Press release World Baseball Softball Confederation
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) and Major League Baseball (MLB) have partnered to bring Baseball5, the new five-on-five, five-inning urban variation, to the 2018 PLAY BALL PARK during MLB’s All-Star Week in Washington D.C.
Free and open to the public, PLAY BALL Park (located at The Yards at the Capitol Riverfront) will headline various youth, adult & fan engagement efforts throughout Washington D.C. during MLB’s All-Star Week, which opens today. Led by WBSC-certified instructors, Baseball5 — which is played with a rubber ball as the sole piece of equipment needed — was demonstrated and showcased on Saturday, 14 July, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. local time.
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said: “With no dedicated venue or special equipment needed, Baseball5 can be played anywhere in the world, and I cannot think of a better place or bigger stage than MLB’s All-Star Week for this exciting new form of baseball and softball to make its official U.S. debut. WBSC is proud to partner with Major League Baseball on this exciting initiative, as Baseball5 can help push our global sport further, attracting new players and fans from places not possible before.”
Baseball5 kicked off in 2017 with a successful pilot programme at the Friendship Games in the Great Lakes region of Africa, which included participants from Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
Since the launch of the Official Baseball5 Rules in March, WBSC has been invited to give demonstrations and seminars in the Czech Republic, Cuba, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Italy, Mexico, Philippines, South Africa, and now the United States.
Baseball5 will also be part of the Sport Initiation Zone at the upcoming Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games this October in Argentina.
For rules, videos and more on Baseball5, visit www.wbsc.org/baseball5.