The Freedom Fund posts bond to secure the release and safety of LGBTQ
people in jail and immigration detention.
— Read on www.lgbtqfund.org/

WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup to start 12 November in Tijuana, Mexico
— Read on www.wbsc.org/news/wbsc-womens-baseball-world-cup-to-start-on-12-november-in-tijuana-mexico

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — 02 June 2020 — The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) today revealed the host city and new dates of the IX WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup 2020. The top tournament in women’s baseball will be staged from 12-21 November in Tijuana, Mexico.

The WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup was originally scheduled to take place from 11-20 September, and has since been rescheduled due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

“The WBSC is excited to have a great baseball city like Tijuana and great baseball nation like Mexico host the top event in women’s baseball, the Women’s Baseball World Cup,” said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. “I am confident that our Mexican hosts will provide the perfect stage for the best women’s baseball players in the world to compete on.”

Twelve teams will compete For the Title of World Champion in Tijuana:

• AMERICAS (4): Canada, Mexico, USA and Venezuela

• ASIA (3): Defending World Cup Champion Japan, Chinese

Taipei and Philippines,

• EUROPE (1) France

• OCEANIA (1): Australia

• WILD CARD (3): Cuba, Dominican Republic and Netherlands

The Women’s National Baseball Team of Japan has won the last six editions and will carry a 30-game World Cup winning streak into Tijuana.

Mexico, France and the Philippines will be making their first-ever

appearance in the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup.

France was the first National Team to qualify for the premier event in women’s baseball, winning the inaugural European Women’s Baseball Championship last year.

USA, Venezuela, Canada and Mexico qualified as the top four squads from the first-ever Pan-Am Women’s Baseball Championship in 2019.

Japan, Chinese Taipei and the Philippines gained entry into the WBSC World Cup as the top three finishers from the Women’s Baseball Asian Cup last November.

History

At the last Women’s Baseball World Cup (2018), Japan topped Chinese Taipei in the Final, while Canada defeated USA for the bronze medal at the USSSA Space Coast Complex in Viera, Florida.

In 2016, Japan defeated Canada in the Final, while Venezuela walked- off with a bronze medal victory over Chinese Taipei at Hyundai Dream Ballpark in Gijang, Busan, Korea.

USA won the first two Women’s Baseball World Cups (2004, 2006), with Japan finishing as the runner-up both times.

Rounding out the all-time medal table, silver medals have gone to Canada (2008, 2016), Australia (2010), USA (2012, 2014) and Chinese Taipei (2018). Canada has earned four bronze medals (2004, 2006, 2012 2018), USA two (2008, 2010), and Australia (2014) and Venezuela (2016) one each.

The Women’s Baseball World Cup grew from a five-team (USA, Japan, Canada, Australia and Chinese Taipei) tournament in the inaugural edition in August 2004 in Edmonton, Canada, to seven teams in 2006 in Taipei (Cuba and Hong Kong made their debuts), to eight teams in 2008 in Matsuyama, Japan (the newcomer was India), to 11 teams in 2010 in Maracay, Venezuela (the host nation, Puerto Rico and Korea made their debut).

The number of participants was eight in 2012, when Australia and the Netherlands made first appearances in a Women’s Baseball World Cup. A record 12 teams competed in 2016 in Gijang, with Pakistan making their debut. The Dominican Republic made their historic debut in 2018 in Viera, which also showcased the current 12-team format.

For more information, visit the official website of the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup at https://wbwc.wbsc.org.

###

Contact: media@wbsc.org.

About the World Baseball Softball Confederation

Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland — the Olympic Capital — the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) is the world governing body for baseball and softball. WBSC has 211 National Federation and Associate Members in 138 countries and territories across Asia, Africa, Americas, Europe and Oceania, which represent a united baseball/ softball sports movement that encompasses over 65 million athletes and attracts approximately 150 million fans to stadiums

worldwide annually.

