English/Español Sommaire français en pages 13 et 14 September - December 2009 Volume 37 Number 3 Official Official Publication of the International Softball Federation Show your support for the Olympic reinstatement campaign. Visit the Back Softball website for more information and click on the merchandise link to help the drive to 2016 at www.BackSoftball.com An Initiative Of INTERNATIONAL SOFTBALL FEDERATION 1900 So. Park Road • Plant City, FL 33563 USA Telephone: (+1.813) 864.0100 • Fax: (+1.813) 864.0105 President’s Message Published at the Secretariat of the International Softball Federation Executive Council President Don E. Porter Secretary General Andrew S. Loechner, Jr. uly, August, and September were big and important months for softball First Vice President Clovis M. Lodewijks with many regional and world competitions being played and, in conclusion, all were successful. Deputy Secretary General Ms. Low Beng Choo J Vice Presidents Not only the competitive side has been successful but the sport’s Africa Marumo Morule development continues to make inroads into many countries with new Asia Steven S. W. Huang national federations being formed and active competitions being started. Masanori Ozaki Europe Mrs. Jelena Cusak Mike Jennings While the sport continues its efforts in development it will also continue Latin America Dr. Fernando Jorge Aren to work to bring back Olympic recognition, which to-date has seen four Jesús Suniaga Olympiads where overall softball was successful in giving Olympic dreams North America Dale McMann and opportunities to numerous young athletes. Oceania Bob Leveloff Council Members at Large Beatrice Allen Annie Constantinides As softball continues to expand on a global basis it will take more effort Meliton Sanchez and work by member federations and the International Softball Federation Ms. Fridah Shiroya to find support at the national, regional, and world levels in sustaining the Athlete Representative Ms. Peta Edebone sport in its quest to bring back Olympic status. INTERNATIONAL SOFTBALL FEDERATION 1900 So. Park Road Plant City, FL 33563 USA Telephone: (1.813) 864 01 00 Fax: (1.813) 864 01 05 Maison du Sport International Avenue de Rhodaine 54 1007 Lausanne Switzerland Telephone: (41.21) 601 6387 www.internationalsoftball.com Unless otherwise noted, all stories written by World Softball Magazine Editor Bruce R. Wawrzyniak, ISF Director of Communications. Spanish translation: Teresa Mulqueen Advertising rates available upon request. Although advertising is screened, acceptance of the advertisement does not necessarily imply ISF endorsement of the product. Cover photos, left to right: (top row) by John Corley, (Photo courtesy of YWC Organizing Committee) Martin Salajka, Murray Johnson, (middle row) Vision ISF President Don Porter speaking in Quest, Shanon Melnyk, courtesy of Kaohsiung the Czech Republic in August during Organizing Committee, (bottom row) Jose M. Peñalver, the Opening Ceremony of the Easton David Adiel, courtesy of JSA Foundation Youth Softball World Cup. Cups Full Of Softball In Four Countries Calendar of Events Pgs. 4-5 2009 WORLD MASTERS GAMES – SYDNEY, AUS.; OCTOBER 10-18 XXIV ISF CONGRESS – MARGARITA ISLAND, VEN.; OCTOBER 22-25 9TH CENTRAL AMERICAN GAMES (Men’s & Women’s Softball, Dec. 6-10) – SAN PEDRO SULA, HONDURAS; DECEMBER 4-12 2010 IX SOUTH AMERICAN GAMES (Women’s Softball) – MEDELLIN, COL.; MARCH 10-21 ISF XII WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – OKLAHOMA, USA; JULY 16-26 XXI CENTRAL AMERICAN & CARIBBEAN GAMES (Men’s & Women’s Softball) – MAYAGUEZ, PR; JULY 17-AUGUST 1 3RD WORLD UNIVERSITY SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP – MACERATA, ITA.; AUGUST 16TH ASIAN GAMES (Women’s Softball) – GUANGZHOU; CHN.; NOVEMBER 12-27 ‘Games’ Put Softball On Five Continents Pg. 7 The host, Venezuela, was one of 20 countries represented at the VII Pan American Softball Championship for Women. Their team was able to celebrate a bronze medal finish. (Photo by Jose M. Peñalver) Behind The Plate Pg. 11 Aussie Men Complete Ascent ith the success that national Humble) and one (0.79 for Folkard and exclusive online content was (and still is) softball teams from Australia have 0.00 for Andrew Kirkpatrick). available via the ISF’s YouTube channel, Whad over the last ten years or so, Of course the biggest winners were in the form of post-game player and it’s hard to believe that as recently as the fans, who packed Bob Van Impe coach interviews. 