Two more Baseball/Softball Olympians added their names to the Olympians Wall at Olympic House - the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee - when two-time Olympic softball medallist Monica Abbott and Athens 2004 Olympian Giovanni Pantaleoni penned their names and signatures on the Olympians Wall and were awarded with OLY certificates of recognition.
Abbott, a softball superstar having won four World Championships, represented USA in two Olympic Games, winning silver medals in Beijing 2008 and Tokyo 2020. In Beijing, she finished with a 0.29 ERA and a 3–0 record in 24 innings pitched while striking out 32 batters. She pitched a five-inning perfect game against the Netherlands and also tossed the last two innings of the Gold Medal Game against Japan. In Tokyo, Abbott pitched 20.1 innings with 31 strikeouts, 7 hits and a 0.00 ERA. She was named on the All-Olympic Team.
Pantaleoni played for Italy in the Athens 2004 Olympics as a utility player, covering four positions in five games, and hitting three times in the leadoff spot. He went 1-for-16, with a double. Playing for Italy, he won the European Championship 2012.
Abbott became the third softball athlete to stamp her name on the distinguished wall, joining Maria Soto (VEN) and Taeko Utsugi (JPN), who signed the wall in September 2023 and November 2023 respectively. Pantaleoni is the first baseball player on the Olympians Wall.
Before the wall-signing ceremony, both athletes participated in the WBSC Athletes' Summit where more than 300 players from around the world joined the Athletes Commission on a video call and then enjoyed a tour of the building, given by fellow Olympian Simona Castro.
