Every year on June 13, the sport of softball is celebrated all over the world. Softball is played by approximately 30 million people around the globe.

Back in 1991, on June 13, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that women's softball would be added to the program of the Summer Olympics. 

Softball made its debut at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, USA. Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, and the USA competed for the title of Olympic Champion.  After nine days of games, the United States took gold, defeating China (silver) and Australia (bronze).

After 1996, Women's softball appeared in 2000 in Sydney, Australia, in 2004 in Athens, Greece, and in 2008 in Beijing, China.
After 12 years, we would have seen softball at Tokyo 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we still have to wait a couple more months before July 21, 2021, when Team Italy will represent Europe and Africa at the XXXII Olympic Games.

In 2021, World Softball Day is celebrated exactly one week before the playball of the international softball European season with the Men's European Championship starting on June 20.

Happy World Softball Day!

/ Elda Ghilardi