World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC)

February 4, 2021

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WBSC Global Newsletter
January 2021

WBSC President Fraccari Op-Ed: 200 days to Tokyo 2020 and baseball-softball’s Olympic comeback


Marking 200 days to go until the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, on 4 January the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) President Riccardo Fraccari looked ahead to baseball and softball's exciting Olympic return and their bright future beyond.

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WBSC launches new baseball-softball history section


WBSC's website has launched a new, dedicated section on the history of baseball, softball and the WBSC. The section looks back at the origins of baseball and softball as well a timeline on all the key moments in the history of the sports and the international governing body.

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Africa: Dates, location announced for WBSC Men’s, U-23 Softball World Cup qualifiers


The African qualifier for the inaugural U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup will be held at Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park, South Africa, from 24-27 June 2021, and will grant one spot in the global tournament. The African continental qualifier for the next WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup will be played at the same venue from 25-29 August 2021, with the winner earning a ticket to the World Cup.

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Asia Cup Baseball5, qualifiers for WBSC World Cup, postponed to a later date

“Baseball Federation of Asia (BFA), Softball Asia (SA) and the WBSC-Asia Baseball5 Commission will review the situation from April – June 2021 to see if it is possible to plan more definitely to hold the Asia Cup Baseball5 qualifiers in the later part of 2021 or early 2022,” said Beng Choo Low.

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New Zealand adds Patrick Shannon to coaching staff for WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup 2022

Former catcher Patrick Shannon, a two-time world champion with the Black Sox, has been appointed as the battery coach of New Zealand's Men’s National Softball Team, the Black Sox.

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Philippines looking to break into Top 10 of WBSC Women's Baseball World Rankings

Some softball players will transition to women's baseball to make the WBSC Women's World Cup roster. The Philippines are amongst the nations qualified for the ninth WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup.

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Botswana names roster for African qualifier to WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup 2022

A total of 17 players have been named to the Botswana Men’s National Softball Team, 14 of them veterans of the 2019 team that finished in 14th place in the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup in the Czech Republic.

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Peru unveils original song to support national team at WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup

The Peruvian Softball Federation unveiled today “Generacion de Oro” (“Golden Generation”), an original song dedicated to support the Peruvian National Softball Team in the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup, to be held in Lima, Peru, from 28 August to 5 September.

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TOKYO 2020 OLYMPIC GAMES

Samurai manager Inaba wants Tokyo Olympics to unite entire Japanese baseball world and inspire younger generations



The skipper said the only regret of his distinguished playing career is not winning a medal at the Olympics after finishing fourth with Japan at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. "I don't want the players to feel that way," he said.

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Australian Olympic Softball Team cuts prelim roster to 23


The Australian National Softball Team has narrowed its preliminary roster to 23 athletes and will open training camp on 18 February at the Australian Institute of Sport, aiming to win their fifth Olympic medal in history in the Tokyo Olympics this summer.

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USA Softball Olympic Team reassembles in Florida for training camp


The USA Women's Softball Olympic Team came together in Lakeland, Florida for a training camp, reuniting for the first time since March. The team took part in a series of workouts, practice sessions, and simulated game situations at Barnett Athletic Complex, home of the Florida Southern College softball program, from 4-16 January.

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200 days to softball’s historic Olympic return at Tokyo 2020


2 January marked 200 days to softball’s historic and much-awaited Olympic return at Tokyo 2020. On 21 July 2021, the six qualified teams will take the field at Fukushima’s Azuma Stadium for Day 1 of the softball competition at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020. Softball will have the honour to officially open the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, being the first sport to be contested in the next Summer Games.

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Italian Olympic Softball Team opens training camp on 21 January

The athletes worked with the full staff from 21 to 30 January 2021 in two different locations. The activities began at the "Giulio Onesti" Olympic Preparation Center in Rome and continued with on-field training sessions in Pescara.

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Ota Stadium named Tokyo 2020 baseball/softball training venue

Ota Stadium will be used from 5 July to 10 August as the official training venue for baseball and softball at this summer's Tokyo Olympic Games. The artificial-grass stadium has a capacity of 3,223 people and is located in the Ota Ward, near Haneda airport.

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Yukiyo Mine keeps focus on second Olympic softball gold medal

As a 20-year-old catcher, Yukiyo Mine was behind the plate in Ueno’s historic, two-day, 413-pitching effort to guide Japan to the gold medal in Beijing 2008. Now, 13 years later, she is a part of the Japan National Team preliminary roster, aiming to gain back-to-back Olympic gold medals at this summer's Tokyo Games.

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Mexican National Softball Team to open Olympic year with training camp in California

"We are going to have a training camp with some practice games and tryouts, because it’s still a preliminary roster,” said Carmen Alanis, Mexican Softball Federation CEO.

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NATIONAL FEDERATIONS

Federation Focus: New movement aims to boost baseball, softball in Finland


In the first edition of the Federation Focus series in 2021, the newly elected president of the Finnish Baseball and Softball Federation talks about the relationship with pesäpallo - the Finnish version of baseball - and how the sports can develop together and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their year, including the delay in celebrating their 40th anniversary of activity.

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Neetal Narang elected first female president of Softball India

Neetal NARANG made history during the Softball Association of India 50th General Body Meeting & Election held on 23 December, becoming the first woman to be elected president of India's softball national governing body.

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Costa Rica baseball, softball bodies strike alliance to grow the sport, national teams

The deal aims to improve recruiting and strengthen the two National Baseball and Softball Teams. The governing bodies of baseball and softball in Costa Rica also intend to combine forces to strengthen ties with the WBSC.

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NEWS

Legendary Hammerin' Hank Aaron dies at 86, baseball world mourns


Hank Aaron, the man who broke Babe Ruth's Major League Baseball (MLB) home run record, passed away at the age of 86. When he retired after the 1976 season, he had played a total of 3,298 MLB games and had 1,477 extra-base hits, including 755 home runs. He also collected 3,771 career hits, 2,297 career RBIs and 6,856 career total bases.

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Bianca Smith becomes first Black woman to serve as professional baseball coach


The Boston Red Sox hired Bianca Smith as a Minor League coach, making her the first Black woman to serve as a professional baseball coach in the history of Major League Baseball (MLB). Smith, 29, will work with Boston's minor leaguers, focusing mainly on position players.

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Olympic gold medal manager Tom Lasorda dies at 93


A pitcher during his playing days (1954-1956), Lasorda went on to have a legendary career as a manager (1976-1996) with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He won 1,599 games and led the Dodgers to two World Series titles, four National League pennants and was named National League Manager of the Year twice.

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WBSC Softball Hall of Famer Ty Stofflet, one of the greatest of all time, passes away at 79

The legendary left-handed pitcher led USA to win the WBSC (ISF) Men’s Softball World Championship 1976, where he pitched a 20-inning no-hitter to outduel New Zealand legend Kevin Herlihy by a score of 1-0.

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