31/01/2024 1 Minute Read

Life of Olympian/baseballer Jim Thorpe honoured in Oklahoma

The first Native American to win an Olympic medal, he was stripped of his pentathlon and decathlon golds because he had played professional baseball. His case was finally cleared in 2022.

30/01/2024 3 Minute Read

2023 - A Year of Firsts

The Baseball Champions League was one of a number of milestones for the WBSC in 2023, on and off the field.

28/11/2023 2 Minute Read

May 10 declared World Baseball Softball Confederation Day

On 10 May 2014, the WBSC elected its first Executive Board. "We will dedicate this day to our community to celebrate it together," said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari during last weekend's Executive Board meeting. "A day to commemorate the unification of baseball and softball."

08/11/2023 2 Minute Read

WBSC U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup: 42 years of history

With three days to go to the start of the WBSC U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup, let’s take a look at the history of the event, the oldest international youth men’s softball world championship.

19/10/2023 3 Minute Read

Softball in the Olympics: From Melbourne and Mexico City to Atlanta and Los Angeles, an amazing Olympic history, rich with passion and perseverance

The first WBSC Women's and Men's Softball World Cups were staged in Melbourne, Australia in 1965 and Mexico City in 1966 when softball's Olympic dream was launched. It appeared at the Olympics for the first time at Atlanta 1996 before featuring four times and will return again at LA28.

18/10/2023 2 Minute Read

Baseball in the Olympics: A sport with an Olympic history that starts with Royals trying to play with an orange

Baseball first featured at the Olympic Games in 1904 and made its debut as a medal sport at the Barcelona 1992 Olympics and went on to feature at the 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008 Games before returning for Tokyo 2020 and LA2028.

21/08/2023 1 Minute Read

Royal Antwerp Eagles Baseball Softball Club celebrates 100th birthday

It all started in the early 1920s and led to the foundation of baseball and softball in Belgium.

18/07/2023 2 Minute Read

VII WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup 10 days to go: A rich history and a bright future

Japan, Chinese Taipei, Mexico and Korea have participated in all six previous editions while New Zealand will make its debut. Only the United States (four times) and Chinese Taipei (two) have won the tournament to date.

27/06/2023 2 Minute Read

History in the making: Türkiye to host inaugural WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup in Ankara

Excitement is in the air as Türkiye gears up to host its first-ever international baseball event. This historic occasion follows Türkiye's introduction of Baseball5 in 2019, a groundbreaking move which the National Federation credits with revolutionising the accessibility of the sport and igniting a passion for baseball and softball among students and teachers alike.

16/06/2023 2 Minute Read

Miroslawa Cumba: "Women umpires made history in Cuba, now we need to keep working hard

Meet the 43-year-old umpire from Guantanamo who made history in the 62nd Cuban National League alongside three other women who are breaking barriers and blazing a trail for women in the country.

01/06/2023 1 Minute Read

Female umpiring crew makes history in Cuba's Baseball National League

Janet Moreno (left), Yalili Acosta, Miroslawa Cumba (pictured) and Milagros Quinones umpired Industriales-Pinar del Rio of the 62nd edition of the top baseball championship on the island.

04/05/2023 2 Minute Read

Ronnie Gajownik; Ashley Stephenson: History made as two female baseball coaches face off at High A level in the US

Gajownik is the manager of the Hillsboro Hops, and Stephenson is on the coaching staff of the Vancouver Canadians. They faced each other playing for USA & Canada respectively at the Women's Baseball Pan American Games 2015.

24/01/2023 1 Minute Read

Dominic Scheffler becomes first Swiss player to sign for MLB organization

The 17-year-old left-handed pitcher agreed to terms with the Cincinnati Reds.

21/12/2022 4 Minute Read

2022 Year in Review: Men’s, Women’s softball world champions crowned in the same year for the first time in history

The final softball event of the year was the II WBSC U-12 Mixed Softball World Cup.

