by Pim van Nes
16 national teams for women softball gathered during this ten days tournament in Netherlands softball capital Haarlem, resulting in a highly charming encounter of cultures. Most impressive example was given by Team New Zealand, which played seven round robin games at seventy kilometers distance from the Dutch province of Zeeland, the name of which was given to their country by Abel Tasman, who discovered the islands as first European in 1642. Before each of their softball games in Haarlem in recent ISF tournament, the entire roster of players performed the traditional Haka as a tribute for the authentic Maori population in southwest Pacific Ocean. This Haka dance was created especially for this softball women delegation. This video is courtesy by Italian delegation chief Totoni Sanna for Mister-Baseball.com.
Other international media paid attention to the maximum softball tournament. Every day journalists from Netherlands newspapers, websites, television and radio stations visited the Nol Houtkamp Sportpark, named after the 85 years old former national team manager who threw the ceremonial first pitch in the opening ceremony. Best Dutch coverage of the World Championship tournament was given by regional Haarlems Dagblad with several reports per day in their 6 newspapers per week. Also nationwide main newspaper De Telegraaf showed a high attendance and in this category also De Volkskrant and NRC/Handelsblad brought broader softball reports twice. In accreditations and attendance, Dutch journalists were however outnumbered by foreign press representatives.
Especially Japanese press followed the tournament and their defending world champion team as from Day 1 with TV camera’s and microphones for post game interviews with coaches and players. For non-Japanese questions Dutch-Japanese liaison officer Mrs Harumi Ueda was available for translations to English and Dutch. When the tournament had advanced to its decisive phase, even more Japanese journalists arrived in Haarlem. The website of Japan Times on Monday uploaded this article about the second consecutive world softball title for Team Japan: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2014/08/25/baseball/japan-beats-u-s-team-retain-softball-title/#.U_5Hz2blrIV with a characteristich photo of star pitcher Yukiko Ueno. After her last out in ten days, she gave signatures to many children, waiting impatiently outside the dugout.
Also Czech media reported daily from Haarlem, thanks to a camera crew for national television with their 19.50 hrs sport news program and thanks to writing reporter Pavel Hrdina for Czech Softball Association. Enthusiasm increased in and outside Czech Republic about the new pitching star Veronica Peckova, 17 years young and traveling three hours to capital Prague, where national team manager Andre Prins prepared his players for ISF championship tournament in his native country. Italian federation gave the manager job to Italian first lady in softball Marina Centrone and delegated Fabio Ferrini for frequent information reports on the official website. His latest article about ISF softball tournament is illustrated by a photo showing medals wearing Team Japan, shouldered by USA and Australia in a demonstration to get softball back in Olympic Games 2020, hopefully in Tokyo: http://www.fibs.it/it-it/e2809cIl-lavoro-da-fare-e-tanto-e-dovremo-realizzarlo-in-stretta-collaborazione-con-i-clube2809d.aspx?IdSection=677
Other news reports about the 2014 Softball Games in Haarlem were made at distance, such as by Granma, the official news agency for Cuba, thanks to internet journalist Aliet Arzola Lima. Also at distance but at short within the Netherlands, Chinese news agency Xinhua correspondent Jesse Wieten contacted ISF tournament press officer Pim van Nes by telephone and wrote in an English article: “Will the inclusion of baseball and softball for the 2020 Olympics be on the agenda in Monaco is the question. “Nobody knows the agenda unfortunately, but we will continue to campaign” , Low Beng Choo, Secretary-General of the International Softball Federation (ISF) and the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), told Xinhua. “But we understand Bach is looking for some changes and that’ s why we keep showcasing our sports.” The entire article can be read at: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/sports/2014-08/25/c_133580975.htm