NATIONAL GAMES INCLUDED SOFTBALL
2006-09-15

The biggest sporting competition in Thailand is heading into its final days and softball was a part of it. From September 9-19, the 35th National Games were to see approximately 10,000 athletes and officials from the country’s 76 provinces on-hand for competition for over 400 gold medals in 33 events. The Games are taking place in the central province of Suphan Buri (80 miles from Bangkok).

Men’s softball got underway two days before the official opening of the Games and wrapped up on Tuesday (September 12). A minimum of ten provincials from five regions of Thailand is required, and for men’s softball there were twelve teams from twelve provincials. (There were women’s teams from seven provincials, though that was not enough to proceed with under the minimum requirements.) Bangkok won the men’s softball gold medal, followed by the host, Suphan Buri, with the silver, and Khonkaen with the bronze.

International Softball Federation President Don Porter said, “It’s good to see that men’s softball was played at this year’s Thai National Games. Our sport being part of an event that big shows the growth that softball has been experiencing over the years. In Thailand in particular our game can only continue to get bigger, especially with the events taking place there next year.”

In 2007, women’s softball will be on the program of the (24th) World University Games, which will take place in Bangkok in August. Four months later both men’s and women’s softball will be played at the 24th Southeast Asian Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

Youth Under-20 National Games are also held every year in Thailand. The 22nd edition of that event took place this year back in March in the northern Thailand city of Lumpang, which is 400 miles from Bangkok. While youth softball is growing in the southern Asia country, of the eleven boys teams only eight were prepared to compete, leaving the sport two teams shy of the ten-team requirement.

Thailand’s junior women’s team made its first-ever ISF Jr. Women’s World Championship (19-and-under) appearance when that event last took place (October 2003).