20/12/2022 3 Minute Read

2022 Year in Review: Baseball5 makes history with first World Cup at El Zocalo, Mexico City

Cuba won the inaugural edition of the Baseball5 World Cup in inspirational El Zocalo, Mexico City. "I was struck by just how special and important this milestone event was," commented WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. The future looks bright for the five-on-five version of baseball/softball.

12/12/2022 2 Minute Read

Olympian Chin-Feng Chen elected to Taiwan Baseball Hall of Fame

The Chinese Taipei slugger, the first Major League Baseball player from Taiwan, was inducted into Taiwan's Baseball Hall of Fame, becoming the first former Major Leaguer inductee. Late Commissioner Harvey Tung was also elected under the category of Special Contribution.

07/11/2022 1 Minute Read

Mexico make history, open Baseball5 World Cup with win over Lithuania

14/10/2022 1 Minute Read

Four-time Olympic softball medallist Tanya Harding inducted into Sport Australia Hall of Fame

Tanya Harding’s contribution to Australian softball spanned 15 years (from 1993 to 2008), more than 50 tournaments and a total of 283 matches, including four consecutive Olympic Games medals: A silver medal in Athens 2004 and three bronzes in Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008.

04/10/2022 1 Minute Read

Olympic gold medalist Munetaka Murakami surpasses Sadaharu Oh single season home run record

The 22-year-old slugger hit 56 home runs on his way to a Triple Crown and a first-place finish with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. Former Dutch slugger Wladimir Balentien has the overall single-season record with 60 homers.

22/07/2022 1 Minute Read

WBSC Softball Hall of Fame member, Australian Bob Harrow passes away

The Australian coach led his National Team the the World Championship in Saskatoon 2009, Australia's only world title so far.

21/07/2022 1 Minute Read

One year ago today: Softball opens Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Softball made its Olympic return after being out of the Games for the 2012 and 2016 editions.

13/07/2022 1 Minute Read

Chile commemorates 105-year anniversary of baseball in the country

On 4 July 1917 American workers organized the event in the Antofagasta area. Chile's National Federation was born in 1951.

15/04/2022 1 Minute Read

Baseball celebrates 75th Jackie Robinson Day

A special logo will honour the Diamond Anniversary. Regardless of their primary colours, all teams will wear the iconic 42 number in Dodgerblue.

06/04/2022 1 Minute Read

6 April 1896: Modern Olympics open in Athens, Royals play baseball with a walking stick and an orange

During a picnic with the Greek Royal Family, 110 hurdles gold medalist Thomas Curtis, using a walking stick, challenged a battery of Princes who were using an orange as a baseball.

30/03/2022 2 Minute Read

Cuba Women's Baseball on the rise

The women's programme, ranked seventh in the world, surpassed the men's programme, currently at No.9, for the first time in 2021.

28/03/2022 2 Minute Read

WBSC Softball Hall of Fame member Joan Joyce, 1974 Women’s Softball World Championship winner, passes away at 81

Joyce won a gold medal with the U.S. National Team at the 1974 WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship, posting a 5-0 record while pitching 36 scoreless innings, over which time she struck out 76 batters and hurled three no-hitters - two of which were perfect games.

31/12/2021 5 Minute Read

2021 in Review - Top Stories of the Year

Never miss a moment! The top stories in 2021, a year in which baseball and softball returned to the Olympic Games and the international events calendar restarted following the impact of Covid-19 around the world.

04/10/2021 1 Minute Read

Clovis Lodewijks, long-time ISF Vice President and WBSC Hall of Fame member, dies at 91

The leader, born in Curacao in 1930, played a key role in the development and growing of softball in the Americas and the world.

28/06/2021 1 Minute Read

Happy 96th anniversary, Mexican Baseball League

Mexico City hosted the LMB's first-ever game on 28 June 1925. A total of 144 teams have participated in the league through 2019. After the cancellation of the 2020 season, two new teams joined LMB in 2021.

09/03/2021 1 Minute Read

Baseball Canada's 2x Olympian, former big leaguer Rheal Cormier dies at 53

The left-hander made the Canadian roster for the 1988 Seoul Games and was back 20 years later at Beijing 2008 as the oldest baseball player in those Games.

