WBSC Global Newsletter - August 2020

September 3, 2020

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WBSC GLOBAL NEWSLETTER  
August 2020


WBSC Academy unveiled: Executive Board applauds new e-learning platform, a key tool to grow baseball & softball around the world


The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Executive Board (EB), meeting online for the second time in two months, gave their unanimous approval to the WBSC Academy, the international governing body's new e-learning platform, which was presented to EB members. "We are taking advantage of this forced pause from our normal activities to restructure our departments and operations with the goal to be more modern and agile to tackle the upcoming challenges of the new normal that is awaiting us" - President Riccardo Fraccari addressing WBSC Executive Board members.
 
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WBSC shares UN Youth Day values: Baseball/softball only sport to stage U-12 World Cup  


Raising awareness of the United Nations' "International Youth Day", the WBSC fully shares the need to engage youth and the next generations. Baseball and softball have long been sports leaders in the youth sector. The WBSC is the only international sports federation that stages a World Cup for the U-12 age bracket, which highlights the leading efforts of baseball and softball to engage youth around the world, in the spirit of the United Nations International Youth Day.
      
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WBSC Presidential Council Meeting reviews growth strategy for 'new normal' in int'l sports   


With the COVID-19's impact on sports, particularly international events, WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari convened the think-tank session to sweep over many important issues to continue the global growth of baseball and softball in the face of new challenges.
     
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New working groups hold first meeting to discuss future of international Baseball, Softball and Baseball5   



The evaluation by the WBSC of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its events continued with a kick-off meeting of two new working groups for Baseball, Softball and Baseball5.
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari chaired the online meeting and encouraged the members to think outside the box. "Now is the time for change," President Fraccari said. "We need to evaluate our sport and to see how we can modify our sport to adapt to the new norm.
     
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WBSC Athletes Commission: Players are part of WBSC's decision-making process       


The WBSC Athletes Commission, co-chaired by former Olympians Justin Huber (Australia) and Maria Soto (Venezuela), met virtually. All members of the commission participated in the online meeting, including Randolph Oduber (Aruba), Ashley Stephenson (Canada), Bruno Motroni (Argentina), Erika Polidori (Canada) and Pauline Prade (France). WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari opened the meeting briefing the commission members about the initiatives of other WBSC Commissions, hosting and planning for webinars and workshops.
       
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Good things come in threes: Japanese softball legend Eri Yamada eyes third medal at Tokyo 2020 Olympics        


An interview with Eri Yamada, who won bronze at Athens 2004 and gold at Beijing 2008, aims to win her third Olympic medal at Tokyo 2020. The two-time WBSC Women's Softball World Champion talks about her Olympic experience and the expectations on Tokyo 2020.      
       
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It's been 55 years since first-ever Women's Softball World Championship in 1965         


The flagship international softball tournament was played for the first time in 1965 in Melbourne, Australia. With the launch of the global softball platform, the sport began its expansion on the international sports scene.        
       
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Softball Australia names U-23 Men's National Team candidates


Softball Australia has named 30 of the nation's top players who are candidates for the first-ever Australian U-23 Men's National Softball Team, ahead of the inaugural WBSC U-23 Men's Softball World Cup next year.  The 30-man roster has 14 players from the 2018 U-19 world championship team, and 11 athletes from the 2020 U-18 team, who lost the World Championship Game against Japan this past February.
 
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New Zealand names preliminary roster for WBSC U-23 Men's Softball World Cup

New Zealand Softball has announced a preliminary list of 23 athletes for the U-23 men's softball national team, which will hold a training camp in Palmerston North from 24-26 October. The camp will start the selection process for the first-ever WBSC U-23 Men's Softball World Cup, to be played in Argentina at the end of 2021.    
 
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On This Day
Two years ago: USA walks-off to win WBSC Women's Softball World Championship 2018 in front of record crowd in Japan       




One of the most intense international softball games of all time ended two years ago, at ZOZO Marine Stadium in Chiba, Japan. On 12 August 2018, USA defeated host Japan, 7-6, in a 10-inning thriller to win the WBSC Women's Softball World Championship 2018. The event awarded USA a berth in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.  
 
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One year ago: USA three-peats as U-19 Women's Softball World Champion   



Francesca Hammoude's three-run blast in the bottom of the eighth inning ignited a 4-3, come-from behind victory for USA to clinch their seventh overall world title. The WBSC U-19 Women's Softball World Cup was played in Irvine, California, USA, from 10-17 August 2019 at Bill Barber Park.  
 
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Watch Yukiko Ueno's perfect game at Athens 2004 Olympic Games   


On 20 August 2004, the Japan women's softball national team faced China in the last game of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games Preliminary Round, a win-or-go-home game for the Japanese side. Head coach Taeko Utsugi trusted the ball to a 22-year-old Yukiko Ueno to pitch the crucial game, and the right hander responded with the greatest single game pitching performance in the history of Olympic softball. Thanks to the Olympic Channel, you can watch Ueno's masterpiece, the only 7-inning perfect game in Olympic softball history.
 
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Italy, Czech Republic junior national softball teams prepare together ahead of World Cup, European Championship      


The junior women's softball national teams from the Czech Republic visited Italy from 24-27 August to compete in a WBSC-sanctioned Summer Softball Challenge, a series a friendly games held outside Milan. The U-18 and U-15 national teams from both countries played each other, and competed against four local clubs Bollate, Caronno Pertusella, Legnano and Saronno.
 
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Netherlands blanks Germany twice to sweep second leg of women's softball friendly series         


The Netherlands women's softball national team held Germany scoreless over two games on Sunday to clinch matches 3 and 4 of the WBSC-sanctioned friendly series. The Dutch team secured the first game of the day with a 6-inning, 7-0 win; while a 6-run first inning set the tone for a 10-0 victory in the second match. The games were played in Enschede, Netherlands.  
 
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Softball Europe appoints new Umpires Director from Germany


Softball Europe announced today that Raoul Machalet has been promoted to the position of Director of Umpires, replacing Carolien Stadhouders -- whowill continue her role as Regional Umpire Coordinator with the WBSC.  
 
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