WBSC Global Newsletter - May 2020

June 1, 2020

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WBSC GLOBAL NEWSLETTER
May 2020

President Fraccari: Baseball-softball need to be at the heart of global COVID-19 recovery

 

As countries, starting to recuperate from the coronavirus pandemic, begin to open up their economies and ease restrictions around the movement of people, we in the baseball-softball community must embrace the role that our global sport -- which connects to over 65 million players and 150 million fans in over 140 countries -- can play in shaping fitter and healthier societies, better placed to combating public health challenges.

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WBSC issues guidelines for a safe return of baseball/softball activity in new COVID-19 world

Recommendations have been set in accordance with the World Health Organization's guidance for large sporting events, as baseball and softball bodies, leagues and other stakeholders plan their return to action.

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WBSC President says baseball/softball must find new ways to deliver sport in face of COVID-19

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) President Riccardo Fraccari has confirmed the world governing body is exploring innovative ways to present the sport in the face of the newly coronavirus-shaped world. WBSC has already changed the way it is operating, harnessing technology and remote conferencing, with more innovation in the pipeline.

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WBSC awards Argentina the hosting rights of first-ever U-23 Men's Softball World Cup

The WBSC announced that the hosting rights of the inaugural U-23 Men's Softball World Cup 2021 have been awarded to Argentina. This will be the second softball world cup hosted by the South American nation, after the IX Men's Softball World Championship 2012 held in Parana.

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Federation Focus: Australian baseball is thriving from youth to pro levels

Baseball was introduced in Australia in the 1850s by gold miners. We look at how it evolved, leading to the current Australian Baseball League and the discovery of Baseball5.Baseball Australia is the governing body for all levels of baseball throughout the country.

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Creation of WBSC and combined body has boosted baseball/softball's global status, says President Fraccari

The world head of baseball and softball spoke on global issues concerning baseball and softball. WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said the combined global governing body for baseball and softball has strengthened the bat-and-ball sports and their Olympic status.

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Fans return to Taiwan Professional Women's Softball League as foreign players make their debut

Up to 300 people attended Wanshou Baseball Stadium in Taichung. Kelly Barnhill and Kaisey Carson became TPWSL's first foreign players this season after being quarantined for 14 days.

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Czech Softball to open Extraleague seasons in June

The Czech Softball Association has announced the starting dates of their national leagues, the Men's and Women's Extraleague competitions, which feature the country's highest level of competition. The 10-team Men's Softball Extraleague will open on 6 June, while the eight-team women's national league will get underway a week later, on 13 June.

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Softball Canada cancels 2020 championships

After carefully considering all factors at play, Softball Canada's Board of Directors has made the decision to cancel all of its Canadian Fast Pitch and Slow Pitch Championships for the 2020 season, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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WBSC postpones 2021 Women's Softball World Cup to 2023 to keep spotlight on 2021 Olympics

The WBSC announced the postponement of the 2021 WBSC Women's Softball World Cup to 2023. In addition, the WBSC will recognise the 2022 World Games as the top women's international softball competition for 2022, with the winning team named world champion.

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USA Softball's Osterman, McCleney, Mulipola discuss upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

The historic return of Olympic softball will take place at the Tokyo 2020 Games in 2021. USA players Cat Osterman, Haylie McCleney and Dejah Mulipola recently talked about the upcoming Games.

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Rhys Casley, former Black Sox captain: U-18 World Cup was huge for softball in New Zealand

 

Celebrating the three-month anniversary since the start of the WBSC U-18 Men's Softball World Cup 2020, which took place in Palmerston North, New Zealand from 22 February to 1 March, the WBSC caught up with one of the most recognisable faces at Colquhoun Park, former Black Sox star Rhys Casley, to look back at the memorable event.

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Video: Celebration of WBSC U-18 Men's Softball World Cup marks two months since Japan's triumph

Celebrating two months of the WBSC U-18 Men's Softball World Cup final between Japan and Australia, on 1 May WBSC released a video reviewing an unforgettable tournament that saw the Asian giant win their third title in the youth categories and the Czech Republic clinch their first-ever medal in men's softball history. It was the inaugural edition of the WBSC U-18 Men's Softball World Cup, a newly created event that replaced the former Junior Men's Softball World Championship (for U-19 players).

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European Softball Championships: Men, Women's postponed to 2021, U-15 Women's cancelled

The continental championships serve as qualifiers for the respective WBSC Softball World Cups. Both senior European Championships were postponed to 2021, while the U-15 Women's event has been cancelled, and the next edition will be held in 2022.
https://www.wbsc.org/news/wbsc-europe-cancels-u-15-womens-softball-european-championship

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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Tokyo 2020 softball hopeful Danielle Lawrie-Locke reflects on Beijing 2008 Olympic experience

Danielle Lawrie-Locke, a strong contender for the Canadian Tokyo 2020 softball squad, reflects on one of the most difficult moments in her stellar career and how the Beijing 2008 experience turned her into a better player.

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No plans to change USA's Olympic Softball roster

No changes are currently planned for the USA Softball Olympic roster, which was originally announced on 6 October 2019, months prior to the announcement that the Tokyo 2020 Games would be postponed to 2021, USA Softball confirms.

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Tokyo 2020 unveils "One minute, One sport" Olympic softball promo video

 

As part of a video series called "One Minute, One Sport", the hosts of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have released a promo video showcasing softball rules and highlights, with pictures of the top Olympic players in history. Softball will make its historic Olympic return at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

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New baseball-softball federation established in Bulgaria following merger

The baseball and softball federations in Bulgaria have joined forces, merging into the newly established Bulgarian Baseball and Softball Federation (BBSF). Youri Alkalay has been elected to a two-year term as the body's first president.

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WBSC's 'GameTime Classics' series buzzing on social media

International baseball and softball seasons have been put on hold by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the reason why the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) decided to look into its treasure chest of archives to feed baseball and softball fans with some past games that helped shape the international evolution of the sport. And the WBSC's GameTime Classics series has proved to be a great success with 68 baseball and softball games streamed via WBSC YouTube channel and Facebook page so far.

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About the World Baseball Softball Confederation

Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland -- the Olympic Capital -- the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) is the world governing body for baseball and softball. WBSC has 208 National Federation and Associate Members in 135 countries and territories across Asia, Africa, Americas, Europe and Oceania, which represent a united baseball/softball sports movement that encompasses over 65 million athletes and attracts approximately 150 million fans to stadiums worldwide annually.

The WBSC governs all international competitions involving official National Teams. The WBSC oversees the Softball World Cups, Softball World Championships (Men, Women, U-19 Men, and U-19 Women), Premier12, World Baseball Classic, and Baseball World Cups (U-12, U-15, U-18, U-23 and Women's), as well as baseball and softball events at the Olympic Games.

For more information, visit www.wbsc.org, which is available six languages: English, French, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Traditional Chinese.


World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), Avenue Général-Guisan 45, Pully, 1009 Switzerland