The WBSC governs all international competitions involving official

National Teams. The WBSC oversees the Premier12, the World Baseball Classic and Baseball World Cups (U-12, U-15, U-18, U-23 and Women’s), and the Softball World Cups, (Men’s, Women’s, U-18 Men’s, U-18 Women’s and U-12 Mixed), and Baseball5 as well as Baseball, Softball and Baseball5 events at the Olympic Games.

For more information, visit www.wbsc.org, which is available six languages: English, French, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Traditional Chinese

What made Megumi such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2020?

“When you think of traditional Japanese culture and the role of women, you probably do not think of women playing baseball on a men’s Big Six university team, riding around the world by herself on a motorcycle for three years, or doing an MBA as a single mother of two small children, but Megumi Takemoto has set her sights on breaking that and every other stereotype you might have about Japanese women – and women in general.
— Read on poetsandquants.com/2020/05/31/2020-mbas-to-watch-megumi-takemoto-esade/

The G.M.

The 28-card set was a first for the organization under the oversight of pioneering General Manager Frances Crockett.  During her 12-year tenure, the O’s set attendance records and won the Southern League Championship in 1980 and 1984.
— Read on www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/1980-wbtv-cal-ripken-charlotte-orioles-baseball-card-set/

Federation Focus: Australian baseball is thriving from youth to pro levels
— Read on aroundtherings.com/site/A__99984/Title__Federation-Focus-Australian-baseball-is-thriving-from-youth-to-pro-levels/292/Articles

AAGPBL Articles
— Read on www.aagpbl.org/articles/show/67

Season ends on road for UNC softball player – Davie County Enterprise Record | Davie County Enterprise Record
— Read on m.ourdavie.com/2020/05/28/season-ends-on-road-for-unc-softball-player/

Pitch, which was recently released on Hulu, explores this issue
— Read on www.purplerow.com/2020/5/28/21256552/baseball-tv-what-if-a-woman-were-allowed-to-pitch-in-the-major-leagues

A nearly pristine baseball uniform worn by acting great Tom Hanks in “A League of Their Own” is currently available for fans to bid on.
— Read on www.foxnews.com/entertainment/tom-hanks-worn-league-of-their-own-baseball-uniform-hits-auction-block

Jessica Mendoza will not be back for Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts in 2020 and that leaves a woeful booth behind
— Read on www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2020/5/28/21270932/mlb-espn-sunday-night-baseball-jessica-mendoza-alex-rodriguez-matt-vasgersian

Financially challenged schools considering cutting sports in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic are making difficult decisions of who gets to keep playing and who doesn’t.The choices aren’t just abo
— Read on www.newsday.com/sports/title-ix-major-factor-for-colleges-looking-at-sports-cuts-1.44994076

CARLINVILLE – A discovery of long-forgotten articles in the Blackburn College archives solved a lingering, and surprisingly controversial, mystery of th
— Read on www.riverbender.com/articles/details/archives-find-solves-mystery-of-blackburns-onearmed-baseball-player-42120.cfm

Pitcher, infielder among 13 from across Canada chosen for 16U program
— Read on www.yorkregion.com/community-story/9996638-aurora-teen-claire-johnson-makes-baseball-canada-program-s-short-list/

HOLDEN — Not many who choose to compete on the diamond versus other venues have transitioned from traditionally boy-dominated baseball to girls’ softball with the success that Wachusett Regional High varsity softball captain Ashley Parechanian has. Parechanian, a senior from Holden, played baseball from tee-ball through seventh grade before taking a new direction, trying out and making the WRHS softball team. With little surprise, she was chosen for varsity as a sophomore, and saw
— Read on www.thelandmark.com/news/20200522/baseball-to-softball-switch-is-no-problem

Before she put together one of the best high school softball careers in Miami-Dade County history, Doral Academy’s Kaylee Rodriguez cut her teeth playing for Team Panama, an elite Florida youth baseball team.
— Read on www.miamiherald.com/sports/high-school/prep-miami-dade/article242742136.html

Now with the Yankees, Rachel Balkovec is the first full-time female hitting coach for an MLB organization.
— Read on www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2020/05/22/rachel-balkovec-yankees-coach-mlb

