Fastpitch

[pdj]

http://fastpitchwest.com:80/morningbrief/?p=3114

Reprint from Fastpitch West Morning Brief

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Softball chose to go its own way for the Olympics, rejecting a proposal from baseball for a joint bid to get reinstated for the 2016 Summer Games.

The president of the International Softball Federation, Don Porter, made the announcement Friday.

“We have offered the IOC a doping-free, universal team sport that reflects the values of Olympism all over the world,” Porter said in a statement.

Porter met Thursday with Harvey Schiller, the president of the International Baseball Federation in Orlando, Fla. Schiller said he would move forward with baseball’s bid to get back to the Olympics.

The IOC voted to drop baseball and softball in 2005, and softball officials have said their sport was hurt by baseball’s doping scandals. Since softball was added to the Olympics in 1996, the U.S. won three straight golds before losing to Japan in Beijing.

The two sports are among seven competing for two openings for new sports at the 2016 Olympics. Baseball officials had argued that a combined bid would enhance the chances of both sports. The IOC will vote in October on which sports to add.

Porter said although softball’s bid is for a women’s sport, his group has offered the IOC an option of adding men’s softball. In a telephone interview, Porter said he thought combining with baseball would hurt that effort.

“We’re an independent sport, and we want to continue that way,” Porter said. “This is no disrespect in any way to baseball. Baseball’s a great sport.”

Editor’s Note: At the risk of hyperbole, this story might be the biggest news in the world of men’s fastpitch in the past couple decades. The proposal by Porter and the ISF has the potential to put men’s fastpitch onto the world stage, where many players and fans have said it belongs, and give it parity in worldwide competition. For many years, the argument against allowing men’s fastpitch softball the honor of Olympic competition along with women has been “well, the men have baseball”.

This decision by Mr. Porter and the ISF is clearly a move in a different direction, signaling an effort to give the sport of fastpitch softball it’s own identity, and one that stands on its own two feet, on a foundation of support for men’s and women’s fastpitch.

The ISF’s move — one we obviously support — has huge implications for the sport of men’s fastpitch. We urge our readers to voice their support of the decision, and decision to push for Olympic competition in men and women’s fastpitch softball.

I guess you could say that Porter and the ISF has provided a dramatic answer to the question posed here last weekend “Why aren’t mens sports groups lobbying for Men’s Softball at the Olympics?”

[MTR]

A split with baseball is a no-brainer. Baseball has been told in the past that they need to deliver the premier players to stay in the Olympics.

Some reasons that it probably will not happen

In all liklihood, the Summer Olympics will always interfere with a portion of the MLB season;
Players are under contract to a business concern that is looking out for their business;
The IOC drug testing is much more stringent than any in professional sports and many believe a portion of the players will not pass;
The players, agents, union and teams make no money off the deal;

AFA the men's FP game, I don't know if it is as marketable as the women's. In many countries, you don't see the men's game in many areas. The men's game and talent in the US is so sparse, the national team recruits from the HS & college ranks of baseball. As young boys in this country, the perception is not to grow up and play softball. And there may be an issue with the men's game and their perception of "rules" and how they should be applied to their game. Some believe that the only rule to the men's game is to play to win.

BTW, this hyperbole seems to suggest the men's game is isolated and not on the world stage. The men's game has the same stage the women have been playing on for years with, until now, the exception of the Olympics. While it may be something to behold in the future, I think the ISF should concentrate on insuring women's softball is one of the two sports added in 2016 and worry about the men's game down the road.

BTW, in 2001/2002, the ISF was also trying to promote the SP game to Olympic status as that game is more likely to be something to which the masses can relate. But, just as we are experiencing now, their priority remained, as it should be, focused on the more recognizable game already in the Olympics.

[Jitterbug]

The men's game is not as good as it used to be. I have went and watched the so called aces for the men's team now and the pitchers for the national team and they do not throw as hard and as consistent as when the game started. The aces out there now would only be allowed to pitch at the "B" level in the days I played. The game today does not get the best athletes to play the game. An there are no avenues for pitching to develop as it did in the older days. So trying to get the men's game in the olympics it a fruitless effort.

[Tucson]

I grew up watching men's softball in IL. (60s-70s). It was an excellent game, with top athletes. A factory called ADM, in Decatur, had a team of guys that were recruited to work in the factory so that they could also play softball.

And most pitchers were paid under the table.

I have a documentary called Fastpitch that follows the game one summer. It is not so much about softball though as it is the life of the men's player. It is rated R, though for language and is not a family film.

I will mail it to the first person that wants it. Just PM me. Somebody else might as well watch it. I don't want it back. Amy