(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by WBSC)
 Saint Martin, Congo, Tanzania join WBSC; New Softball-Chairman
Nederlands
 GABORONE (Botswana) -
Saint Maarten and the African countries Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania are the newest members of the World Baseball Softball Confedration (WBSC), the world governing body for baseball and softball.
The WBSC held its Extraordinary Congress on October 12-14 at the Gaborone International Convention Centre in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.
During the Congress, the Congo Federation of Cricket, Baseball and Softball (Fédération Congolaise de Cricket, Baseball et Softball), the St. Maarten National Baseball Federation and the Tanzania Baseball and Softball Association became the 182nd, 183rd and 184th member of the WBSC.
Also, Botswana Baseball became the 181st member.
The Botswana Softball Association already was a member.
During the Congress, Riccardo Fraccari (Italy) ran unopposed to win the seat as the Chairman of the WBSC Baseball Division.
Tommy Velazquez (Puerto Rico) was elected as the new Chairman of WBSC Softball Division, succeeding Dale McMann.
Fraccari: ,,At the next WBSC Baseball Executive meeting in Paris next March, we will outline our strategic plan covering the next four years, laying out the important roadwork needed to build a billion-strong baseball/softball community and secure a long-term place on the Olympic Programme''.
...The attendees of the WBSC Extraordinary Congress pose in front of the...
...Gaborone International Convention Centre in Gaborone...
(© Photo: WBSC) |
The WBSC also ratified the expansion of the baseball-only federations of Burkina Faso and Chile to include softball.
The Congress also approved the merger of the Korean Baseball and Softball Associations into the Korea Baseball Softball Assocation.
Amongst the attendees of the Congress was the senior vice-president of the Botswana National Olympic Committee, Lieutenant Colonel Botsang Tshenyego.
,,The entire World Baseball Softball family congratulates and recognises our newest National Federations representing Botswana (Baseball), Congo, Sint Maarten and Tanzania for successfully establishing baseball and softball in their countries", said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari.
,,WBSC also congratulates our Burkina Faso and Chile members for expanding the sport with softball in their countries''.
,,Today marks another historic moment toward the global development of our sport and achieving our mission of building a billion-strong baseball and softball community over the next decade, particularly as we take aim on Olympic inclusion in 2024 and 2028", Fraccari added.
The WBSC Softball Hall of Fame welcomed 14 new members, representing seven countries.
Amongst the new members are Australian players Melanie Roche and Natalie Ward, who played at every Olympic Games in which softball has been featured.
They won the silver medal with the Australian National Team in 2004 and bronze in 1996, 2000 and 2008.
The Hall of Fame now has 225 members.
On the final day of the Congress, the WBSC revealed the Annual WBSC Baseball and Softball Award Winners for the 2014-2017 quadrennial.
Representatives from 17 nations were honoured with Japan representatives earning a leading six WBSC awards, while the USA earned five and Canada four.
The Botswana Softball Association, the host of the Congress, was named the 2017 Softball Federation of the Year for "providing an excellent world stage that united baseball's and softball's leaders''.
| WBSC Baseball & Softball Awards 2014-2017 |
| Year | Baseball Player | Softball Player | Baseball Coach | Softball Coach |
| 2014 | Ayami Sato (Japan) | Nathan Nukunuku (New Zealand) | Koichi Okura (Japan) | Reika Utsugi (Japan) |
| 2015 | Shohei Otani (Japan) | Jessica Moore (USA) | In-Sik Kim (South Korea) | John Stewart (Canada) |
| 2016 | Loidel Chapelli (Cuba) | Sean Cleary (Canada) | Gerty Damián (Cuba) | Ken Eriksen (USA) |
| 2017 | Triston Casas (USA) | Yukiko Ueno (Japan) | Andy Stankiewicz (USA) | Mark Sorensen (New Zealand) |
| Year | Baseball Umpire | Softball Umpire | Baseball Federation | Softball Federation |
| 2014 | Maite Bullones (Venezuela) | Hideko Okana (Japan) | Czech BB Association | Peruvian Federation of SB |
| 2015 | Hua-wen Chi (Chinese Taipei) | José Chaparro (Puerto Rico) | Hong Kong BB Association | Softball Canada |
| 2016 | Edgar Estivision (Panama) | Gianluca Magnani (Italy) | Mexican BB Federation | USA Softball |
| 2017 | Jorge Niebla (Cuba) | Scott McLaren (Canada) | Nicaraguan Federation of BB | Botswana SB Association
New Zealand SB Association |
(October 16)
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