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WBSC Global Newsletter - 31 May 2019

May 31, 2019

Prague, CZ - - WBSC Global Newsletter - 31 May 2019


WBSC GLOBAL NEWSLETTER - 31 MAY 2019
 
WBSC reveals groups, bracket for U-18 Baseball World Cup 2019 youth flagship in Gijang, Korea

 
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) unveiled the group draw and tournament bracket for the XXIX WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup® 2019, which will be staged from 30 August to 8 September at Gijang-Hyundai Dream Ballpark in Gijang, Republic of Korea. Host and 2017 runner-up Korea will headline Group A, together with the top teams in Oceania and Europe - Australia and Netherlands - Canada, Nicaragua and China. Group B features world No. 1 Japan, four-time defending U-18 World Cup Champions USA, Chinese Taipei, Panama, South Africa and Spain.    
 
Less than 20 days to Men's Softball World Championship in Czech Republic

 
With less than 20 days to the Men's Softball World Championship Opening Day host Czech Republic, Cuba and Mexico had confirmed their roster for the pinnacle event. Coming from a ninth place performance two years ago in Whitehorse, Czech Republic aims to make the most of the home advantage and advance to the playoffs. The Cuban National Team will return to the WBSC Men's Softball World Championship more than 30 years after its first and only participation in the event. And Mexico is set to return to the playoffs after a 22-year absence: its last appearance was back in 1996 in Midland, USA, when they finished fifth place.
Premier12: I-Chung Hong to lead Chinese Taipei in major global baseball event, Olympic qualifier


The Chinese Taipei Baseball Team selection committee named I-Chung Hong, the winningest manager in Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) history, as team manager for II WBSC Premier12 in November. Hong, current skipper for CPBL's Lamigo Monkeys, played for Chinese Taipei at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and managed the squad at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Hong was also on the Chinese Taipei coaching staff of the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006. Chinese Taipei will be the home team, hosting Group B, which features the men's national teams of No. 1 Japan as well as baseball powerhouses No. 9 Venezuela and No. 11 Puerto Rico. 
 
WBSC unveils schedule for U-12 Baseball, Softball World Cups in Tainan; Pokémon joins as Ambassador of U-12 Baseball World Cup 2019
 
 
The WBSC revealed the Opening Round schedules of the inaugural WBSC U-12 Softball World Cup® 2019 and the V WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup® 2019, while welcoming the Pokémon® franchise as Ambassador of the U-12 Baseball World Cup 2019. The 12-nation U-12 Baseball World Cup will be played at its new home, the US$ 130 million-dollar Tainan Asia Pacific Stadiums, from 26 July to 4 August in Tainan City. The inaugural U-12 Softball World Cup - will feature the mixed (boys and girls) teams of Chinese Taipei, Czech Republic, Indonesia and Peru - and take place over five days of competition, from 26-30 July at Tainan's Guei-Jen Park.
     
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South Africa Continental Champion, advances to Baseball Europe-Africa Tokyo 2020 Qualifier
 
The South African National Baseball Team won the African Championship and will advance to the WBSC Europe-Africa Baseball 2019 Qualifying Event for the Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020, which will be held in Parma and Bologna, Italy, from 18 to 22 September. Baseball in Africa is expanding as eight new nations on the continent are expected to debut in the update of the WBSC World Rankings.
 
WBSC reveals groups, 62-game schedule for U-19 Women's Softball World Cup in Irvine, California
 
 
The WBSC revealed the groups and tournament schedule of the XIII WBSC U-19 Women's Softball World Cup, being staged from 10-17 August in Irvine, California, United States. The biggest international youth softball tournament will be played at Bill Barber Park, showcasing 62 games across 8 days of global competition. Online ticket sales have launched, with single passes for the eight days of competition available. Fans around the world can purchase tickets here.
 
Six nations advance to Shanghai, all teams confirmed for the Asia/Oceania softball qualifier
 
 
Six Asian nations have been confirmed entry into the WBSC Asia/Oceania Softball 2019 Qualifying Event for the Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020, following the Softball Asia Cup held in Jakarta, Indonesia. Host China, Chinese Taipei, Philippines, Korea, Indonesia and Hong Kong, along with Australia and New Zealand, will battle in Shanghai for an Olympic berth and chance for gold in Tokyo. The top three finishers in Asia - Japan, China and Chinese Taipei - are also the first national teams qualified for the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup in 2021.   