Depot Museum to pick up where they left off with part 2 of ‘Baseball in Sonoma’ exhibit
— Read on www.sonomanews.com/lifestyle/10972212-181/baseball-exhibit-at-deport-park

One of the leading American female sports pioneers has ties to the Dakotas.
— Read on www.grandforksherald.com/sports/baseball/6497571-Eriksmoen-Nations-first-female-professional-umpire-is-finally-receiving-long-overdue-recognition

A brief but shining moment with the late Mary Pratt – Blogs – The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA – Quincy, MA
— Read on www.patriotledger.com/blogs/20200519/brief-but-shining-moment-with-late-mary-pratt

It’s a beautiful, sunny day in the summer of 2012. The clink of an aluminum bat can be heard from a little league boys baseball game at Cosmo Park in Columbia.Abby Hay, 7 years old at the time, sits on the all-boys bench. Her shoulder-length, blonde hair tumbles out of a blue and white baseball cap, making her easy to spot amongst the boys. Her father, John Hay, is the coach of the team, and her older brother, Zack Hay, crouches behind home plate as the catcher.It was Zack and John who
— Read on www.columbiatribune.com/sports/20200516/on-her-own-terms-why-columbia-girl-isnt-quitting-baseball

Baseball Lives: Stevenson grad the woman on the beat – Monterey Herald
— Read on www.montereyherald.com/2020/05/16/baseball-lives-stevenson-grad-the-woman-on-the-beat/

as
— Read on www.mlb.com/news/alyssa-nakken-rachel-balkovec-spearheading-women-s-role-in-baseball

Lee Joo Young is making her transformation into a high school baseball player who dreams of going professional in new stills for the upcoming film “Baseball Girl.” The actress made her mark earlier this year when she appeared in the hit JTBC drama “Itaewon Class.” In her follow-up work, she will become a high schooler
— Read on www.soompi.com/article/1400213wpp/lee-joo-young-transforms-into-a-high-schooler-fighting-for-her-dreams-in-new-film-baseball-girl

When surfing rose as a professional sport over half a century ago, women had to fight to be recognized by media and men. The women’s results of the 1965 World Championship were not even mentioned in Surfer Magazine that year. Trailblazers of that era, female surfers represented counterculture and a change in gender roles. Reflect on the personalities that elevated the sport’s early beginnings.
— Read on us.gestalten.com/blogs/journal/founding-mothers-of-professional-surfing

A GOOD AGE: Mary, we are glad we knew ye – News – The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA – Quincy, MA
— Read on www.patriotledger.com/news/20200511/good-age-mary-we-are-glad-we-knew-ye

This Day in Sports History: May 8, 1994 On Mother’s Day, May 8, 1994, the Colorado Bullets played their first game to become the first all-female professional baseball team to be officially recognized by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. The team was formed by Club President Bob Hope who was previously a baseball […]
— Read on www.localdvm.com/sports/this-day-in-sports-the-colorado-bullets-the-first-all-female-pro-baseball-team-played-their-first-game-in-1994/

Corinne Mullane pitched the Giants on the idea that they needed a Ball Dudette, becoming the first on the way to Cooperstown.
— Read on www.sfchronicle.com/giants/jenkins/article/Giants-Ball-Dudettes-Bay-Area-mother-daughter-15259401.php

She started her career with the Rockford Peaches, who were later featured in “A League of Their Own.”
— Read on www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/mary-pratt-southpaw-pitcher-in-a-pioneering-womens-baseball-league-dies-at-101/2020/05/10/43331880-92c7-11ea-9f5e-56d8239bf9ad_story.html

‘Pitch’: You can watch Season 1 of Fox’s cancelled baseball drama on Hulu. Here are seven good reasons to revisit the series.
— Read on tvline.com/2020/05/07/pitch-season-1-watch-hulu-mark-paul-gosselaar/

Seventeen-year-old Kim Satterly loved baseball.
— Read on www.theindychannel.com/lifestyle/history/1980-girl-just-wants-to-play-ball

#109 – John Dudley: The beauty in archery, the love of practice, and a model system for life – Peter Attia
— Read on peterattiamd.com/johndudley/

