May 10 declared World Baseball Softball Confederation Day
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Executive Board confirmed, during its end-of-year meeting at the WBSC headquarters in Pully, Switzerland on Saturday, that 10 May will be World Baseball Softball Confederation Day.
The WBSC elected its first President and Executive Board on 10 May, 2014.
"We are one unified body, one unified federation, one solid International Federation. We can celebrate 10 May, the day the WBSC was born in 2014, as a united and strong organisation, including our eight Confederations and 191 National Federations," said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari during the WBSC Executive Board meeting. "We will dedicate this day to our community to celebrate it together. A day to commemorate the unification of baseball and softball."
10 year anniversary
A campaign to engage with all WBSC national federations and members will be launched in the build up to 10 May next year, to help the entire international baseball and softball community celebrate this special day.
The WBSC, which already celebrates World Softball Day on 13 June when softball was confirmed in 1991 to be part of the Olympic Games for the first time in 1996, has recorded many significant accomplishments under the presidency of Italian Fraccari.
From launching the WBSC Premier12, the organisation's first professional tournament, to creating new properties from U-12 Baseball World Cup, Baseball5, Baseball Champions League and eSport to succeeding in putting baseball and softball back in the Olympic Games, the WBSC has gone from strength to strength since starting in 2014.
A new begnnining
In 2014, when delegates representing the member National Federations gathered in Hammamet, Tunisia to elect their new President, the WBSC had operated under the leadership of two co-presidents, Riccardo Fraccari and the late Don Porter, for approximately one year. In April 2013, the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and the International Softball Federation (ISF) officially merged in Tokyo, Japan.
The Interim Board met on Friday, 9 May 2014, and acknowledged a message from IOC President Thomas Bach. "This historic inaugural Congress reflects the efforts and the changes of recent years…we are very pleased to see that the National Federations are following the updated structure and the new direction of the WBSC."
Before the Presidential election, both Fraccari and Porter publicly agreed that baseball and softball had to show “unity” if they wanted to develop.
"After 46 years in the ISF and some years working with baseball, it is now time for me to step down," said Don Porter as he withdrew his WBSC presidential candidature. "There is an excellent candidate in Mr Riccardo Fraccari."
Fraccari honoured Porter through his first words as WBSC President: "This union does not erase our past, but rather, it unites baseball’s and softball’s legacies. President Porter’s historic contributions leave an invaluable legacy that will forever be a part of softball and both the birth and growth of the WBSC."
Fraccari added: "With the merger finalised and the Executive Board elected, we are more prepared than ever, and we have solidified a foundation from which to provide the best opportunities and the best future for our athletes and sports disciplines. The National Federations have sent a strong signal of unity in Tunisia. I will do everything I can to keep their confidence and take this organisation to their benefit."