1988 their men’s squad was just playing Stadium in Saskatoon (Saskatchewan, Other highlights from the tournament in the International Softball Federation included Venezuela Men’s World Championship for the having finished fifth, first time. After all, the first-ever world after they came in championship of any kind for softball, eleventh place at the the women’s, was held way back in 1965 last edition of this in, yup, Australia. event. They would And with the way the men’s team – and finish round robin maybe even more so their junior men’s play in Saskatoon team – has been looking this decade, it with three of the top was natural to assume that their program five leaders in batting has been around just as long. average. At the ISF X Men’s World Championship In addition, a team in 2000 in South Africa, the Aussies like Botswana, who finished with a 3-4 won-lost record in finished 1-6, showed round robin play, and then four years (Photo by Shanon Melnyk) resiliency in not only later their first medal finish was achieved Capacity crowds were the norm at Bob Van Impe Stadium getting their first throughout the tournament. when they took home the bronze from victory after an 0-6 the 15-nation event. start by defeating Now they have reached the summit. Oh, eventual playoff Canada) beyond capacity. They even got and in what grand fashion they did so. participant Great Britain, 5-1, but in to see their team finish third out of the having played an extremely close game Not only did the Aussie Steelers defeat 16 countries that competed over those with four place finisher USA, who won the defending world champions (New ten days in July. Canada’s bronze medal just 2-1 in their round robin game versus Zealand’s Black Sox) in the 2009 gold finish came by virtue of an 8-5 loss to Botswana. medal game, but they were near perfect New Zealand that sent the Black Sox on Fireworks in the form of home runs kept in doing so! to face the Aussies in the tournament’s fans entertained, specifically from the Two walks issued were all that separated last game, which oddsmakers would’ve bat of Puerto Rico’s Eduardo Galarza, pitcher Adam Folkard from a perfect surely installed the former as the favorites for. But Folkard was not to be stopped as he set down the last 16 batters in a row after having started the game with a lead-off walk and then issued another base-on-balls with two outs in the top of the second inning. Scores of viewers around the world got to watch the excitement of the two medal (Photo by Shanon Melnyk) ‘Games’ Put Softball Australia shut down the New Zealand bats in the gold games thanks to television medal game, making something like this pop-up an broadcasts done to 60 countries. (Photo by Shanon Melnyk) accomplishment for the Kiwis. Rogers Sportsnet in Canada This close play at first base in what was a On Five Continents showed them throughout the close game (8-6 Argentina over Puerto Rico) exemplifies the excitement that was the 2009 host country, while Eurosport 2 beamed game in his team’s 5-0 title game victory. Men’s World Championship. Pg. 7 the Australia-New Zealand showdown He struck out ten Kiwi batters and Aaron to 58 countries, who got the game Cockman went 2-for-2 at the plate with four different times. They also made it who batted .529 during round robin play, two runs batted in to lead the Australian available on mobile devices as well as including five balls hit out of the park offense. online via the Eurosport Player. And, For those that preferred watching hitters It’s important to remember that the team New Zealanders saw both medal games held at bay there was the pitching of that took the silver medals in defeat thanks to Maori Television, who also Great Britain’s James Darby, who threw had been the three-time defending ISF plans to air a Black Sox documentary 24 innings, the most during round robin men’s world champions. This was no filmed in part at the 2009 tournament in play, over which time he struck out 34 small accomplishment for Australia, who, Saskatoon. batters, a figure topped only by Adam arguably, reached the pinnacle thanks There was also live webstreaming of all Folkard’s 41. to three pitchers that combined for a 66 games throughout the tournament. 9-1 won-lost record and had earned run In addition, Pg. 11 averages under two (1.68 for Adam Continued to page 4 Behind The Plate 3 Cups Full Of Softball In Four Countries nother year, another successful .400), Jennifer Yee (.395), and Caitlin the seventh, her teammates responded Canada Cup. Lever (.371) combined with the pitching offensively. With one out in the bottom AThe 16th edition of the annual of Danielle Lawrie (55 strikeouts in 50� half of the inning, Natasha Watley scored event in British Columbia this year innings) and Jenna Caira (0.00 earned on a sacrifice fly to left field, followed by featured the likes of Australia, Canada, run average over 21 innings pitched) in a Jennie Finch at-bat that saw her reach the Netherlands, USA, and Venezuela, a silver medal finish.