09/03/2021 2 Minute Read

MLB makes 2 June Lou Gehrig Day

The legendary 'Iron Horse' died on 2 June 1941 from the consequences of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, today known as Lou Gehrig's disease or motor neurone disease.

08/03/2021 3 Minute Read

International Women's Day - Plenty of trailblazers on and off the softball diamond

Since the beginning of the sport, women have always played a leading role in softball history.

08/03/2021 2 Minute Read

International Women's Day - Female trailblazers in men's baseball

Pitcher Stacy Piagno (pictured), who represented the US at the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup 2018, was part of the first all-female battery in a men's baseball league.

08/02/2021 1 Minute Read

Dutch baseball icon Han Urbanus dies at age of 93

The Hall of Fame pitcher was the father of Charles Urbanus and the grandfather of Nick Urbanus, starting a baseball dynasty in the Netherlands. Pictured above (from left to right): Charlie, Han and Nick Urbanus - credit: Rob Jelsma Honkbalsite.com

03/02/2021 1 Minute Read

International Baseball mourns loss of two 1984 Olympics alumni

Chung-Nan Tu, Chinese Taipei's "iron catcher", died at 61. Flavio Alfaro, who made a US roster stacked with future MLB stars, passed away at 59.

25/01/2021 2 Minute Read

WBSC Softball Hall of Famer Ty Stofflet, one of the greatest of all time, passes away at 79

The legendary left-handed pitcher led USA to win the WBSC (ISF) Men’s Softball World Championship 1976, where he pitched one of the most remembered softball games in the history of the event.

25/01/2021 1 Minute Read

Thabo Tawana, Softball South Africa pitching coach, dies in car accident

Tawana wore South Africa’s national team jersey at the 1996 Men's Softball World Championship and was South Africa’s pitching coach at the WBSC U-19 Men’s Softball World Championship 2018 in Prince Albert, Canada.

22/01/2021 2 Minute Read

Legendary Hammerin' Hank Aaron dies at 86, baseball world mourns

The legend broke Babe Ruth's MLB home run record in 1974 and still holds career records for extra-base hits, RBIs and total bases.

21/01/2021 2 Minute Read

Joe Biden continues line of US Presidents with a passion for baseball

US Presidents, from George Washington to Joe Biden, over the years have shown their love of the game.

20/01/2021 1 Minute Read

Israel, United Arab Emirates to meet for first time in sports history at youth baseball event

It will be the first time in history that the two nations meet in sports.

15/01/2021 1 Minute Read

Mickey Mantle baseball card sells for record US$5.2 million

Actor Rob Gough completed the trade and said "cards are an incredibly diversified asset".

31/12/2020 5 Minute Read

Year in Review - Top Stories of 2020

Here's a list of all the top stories in 2020, a year in which the WBSC and its members still managed many achievements, both on and off the field, despite the impact of Covid-19 around the world.

31/12/2020 3 Minute Read

2020 in Review: Baseball-softball global activity remains strong in challenging times

In the final part of it's 2020 in Review series, the WBSC looks at the state of play of the international Baseball, Softball and Baseball5 events calendar, with the potential of an action-packed 2021 ahead.

18/12/2020 1 Minute Read

Olympic gold medalist Frederich Cepeda makes history in Cuban Baseball League

The former Olympic gold medalist became the only player with at least 2,000 hits, 300 home runs and 400 doubles.

11/12/2020 1 Minute Read

'Hero' Enrique Fonseca, last living player on Venezuelan squad that won the 1941 Baseball World Cup, passes away at the age of 102

He was the catcher behind the wins of Daniel Canonico. The two, Fonseca on the right, are pictured above.

16/11/2020 1 Minute Read

Baseball’s Kim Ng becomes first female pro team General Manager in North American sports history

Forbes has ranked Ng as one of the most powerful women in US and international sports.

13/11/2020 1 Minute Read

Switzerland: 21-year-old softballer makes history as first Swiss to earn US college scholarship

The Zurich-native will play for NJCAA’s SouthEastern Women’s Softball College.