Watch the best of the Baseball5 Americas Open
 
Watch the highlights of the Baseball5 Americas Open, the launch event of WBSC Baseball5 pro tour hosted by the Colombian Softball Federation on a temporary venue at the iconic beach of Playa Bocagrande, better known as El Bony. The whole tournament was followed by raucous crowds, made by tourists and locals. 
Botswana, South Africa advance to Europe/Africa Tokyo 2020 Softball Qualifier

 
Botswana and South Africa have confirmed their places in the WBSC Europe/Africa Softball Qualifying Event for the Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020, which will be staged from 23-27 July in Utrecht, Netherlands. Botswana and South Africa emerged as possessing the top two Women's Softball Teams on the African continent, following the Women's Softball Africa Qualifier, which was won by Botswana at Rietondale Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa. Nigeria earned first-ever ranking points, and is set to appear in the next WBSC Softball World Rankings 
New European Women's Baseball Championship to be launched this July in Rouen, France   
 
 
The WBSC and its continental body Confederation of European Baseball (CEB) jointly announced the launching of a new European Championship in the discipline of Women's Baseball, to be first staged in July and contested every year prior to the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup®. Hosting rights for the inaugural European Women's Baseball Championship 2019 have been awarded to the French city of Rouen in collaboration with the French Federation of Baseball and Softball (FFBS). The European champion will automatically qualify for the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup. 
 
Ken Eriksen named USA Softball Head Coach for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

 
USA Softball announced long-time Women's National Team leader Ken Eriksen as the Head Coach for the Tokyo 2020 U.S. Olympic Softball Team. Selected by members of the USA Softball Women's National Team Selection Committee (WNTSC), Eriksen will lead the Red, White and Blue in their return to the Olympic Games as Team USA looks to reclaim the Gold Medal from host country Japan. "I am humbled by the fact that I am able to follow in the footsteps of two of my mentors in fastpitch softball, Ralph Raymond and Mike Candrea, the last two coaches to lead Team USA in the Olympics," said Eriksen.  
 
Lima 2019 inaugurates Pan American Games softball stadium 
 
Lima 2019 Pan American Games officially opened the softball stadium at Villa María del Triunfo Sports Complex in the Peruvian capital. This is the fifth venue inaugurated in the complex, including the baseball stadium, presented back in March. Six nations will be playing at the brand-new stadium during the Pan American Games, both in women's and men's categories. Men's softball will be played from 25 July to 1 August, with the participation of Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, host Peru, United States and Venezuela. The women's competition will be staged from 3-10 August, with Canada, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, United States and Venezuela battling for the Gold Medal. 
 
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WBSC presents Baseball5 at SportAccord
 
The WBSC together with Baseball Australia presented the new urban, youth-focused discipline Baseball5 during The Gold Coast Sports Festival 2019. Boys and girls of Baseball Australia played exhibition games which caught the attention of everyone around the venue. After the Gold Coast Sports Festival, WBSC and Baseball Australia introduced the new urban version of baseball-softball to 150 boys and girls in the age range 8-12 representing four different schools of the Gold Coast. 
 
Dominican baseball leader Hector Pereyra, 58, passes away 
 
The world of international baseball mourns the loss of Hector Pereyra, who passed away on Thursday, 23 May, at the age of 58, days before his 59th birthday. Affectionally known as Tito, he was a talented writer and speaker who devoted his professional life to baseball. In 2018 he was elected to his seventh term as the President the National Baseball Federation (FEDOBE). Pereyra had served since 2017 as the President of the Pan American Confederation (COPABE) and was the Americas Continental Vice President on the WBSC Baseball Division Board. 
 
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New Zealand softball legend, WBSC Hall of Famer Dave Sorenson passes away
 
The world softball community is mourning the loss of WBSC Hall of Famer and New Zealand softball legend Dave Sorenson, who was the captain of the first gold medal winning New Zealand Men's National Team in 1976. Sorenson died in Lower Hutt on May 16, aged 76, after a long illness. He was inducted into the WBSC Softball Hall of Fame in 1993 and the New Zealand Hall of Fame in 1995. The Cardinals and Hutt Valley legend was the father of Mark Sorenson, current coach of the world champion New Zealand Black Sox and also member of the WBSC Softball Hall of Fame. The pair are the only father and son combination inducted into the WBSC and New Zealand Halls of Fame.  
 
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