(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by WBSC, Henk Seppen & Marco Stoovelaar)
IN MEMORIAM
...Don Porter...
(1930 - 2020)...
(© Foto: Marco Stoovelaar) |
 Legendary international softball-leader and longtime ISF-President Don Porter passed away
Nederlands
 OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (USA) -
Don Porter, who led the International Softball Federation (ISF) as its President for 26 years and played a big role in bringing softball to the Olympic Games, passed away on Sunday (June 7), three weeks after he had turned 90.
Donald Emmett (Don) Porter was born on May 18, 1930 in San Fernando, California.
The American administrator played baseball and American football at East Los Angeles College, studying journalism.
Thereafter, he studied law at LaSalle Extension University.
After his college-years, Don Porter was an official in American Football in the Big Eight as well as the professional National Football League (NFL).
In 1951-1952, Porter served in the American Army during the Korean War and was awarded the Korean War Medal in 2001 by the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Korea.
Last year, he was married to his wife Jean for seventy years.
The couple had three children, twelve grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.
Don Porter started his career in softball as Commissioner of Southern California.
Since then, he developed into an ambassador for softball worldwide and worked hard to create the best possible conditions to play the sport well and by everyone globally.
In 1962, Porter joined the National Office staff of the Amateur Softball Association (ASA), which then was the governing softball-body the USA (now named USA Softball).
Less than a year later, in January 1963, Don Porter was named Executive Secretary-Treasurer, which was later renamed into Executive Director.
Porter served the ASA in this position for 35 years (1963-1997).
While leading the ASA, softball had a big growth throughout the country.
Also, the ASA Head Office moved to Porter's hometown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1966.
There, the National Softball Hall of Fame was created, as well as the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex.
In 1990, the main stadium at this complex became the home-site of the annual Women's College World Series (except 1996) and since 2005, the annual international World Cup of Softball (except in 2014, 2015) is organized here.
When the complex was opened in 1987, the stadium (which seats 13,000) was named after Don Porter.
The Don E. Porter ASA Hall of Fame Stadium is known as OGE Energy Field at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium since 2017.
Last year, Don Porter was honored by USA Softball to celebrate his legacy and lifelong service to the sport.
...Don Porter and Riccardo Fraccari, then...
...respectively President of the ISF and IBAF, while...
...attending the 100th anniversary of the Royal...
...Netherlands Baseball and Softball Association...
...(KNBSB) in 2012...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
While leading the ASA in 1962, Don Porter helped realize the first-ever World Softball Championship, which was held in 1965 and eventually led to the creation of the International Softball Federation.
During this event in Melbourne (Australia), Mr. Porter was elected as the first Secretary General of the ISF.
He held that position for 22 years through 1987, then was elected President of the ISF, succeeding Bill Kethan, who was the global body's first President.
Don Porter presided over the ISF for 26 years (1987-2013).
After retiring as Co-President of the WBSC in 2014, Don Porter had been active for the global softball body since its creation for 52 years!
Through the years, since 1968, Don Porter always has worked tirelessly for the inclusion of softball into the Olympic Programme.
His hard work and his Olympic dream became reality in 1991 when the International Olympic Committee confirmed that softball became an official sport starting at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta (USA).
During that event, the softball-tournament was held at Golden Park in nearby Columbus.
Baseball had become an official sport in 1992 after it already had been played during the Olympics in 1984 and 1988.
In 2005, during a vote by IOC-members, baseball and softball became the first sports that were cut from the Programme since polo in 1936.
During that vote, a majority was needed to stay in the Olympics.
The voting for baseball was 54-50, while softball was 52-52.
With that, softball was only one vote shy of remaining an Olympic sport, while baseball needed five more.
With that, softball and baseball were last played during the Olympic Games of 2008 in Beijing (China).
In following years, efforts to reinstate the Olympic Status softball failed in 2006, 2009 and 2013.
In 2013, wrestling was also in jeopardy of losing its Olympic Status.
A vote to choose for either wrestling or softball ended up in favor of the first which therefore remained an Olympic Sport.
This year, during the Olympic Games in Japan, both softball and baseball were to be played again.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Olympic Games were postponed to next year.
...WBSC-President Riccardo Fraccari hands out the...
...Collar of Honour to Don Porter during the WBSC...
...Congress 2017 in Gaborone (Botswana)...
(© Photo: WBSC) |
Don Porter continued his mission for the Olympic return of softball.
He played an important role in the merger of the two global bodies, the International Softball Federation (ISF) and the International BAseball Federation (IBAF).
As one new global body, chances to returned to the Olympic Games were bettered.
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) was established in April 2013.
At that moment, Porter was the President of the ISF, while Riccardo Fraccari led the IBAF as its President.
In October 2013, during the Congress in Cartagena (Colombia), Porter was succeeded by Canadian Dale McMann, who was the First Vice-President of the ISF since 1993.
Porter and Fraccari became Co-President of the WBSC, which held its first Congress in 2014.
Porter remained Co-President until 2014.
In December 2014, the IOC approved the Olympic Programme for this years Olympics in Japan to include both softball and baseball as one sport, together with karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing.
It was then announced that an Olympic host could propose sports to be added for its edition of the Games.
During the WBSC Congress in Gaborone (Botswana) in 2017, Don Porter was awarded the Collar of Honour.
This is the highest recognition of the WBSC for people who contributed to the foundation of the WBSC and its success.
Don Porter was a founding member and the first Secretary General of the World Games, which is held every four years since 1981 and is an international multi-sport event for sports that are not included in the Olympic Games.