02/11/2020 2 Minute Read

100 years ago: Babe Ruth played baseball in Cuba

After hitting 54 home runs for the Yankees, the Babe joined the New York Giants on a tour in Havana, Cuba. He earned $20,000 (equivalent to $260,280 in 2020) for the appearance and lost it all gambling.

13/10/2020 2 Minute Read

13 October 1986: Baseball becomes an Olympic sport

Baseball was featured as an official medal sport of Olympic Games from 1992-2008, and will make a historic return for Tokyo 2020.

22/09/2020 1 Minute Read

One year ago today: Israel qualifies for Olympic baseball for first time in history

On 22 September 2019, an 11-1 win against South Africa sealed the historic accomplishment that will help Israel send their biggest-ever Olympic delegation to the Tokyo 2020 Games.

01/09/2020 1 Minute Read

VIDEO: Australian women baseball players remember historic silver medal at 2010 World Cup

Amy McCann, the center fielder of Australia's 2010 Women's National Team, produced a flashback video of the team's historic run in Venezuela.

21/08/2020 2 Minute Read

Twelve years ago: Ueno leads Japan to softball gold at Beijing 2008 Olympics

On 21 August 2008, Japanese superstar pitcher Yukiko Ueno pitched Japan to their first and only Olympic Games softball gold medal with an incredible win over favourites, USA.

20/08/2020 2 Minute Read

Watch Yukiko Ueno’s perfect game at Athens 2004 Olympic Games, 16 years ago today

Ueno’s masterpiece, 16 years ago today, is the only seven-inning perfect game in the history of the Olympic Games.

10/08/2020 2 Minute Read

It's been 55 years since first-ever Women’s Softball World Championship in 1965

The flagship international softball tournament was played for the first time in 1965 in Melbourne, Australia. With the launch of the global softball platform, the sport began its expansion on the international sports scene.

08/08/2020 1 Minute Read

Olympic Baseball Rewind: Watch Cuba, Korea stage thriller for last gold medal at Beijing 2008

The defending champions Cuba and undefeated Korea fought hard in a dramatic final.

05/08/2020 1 Minute Read

Olympic speed skater medallist Eddy Alvarez crosses over to MLB

Alvarez is only the second player in history to appear on an MLB roster after winning an Olympic medal in another sport. After the Sochi 2014 Winter Games, he focused on baseball. The story parallels legend Jim Thorpe.

29/07/2020 1 Minute Read

Oliver Pérez becomes Mexican player with longest MLB tenure

On Sunday, 26 July, the lefthander surpassed his childhood hero Fernando Valenzuela and Jorge De La Rosa.

28/07/2020 2 Minute Read

28 July 2013: USA wins II WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup

The US National Team dominated the final against Chinese Taipei in front of a record crowd of 10,000. The win started a three-peat.

24/07/2020 2 Minute Read

Olympic Rewind Series - Sydney 2000: Japan, USA play the most contested softball final in Olympic history

In a collaboration between the WBSC and the Olympic Channel, fans are able to watch the Gold Medal Game of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, the second time softball was featured in the Olympics, following the sport's debut at Atlanta 1996.

17/07/2020 2 Minute Read

Today marks 100 years since birth of Juan Antonio Samaranch, Olympic president who added baseball, softball

During his tenure as IOC President both baseball and softball were admitted to the Olympic Games as medal sports.

16/07/2020 1 Minute Read

WBSC Headquarters: New chapter in history, exciting future for global baseball, softball

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) last week opened its new, permanent headquarters in Pully, a suburb in the Olympic capital Lausanne, Switzerland. Europe has only recently become the home of international baseball and softball.

16/07/2020 2 Minute Read

WBSC Headquarters: Next chapter of international softball's amazing journey starts in Switzerland

The International Softball Federation dates back to 1950 with its headquarters always on USA soil.

16/07/2020 2 Minute Read

WBSC Headquarters: After decades of relocations, Switzerland is now the permanent home of international baseball

The International Baseball Federation (IBAF) moved to Lausanne in January, 1994 to have a day-to-day relationship with the International Olympic Committee.

