Holland, Edam-Volendam. Founded on June 1, 1977, as a result of a split up with RKSV . It currently plays in the Eerste Divisie, holding home games at Kras Stadion, with a 6,260-seat capacity.-History:Football Club Volendam...
.
He died at the age of 23, killed in the Surinam Airways Flight PY764
Surinam Airways Flight PY764
Surinam Airways Flight 764 was an international scheduled passenger flight from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands to Paramaribo-Zanderij International Airport in Suriname on a Surinam Airways DC-8...
air crash in Paramaribo
Paramaribo
Paramaribo is the capital and largest city of Suriname, located on banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 250,000 people, more than half of Suriname's population...
on June 7, 1989. He was nicknamed "De parel van de Bijlmer" (The pearl of the Bijlmer), named after the Bijlmer district in Amsterdam where he lived. He was the nephew of fellow professional footballers Kevin Bobson
Kevin Bobson
Kevin Bobson is a Dutch footballer currently free agent. He can play either as a striker or winger.- Club career :...
and Etiënne Esajas
Etiënne Esajas
Etiënne Esajas is a Dutch footballer who currently plays for Swindon Town in the English Third Division , He formerly played for Sheffield Wednesday and Vitesse...
and went to the same high school as Ortwin Linger
Ortwin Linger
Ortwin Linger was a Dutch-Suriname footballer. During his career he played for HFC Haarlem. He was a passenger on Surinam Airways Flight PY764 when it crashed in Paramaribo on June 7, 1989. He died three days later, at 21 years of age, due to his injuries suffered in the crash...
, who also died in the crash.
Club career
His main skills were his strength and his pace. He joined FC Volendam in 1987 and was one of the most promising talents in the EredivisieEredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
. He scored a backheel goal against FC Den Bosch; this highlight would continuously be replayed by NOS Studio Sport
Nederlandse Omroep Stichting
The Nederlandse Omroep Stichting , English: Netherlands Broadcasting Foundation, is one of the broadcasters in the Netherlands Public Broadcasting system...
. Against AFC Ajax he ran through a defence that included Danny Blind
Danny Blind
Dirk Franciscus "Danny" Blind is a football coach and former Dutch international player. He played as a defender for Sparta Rotterdam, AFC Ajax and the Dutch national team.Blind was born in Oost-Souburg, Netherlands...
and Aron Winter
Aron Winter
Aron Mohamed Winter [VIN-ter] is a retired Dutch football midfielder and current head coach of Toronto FC...
to score another memorable goal against Stanley Menzo
Stanley Menzo
Stanley Purl Menzo is a retired Dutch footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and a current coach.Most of his professional career was spent at Ajax , appearing in more than 300 official matches with the club and winning nine major titles.Menzo represented the Dutch national team in one World Cup...
. His achievements attracted serious interest from teams such as Feyenoord Rotterdam
Feyenoord Rotterdam
Feyenoord is a Dutch professional football club located in Rotterdam. Along with Ajax and PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord is one of the "big three" clubs in the Netherlands. These three clubs and Utrecht and Roda JC are the only clubs never to have been relegated from the Dutch first division...
, FC Twente
FC Twente
FC Twente is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, playing in the Eredivisie. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Eredivisie Champions, Sportclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys...
and Roda JC. Although FC Volendam did not want to let him go, he was close to signing a contract with Roda JC for the 1989-1990 season.
Surinam Airways plane crash
He was invited by Colourful 11 founder Sonny Hasnoe to be part of the team travelling to Suriname to play in the "Boxel Kleurrijk Tournament" against three Surinamese teams. His friends André and Steve Wasiman were also invited but could not make the trip as their team, Excelsior RotterdamExcelsior Rotterdam
SBV Excelsior is a professional football club from the Kralingen-Crooswijk district of Rotterdam, Netherlands. It was founded on July 23, 1902 and was formerly known as 'Rotterdamse Voetbal en Atletiek Vereniging Excelsior'...
, needed them in their quest for promotion to the Eredivisie. Two of his other friends, Stanley Menzo
Stanley Menzo
Stanley Purl Menzo is a retired Dutch footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and a current coach.Most of his professional career was spent at Ajax , appearing in more than 300 official matches with the club and winning nine major titles.Menzo represented the Dutch national team in one World Cup...
and Hennie Meijer
Hennie Meijer
Hennie Meijer is a retired Dutch football player.Meijer was born in Paramaribo, Suriname. He is known for scoring the first ever J. League goal in the 19th minute of a game against Yokohama Marinos on 15 May 1993.-Club statistics:...
of Ajax, were also instructed to not go, but Menzo and Meijer defied their club and went, both taking an earlier flight.
On June 7, 1989, Surinam Airways Flight PY764 crashed during approach to Paramaribo-Zanderij International Airport, killing 176 of the 187 passengers on board, including Van Dorpel, making it the worst ever aviation disaster in Suriname's history. Only three members of the 18-member Colourful 11 contingent survived the crash.
Van Dorpel had never seen his father and was about to change his last name into his mother's name, "Esajas". He had planned to meet his father for the first time in his life in Suriname during the Colourful 11 trip. In memory of Van Dorpel, a statue was erected behind the "Amsterdamse Poort" police station. A hall in FC Volendam's Kras Stadion
Kras Stadion
Kras Stadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Volendam, Netherlands. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of FC Volendam. The stadium is able to hold 6,984 people and was built in 1975....
is also named after him.
External links
- Van Dorpel in Obsession Magazine
- Van Dorpel at AndroKnel.nl
- Crash report
- augustinus college
- Career stats - Voetbal International