Pictured above, a large crowd gathers in Beijing to commemorate World Softball Day, with a specially made “WORLD SOFTBALL DAY – ENJOY SOFTBALL” banner as the backdrop. (Photo by Wupeng form Chinese sport web)

On April 25, International Softball Federation (ISF) President Don Porter had declared that June 13, 2005 would be “World Softball Day,” to coincide with the date (in 1991) when the announcement was made that (women’s) softball was being added to the program of the Olympic Games (effective with the 1996 Games in Atlanta). At the time of the proclamation, the ISF President noted that, “Throughout 2005 we’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first- ever world softball championship, which makes this the right time to celebrate the day that our sport became a part of the Olympic program.”

Today, on the first “World Softball Day,” the occasion is being marked all over the world.

In Africa, the Zimbabwe Softball Association is embarking on a softball coaching program at Belvedere Teachers College, which is the number one teachers training college in the country for high school teachers. Their hope is that the teachers will be interested enough to introduce the sport into the schools they get deployed to when they graduate.

In Europe, the Softball Federation of Russia got a head start on “World Softball Day,” as yesterday Moscow saw the first-ever “little Spartakiad,” a sport event aimed at children ages six and seven. They are looking forward to continuing this on an annual basis, with yesterday’s experience having proved to be a huge success. Five teams competed, each from a different local kindergarten. The Federation is planning to involve more in the future. The children are too small to play softball, so the Spartakiad comprises running, throwing a ball, and more, but apart from merely having fun, the children get to learn about softball (the event is held on softball grounds), and the Federation looks forward to welcoming them into a softball club when they turn seven, which is the age when children are admitted to softball clubs in Russia. This event makes part of their national program of development of softball in Russia, supported by the ISF, who is supplying the Softball Federation of Russia with “starter kits” so that the children who go to school will have everything they need to start a team.

Meanwhile, in Asia, the Pakistan Softball Federation published a poster for “World Softball Day” and seminars, coaching clinics, and games were planned. The various functions there are being arranged to publicize the event specially in the schools throughout the country.

In the Americas, Brian Davis, a commissioner of a softball league in the state of Indiana (USA), stated that their annual mid-season celebration this year, consisting of 50 teams playing at their park, along with a fish fry and other carnival-type games, was to be promoted as a tie-in to World Softball Day.

The ISF had also received an e-mail from Latin America written by Dominican Republic Softball Federation President Luis Mejia, who congratulated the ISF on the “World Softball Day” idea, and indicated that he would “promote softball activities for that day and (they) will institutionalize it as World Softball Day.”

Last Wednesday a newspaper article appeared in the Athlone News in South Africa reporting on a week of festivities that were planned, beginning today, World Softball Day, and culminating in a mass participation event on Thursday, Youth Day. The celebrations center on Turfhall Park in Cape Town and include senior and junior matches, as well as coaching clinics and seminars.

Elsewhere, the Chinese Softball Association hosted a ceremony yesterday morning because children would be going to school today. Held at the Olympic Sport Complex softball stadium in Beijing, more than ten schools and universities totaling over 150 people – including students, teachers, and parents – attended the party. After a short ceremony, girls started exhibition games, with officers, teachers, and parents also playing in the field with them. China Central Television (CCTV) and Beijing TV televised news of the ceremony. China Xinhua News Agency and China Sports Daily also reported on the action.

Last month the ISF was notified by its member in Great Britain, the British Softball Federation (BSF), that they were planning an afternoon and evening of softball events for today in Regents Park, where the Olympic Softball competition will be played in 2012 if London wins the bid. The BSF was to stage a game between some of the girls from their Grass Roots Girls' Fast Pitch program and a visiting American Under-13 team, and then hoped to stage both fast pitch and slow pitch exhibition games.

Elsewhere in Europe, Ramaz Goglidze, one of the ISF’s VPs/Europe, reported that a new softball field was to open on World Softball Day in the Republic of Georgia as well as a new softball school. There were other activities planned there for the days leading up to World Softball Day as well, including kids games, junior women’s (Quality School International) games, and club team tournaments.

Happy World Softball Day! Get out and play softball!