FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
21 June 2002

COUNTDOWN NOW AT LESS THAN A WEEK

The first-ever Slow Pitch World Cup commences next Thursday night, June 27, here in Plant City Stadium, at the site of the International Softball Federation's (ISF) world headquarters. And when it does, it will be by way of much more than "just" a "first pitch."

The event is scheduled to start with Opening Ceremonies at 5:00 p.m. Twelve teams will be participating in the Slow Pitch World Cup and will be announced during a procession into the stadium, led by a signholder designating each team. The ISF Umpires - fresh off a seminar taking place here this weekend - will then be brought in. The ISF is currently awaiting an update on the possible inclusion of a Bahamas junkanoo band, which would be included in the procession. The American, British, and Bahamian flags will then be presented. The U.S. national anthem will be sung by Brandon resident, Taryn Livingston. She is a senior at Durant High School in Plant City and a certified Master Musician. ISF President Don Porter will give his welcome, to include representation from the ISF Executive Council. City Manager Phil Waldron will also take part in the ceremonies. The ceremonial first pitch will conclude the goings-on before the cry of "play ball," as three games will take place before the evening is over.

Concession stands will be open during the Slow Pitch World Cup, which is free and open to the public. (No tickets are required.)

The event closes with a championship game for the men and a coed championship game on Sunday. The winning team in both of those games will receive a team trophy and all players will be presented with gold medals. All of the players on the second and third place finishers in men's and coed will receive silver and bronze medals, respectively.

The U.S. will have two teams, one from Virginia (men's) and one from Plant City (coed). Six teams from the Bahamas will play (three men's, three coed), as well as six (3/3) from Great Britain.

The International Softball Federation, celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2002, is the governing body of softball internationally as recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF). The ISF organizes and conducts world championship competition in women's and men's fast pitch, junior women's and men's fast pitch, women's, men's, and coed slow pitch, and women's and men's modified pitch. Softball (women's fast pitch) made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. There are 125 affiliated countries in the ISF and over 40 million 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.