SOFTBALL BIG AT WMG
2009-04-07

As indicated by the countdown on the homepage of our website, in approximately six months the World Masters Games will be underway in Sydney, Australia. And it will be hard to miss the fact that softball will be played there.

The International Softball Federation has learned that its sport is currently the second biggest scheduled for this October’s multi-sport event. As of March 23rd a total of 702 softballers had registered to compete at the 7th World Masters Games. The ISF, however, is not necessarily surprised.

“Four years ago when the World Masters Games were played in Edmonton (Canada) softball was the third biggest sport,” said ISF President Don Porter. “This is just one more example of our game’s continued growth and popularity throughout the world.”

A familiar face on the international softball scene has been named as one of the Games Ambassadors for this year’s World Masters Games. ISF Hall of Famer (2001) Jenny Holliday, who won bronze in softball’s first-ever Olympic appearance (1996) and played in three ISF women’s world championships, is an appropriate choice for that role. Members of that 1996 Australian team are reuniting to play in this October’s softball competition, which is designed for athletes ages 35-and-over. (Men’s softball is also a part of the World Masters Games.)

There’s another Olympic link in that the softball competition will take place at Blacktown Olympic Park, the site of the softball tournament that was played during the 2000 Games.

The World Masters Games once again will bring the world together. Past softball competitions at this multi-sport event have seen competitors come from Australia, Brunei, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Nauru, Northern Marianas, Papua New Guinea, and the United States.

Visit www.2009worldmasters.com for more information on the October 10-18 event.