FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2005

GAME SCHEDULE SET FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
All Ten Junior Men’s Teams In Action When
Play Begins on June 24

The game schedule has been finalized for the International Softball Federation’s (ISF) VII Jr. Men’s World Championship.  The top event for the world’s best male softball players ages 19-and-under will begin on Friday, June 24 at VIV Field in Summerside, Prince Edward Island (Canada) with a game at 10 a.m., followed by one at 12 Noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and 8 p.m.

A total of 45 games will be contested over eight days in round robin play, before two playoff games take place on July 2 and the tournament closes with the medal games on Sunday, July 3.  Every team will play each other once for a total of nine games per team in round robin play.  The event is held every four years and was last contested in Sydney, Australia, in April of 2001.  The Australians have won the gold medal at the last two ISF Jr. Men’s World Championships, and begin their defense against Mexico in the fourth of five games on the event’s opening day.

The other eight countries participating are Argentina, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Japan, New Zealand, USA, and Venezuela.

The full game schedule is available on the official event website at http://www.2005worldsoftball.com/draws/index.php.

Tickets are already on sale, with details on how to purchase also on the event website, and media accreditation applications are being accepted.  The form can be obtained from the media contact listed below.

The VII Jr. Men’s World Championship highlights the ISF’s year-long celebration of the 40th anniversary of the first-ever softball world championship, which took place in February of 1965 in Australia.  The women’s national team from Japan, New Guinea, New Zealand, USA, and the host country each competed, and 40 years later there is now a world championship for women, junior women (19-and-under), men, and junior men (19-and-under).

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 126 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.