The event was first held in 1981 in Santa Clara, California (USA) and amongst the sixteen sports included were softball (women and men) and baseball.
Softball was also included in the World Games in 1985 (London, United Kingdom), then was no part of the event after it became an official Olympic Sport.
Softball returned to the World Games in 2009 (Kaohsiung, Taiwan) and 2013 (Cali, Colombia).
Softball also will be played in the next edition of the World Games, which will be held in Birmingham, Alabama (USA).
This event was scheduled to be held next year, but has been postponed to 2022.
The World Games grew from 16 sports in 1981 to the current total of almost 30.
58 countries participated in the first edition.
More than hundred countries participated in the last three editions.
...Don Porter, then ISF-President, with...
...Riccardo Fraccari, then President of the...
...Italian Baseball Softball Federation (FIBS)...
...during the Welcome Ceremony of the...
...2007 Olympic Softball Qualifier at the...
...Porticato di San Giovanni in Udine (Italy)...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
Don Porter also served six terms on the Executive Council of the General Assocation of International Sports Federations (GAISF) (1984-2006) and also had been a member of the Executive Council of the Association of Summer Olympic Sports Federations (ASOIF).
He also served on the Board of Directors of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) in 1968-1988.
In 1994, Porter was appointed to the Press Commission of the International Olympic Committee, then again in 1997.
He was awarded the Olympic Order in 1997.
Mr. Porter also was very active in his home-state of Oklahoma, as he was the President of the Oklahoma Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (named in 1995 and 1997) and was the first Chairman of the Sooner State Games, an event that includes 35 sports.
For his many contributions, Don Porter was elected into the Hall of Fame of the International Softball Federation in 1983.
Five years later, Porter was elected into the National Softball Hall of Fame of the Amateur Softball Association (USA Softball).
In 2014, the Championship Trophy for the winner of the World Championship Softball was named after Don Porter.
In a statement issued on Monday (June 8), Riccardo Fraccari, President of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WSBC) said:
,,The WBSC and the entire softball community mourn the loss of Don Porter, the main architect of the internationalization of softball.
Through his vision, efforts and decades of service, softball became an Olympic sport for the first time in 1996.
Our long lasting friendship is full of special memories.
He helped to establish, build and name the WBSC.
He will be remembered forever as one of the most influential leaders in the history of the sport of softball, which is now played in over 130 countries around the world.
In fact, he launched ‘World Softball Day' in 2005 and it’s celebrated every year on June 13th.
Softball would not be returning to next year’s Olympic Games without the life and work of Don Porter.
We send our deepest condolences to his wife Jean, Don's family and loved ones.''
Tommy Velazquez, WBSC Softball Chairman, said:
,,Softball is saddened by the passing of Mr. Porter, a man who dedicated his life to globalising and growing our beloved sport.
He inspired all of us with his leadership, perseverance, courage and vision, and he gave us the opportunity to follow the path he created.
He will be sorely missed by the softball community, and his legacy in the sport of softball will continue to burn bright and touch millions of softball players and many future generations.
Modern softball history is directly linked with the name of Don Porter, the most important softball leader ever, alongside the inventor and early developer of the game, George Hancock.''
...Don Porter, then President of the ISF, with Ron Radigonda...
...(right), then Amateur Softball Association President...
...and Grand Slam-webmaster Marco Stoovelaar, who...
...then was the Media Officer of the Netherlands National...
...Softball Team, during the World Cup of Softball 2009...
...in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (USA)...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
Craig Cress, Chief Executive Officer of USA Softball, said in a statement:
,,We are deeply saddened to hear about the loss of Don Porter, a visionary leader and advocate for the sport of softball.
His passion, dedication and perseverance to make softball an international leader in the sports community played an instrumental role in where we are today.
His vision for our sport led to softball participation in over 130 countries around the world, and his impact and influence, not only for our organization but for the sport of softball as a whole, will continue to live on in every participant, administrator and fan.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Jean, as well as his family and friends from all across the world during this difficult time.''
Ken Eriksen, Head Coach of the USA National Women's Softball Team, said:
,,I am saddened to hear about the passing of Don Porter.
He was impactful not only on the history of softball in the United States but he influenced the spread of the game internationally.
His tenacity in promoting softball to the International Olympic Committee for its inclusion in the games was rewarded in the announcement in 1991 that softball would be in the Games of Atlanta in 1996.
I was happy to not only share that moment with him but also to spend time with him in Cuba in 1988 as part of a USA Select Team that opened the door for the 1991 Pan Am Games to be held on communist soil.
Because of Don Porter, softball once again has been given the chance to be in the Olympics.
He told me how proud he was of our program, and I made sure to have him address our team in Reno, Nevada, this past November because context is important for our young people.
USA Softball is a very close knit family.
He was a class act and as a Military Veteran he took pride in doing things the right way.
History should never forget those that paved the way for many to enjoy what they have today, on and off the field.''
Don Porter was very dedicated to softball and campaigned tirelessly for the sport.
He traveled around the world to many countries to not only attend international events or meetings, but also to promote the sport of softball.
Through the years, softball not only was included into the Oympic Games, but also into several other global and/or regional multi-sport events.
It was Don Porter, who played a big role in accomplishing that.
On a personal note, I've had the pleasure to meet Don Porter several times during international events through the years.
He always was pleasant company and interested in what his international friends and acquaintances had to tell.
Mr. Porter will always be remembered for his lifelong contributions to international softball.
The webmaster of Grand Slam * Stats & News offers his condolences to Don Porter's wife Jean, their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other family and friends and wishes them a lot of strength with this big loss.
(June 10)
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