The Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Federation (, KNBSB) is the national governing body of baseball in the Netherlands. Baseball is widely played in the Netherlands but has struggled to become a major spectator sport due to the dominance of soccer, in which the Netherlands has always been one of the leading nations. School-aged children are generally encouraged to play soccer rather than baseball. The national major league in the Netherlands, the Honkbal Hoofdklasse, was established in 1922. Notable Dutch baseball players include Hensley Meulens, Robert Eenhoorn, Andruw Jones, and Didi Gregorius.