Hey Baseball: Thanks, But No Thanks

I actually found out about this in this blog post by Marc over at Softball Performance. Apparently the International Baseball Federation submitted a proposal for a "combined approach for Olympic Games programme status."

Thankfully, the International Softball Federation (ISF) has decided that softball with stand alone in current proposals to the International Olympic Committee. Being grouped with baseball is, I believe, one of the major reasons softball was voted out for 2012. Since softball was ousted in the 2005 voting, the ISF has vigorously campaigned for softball's reinstatement to the Olympics.

The IOC will be voting to include up to two most sports in the 2016 Olympic games. I really hope softball gets back in. If you're reading this, I'm sure you do too.

What I think would be super cool, is to have both men's and women's fastpitch in the Olympics! I'd definitely be DVR'ing all the games.

Olympics-Softball Rejects Baseball's Plans for Joint Games Pitch

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Japan Wins Gold Medal!

Oh my goodness!  Japan just beat the USA Women's National Team to win the Gold Medal 3-1.  I didn't get a chance to watch the game, but I have it recorded.  Wow!  Their game in the earlier rounds was also a great one that the US won, but this time, it was Japan's day.  

• USA Softball has a short report of the Gold Medal Game HERE.
• The LA Times had another story about the game.
• Here's the story from Yomiuri Online.
• The NY Times Blog has a story and a bit of a game track as well.
  

Wow!  Are you stunned like I am?

I've started a discussion over at Fastpitch World if you have comments or thoughts, or simply leave one here.

ISF Campaigns for Softball's Return in 2016

The International Softball Federation announced a "Back Softball" campaign to push for the sport to be reinstated in the 2016 Olympic Games. ISF President, Don Porter, says the Federation is focusing on spreading softball to more countries in different areas of the world. The idea is to develop the sports so that more countries are able to compete at the highest level.

The next chance for softball to regain its Olympic status will come in 2009, when the IOC will select the sports for the 2016 Games. After working for about 30 years to get softball included in the Olympics, Porter is not about to give up on getting softball a second chance in the Olympics.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist, Michele Smith, visited President Bush last month as an honorary commissioner for a T-ball game on the White House South Lawn. Smith said the president told her he's "100 percent" behind the effort to reinstate softball.

We'll see what happens as '09 rolls around.

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