FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 02, 2004

PLANS UNVEILED FOR HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM
IN PLANT CITY
Facility Will Be Newest Tourist Attraction in Central Florida

At a media luncheon today at the world headquarters, International Softball Federation (ISF) President Don Porter announced details of the ISF Hall of Fame & Museum, to be located at the current facility in Plant City.

“This project has been part of our plans since we came here just over four years ago,” Mr. Porter said. “As an international organization, our business brings visitors to Plant City from all over the world, be it for meetings, clinics, tournaments, or other functions. Now we can give the attention due our Hall of Fame members and showcase our sport and its rich history to tourists, business colleagues, umpires, coaches, athletes, and area residents.”

Work is expected to begin on the new addition later this year, with a target opening of summer 2005. Being designed by Atelier Architecture Engineering Construction Incorporated of Tampa, Florida, the Hall of Fame & Museum will honor the 111 members and also feature interactive exhibits, videos, historic photos, and much more.

The Hall of Fame & Museum will be the newest addition to an already impressive complex. Of all 35 Olympic sports (winter and summer combined), softball is the only one to have its world headquarters located in the United States. The building that houses the ISF offices at 1900 So. Park Road is situated between Plant City Stadium, which seats almost 7,000, and the Randy L. Larson Softball Fourplex, which sees all four of its fields used along with that of the main stadium during events such as the 1st World University Softball Championship, which will take place in just under four months (October 26-31). Major League Baseball’s Cincinnati Reds held spring training at the Plant City site in the 1990s.

A total of 111 people have been elected to the ISF Hall of Fame, with the first group having been named in 1981. While induction ceremonies did take place in each electee’s country, their presence in the Hall has been visible only through the ISF’s official website, which lists bios for each of the 111 along with their photo.

The ISF is the world governing body of the sport as recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF). Softball (women's fast pitch) made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. There are 124 affiliated countries in the ISF and millions of participants in the sport worldwide.

For more information, please contact ISF Director of Communications Bruce Wawrzyniak at brucew@internationalsoftball.com or (813) 864-0100, ext. 229.