Elite Baseball Development Podcast: Episode 55: Mitch Haniger
— Read on elitebaseballpodcast.libsyn.com/episode-55-mitch-haniger

Elite Baseball Development Podcast: Episode 56: Cutting-Edge Catching w/ Tanner Swanson
— Read on elitebaseballpodcast.libsyn.com/episode-56-cutting-edge-catching-w-tanner-swanson

Elite Baseball Development Podcast: Episode 58: Two-Seam Roundtable
— Read on elitebaseballpodcast.libsyn.com/episode-58-two-seam-roundtable

We could be living through the longest MLB outage in history.
— Read on www.axios.com/baseball-america-traditions-coronavirus-23ceb054-7ddf-45de-8b5b-76b09158a50a.html

It comes as most U.S. sports have shut down because of the coronavirus.
— Read on www.axios.com/espn-televise-south-korean-baseball-e27baae4-c9b3-4a8a-a63a-6707b5dddcf8.html

A federal judge said the team hadn’t provided enough evidence of pay discrimination.
— Read on www.axios.com/uswnt-unequal-pay-legal-ruling-dismissal-77fd2de6-26e2-456c-b2ad-57d87e8089a0.html

The league is airing its games on ESPN as live sports remains shut down elsewhere.
— Read on www.axios.com/korea-baseball-organization-kbo-rules-teams-history-c3db7ddd-0d2b-44cf-a9b0-24bc9cfa6502.html

The education secretary’s directive creates a judicial-like process, where the accused has the right to cross-examine accusers and to a live hearing.
— Read on www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/betsy-devos-announces-new-rules-on-campus-sexual-assault-offering-more-rights-to-the-accused/2020/05/06/4d950c7c-8fa0-11ea-a9c0-73b93422d691_story.html

Judge R. Gary Klausner will allow some claims to move to trial. A trail date is set for June 16.
— Read on www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/05/01/judge-rules-against-us-womens-national-soccer-team-equal-pay-lawsuit/

A judge Friday dismissed the U.S. women’s team’s claim of gender discrimination
— Read on www.thelily.com/a-blow-to-all-girls-why-the-latest-decision-in-the-uswnts-equal-pay-lawsuit-matters/

Like baseball, but exciting
— Read on www.milehighhockey.com/2020/5/5/21248311/forget-korean-baseball-finlands-version-of-baseball-pesapallo-is-the-quarantine-sport-you-need

https://youtu.be/i0o7lajjzBg

Chris Bolan’s documentary, produced by Ryan Murphy, is partly about decades of living in the closet but also about the perils of growing old in America
— Read on www.thewrap.com/a-secret-love-film-review-lesbian-love-story-goes-from-baseball-diamond-to-retirement-home/

This is part of a series catching Northwestern State fans up on the whereabouts of former NSU student-athletes, coaches and staff members.
— Read on nsudemons.com/news/2020/4/23/athletic-administration-demons-coast-to-coast-ginger-gilmore.aspx

The Art of Anika Orrock: Illustration, Design, Character, Story . . . and
Baseball.
— Read on www.anikaorrock.com/

COLUMBIA, SC (WACH) — Former University of South Carolina softball two-time All-American Tina Plew Whitlock has never been one to shy away from her dreams. Dreams that led her to coach softball at several colleges, including a stint as a volunteer coach at her alma mater. “I specifically was trying to break into baseball,” explained Whitlock, who for years was deciding if coaching was the path she wanted to go down over working in educating.
— Read on mynbc15.com/newsletter-daily/gamecock-softball-great-making-history-as-mlb-team-hires-female-coach

399.6k Likes, 3,077 Comments – SportsCenter (@sportscenter) on Instagram: “Don’t sleep on Sister Mary Jo’s curve ball. 🔥”
— Read on www.instagram.com/p/B_IwvbChtz4/

Baseball Digest – since 1942
— Read on baseballdigest.com/

There’s no crying in baseball? Right now there isn’t any baseball! But movies can offer a sports fix. Kick off a virtual season with A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN.
— Read on www.cinemark.com/movie-news/sports-fix-a-league-of-their-own/