Friday, 11 November marks 15 days to the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup Opening Day, when 12 teams from the five continents will open their quest to make history and lift the most precious award in international men’s softball - the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup trophy.
Inspired by the tournament logo, the trophy features an upper-body silhouette of a hitter, following a dynamic swing. The iconic blue helmet is the most recognizable element of the logo, while the golden arch symbolises the honour of playing for one’s country in the highest-level softball competition in the world. The curves in the figure represent the evolution and global expansion of the sport.
Most parts of the five-kilogram trophy are made of metal brass, with details in 24k gold, silver plated, or plexiglass. The individual components are produced taking care of every minimal detail, and later hand-finished. The final step, the most important one, is the assembly of the trophy.
The 45cm trophy, designed and manufactured by Italian goldsmiths Fratelli Pazzaglia, in Pisa, Italy, was awarded for the first time in 2019 when Argentina took it home after a thrilling win in the final match against Japan.
The XVII WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup trophy will be lifted by the World Champions on 4 December, after nine days of competition at Rosedale Park in Auckland, New Zealand.