23/06/2020 4 Minute Read

Final of WBSC Premier12 2019 to close GameTime Classics series

Episode 88 is number 44 dedicated to baseball and will take you back to the championship game of the second edition of WBSC Flagship event between top-ranked Japan and world No. 3 Korea.

13/06/2020 2 Minute Read

Today the world celebrates World Softball Day, honours Don Porter’s memory

Today marks 15 years since Don Porter, former ISF President and WBSC co-founder, established World Softball Day in 2005, a day to celebrate the beauty and history of the sport.

08/06/2020 2 Minute Read

Don Porter, international softball leader, past WBSC co-President dies at 90

Porter served as president of the International Softball Federation (ISF) for 26 years and played a pivotal role in softball’s debut on the Olympic Programme at the 1996 Atlanta Games. He was also Co-President, together with Riccardo Fraccari, helping to establish the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in 2013.

03/04/2020 2 Minute Read

GameTime Classics - Episode 10: Re-live historic first-ever WBSC U-12 Mixed Softball final between Chinese Taipei and Peru

The inaugural WBSC U-12 Mixed Softball World Cup was held from 25-30 July 2019 in Tainan, along with the U-12 Baseball World Cup.

20/01/2020 2 Minute Read

Guam makes history, qualifies for U-15 Baseball World Cup

It's the first time Guam has qualified for a WBSC event. The closest it ever came previously was a loss to South Africa in a playoff for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

31/12/2019 1 Minute Read

2019: Year in Review

2019 was an historic year for the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) and has superbly set up 2020, where the return of baseball and softball to the Olympic Games will be the headline act.

20/12/2019 3 Minute Read

2019: Premier12 - The “biggest int’l baseball event in recent history”

The success and excitement of the 2019 Premier12 have set the stage for a massive spectacle and worldwide spotlight on baseball at the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan, where baseball is king of sports content.

17/11/2019 1 Minute Read

Mexico heads to the Olympics, makes history

"Baseball in our Country has accomplished a lot, but nothing of the sort," commented Federation President Enrique Mayorga. "This is really historic."

26/06/2017 1 Minute Read

Shortest player in KBO history revives his Middle School baseball program

WONDONG, South Korea-Rookie outfielder Kim Seong-yoon was first known as the shortest pro player in Korea. Then he made sensation for his defensive skills. After he displayed some power, he became a great story

27/04/2017 1 Minute Read

Ngoepe makes history as first African-born big leaguer

PITTSBURG — Gift Ngoepe, a native of Randburg, Gauteng, South Africa, made history becoming the first African-born athlete to play Major League Baseball.

30/10/2016 1 Minute Read

Australia records first-ever triple play in history of U-23 Baseball World Cup!

History was made Sunday at the U-23 Baseball World Cup as the Australian National Team accomplished the rare feat of executing a triple-play.

03/10/2014 2 Minute Read

Australia’s Godfrey first in history to medal at both baseball, softball world championships

LAUSANNE, Switzerland – Success with Australia’s women’s national baseball and softball teams at the world championships this summer has entered Leigh Godfrey into the history books as the first player to medal at a baseball world championship and a softball world championship.

11/05/2012 6 Minute Read

Most Lopsided Game in Baseball Playoff History

Ciego de Avila’s 20-0 “super knockout” thrashing of Granma in last night’s Oriental League opening semifinals contest was hardly very gripping or even faintly artistic. But it certainly was a game that put several dents in the professional baseball record books.

16/03/2012 1 Minute Read

The Dutch Federation celebrates 100 years of history

1912 was the year when the Republic of China was established (right on January 1), ending the Imperial Rule, but leading to a Civil War. It was also the year when, January 23 in The Hague (The Netherlands), 13 countries signed the International Opium Convention, the first drug control treaty of the history.

02/12/2011 2 Minute Read

“The game we love”, a book about the history of the IBAF

During the XXVI Congress, the IBAF will introduce to the delegates the first ever attempt to write a history of the organization. The 222-page “The game we love”, a book illustrated with dozens of pictures, takes the reader from the 1930s to the current term of President Riccardo Fraccari.