Women’s Baseball Growing Worldwide

USA - The international women’s baseball movement continues to grow with teams from all over the world competing in international competitions. Below is a list of countries with national women’s baseball teams as compiled by the American Women’s Baseball Federation (AWBF).

Australia

The Australian Baseball Federation sanctioned the development of a national women’s baseball team in 2001 to represent the country in international competitions.

Australia has competed in all Women’s World Series and Women’s World Cup events. In 2002, the Aussies won the Gold Medal at the Women’s World Series in St. Petersburg and finished fourth at both the 2004 and 2006 Women’s World Cups.

Canada

Baseball Canada has sanctioned the development of women’s baseball and has a national selection process for the women’s Team Canada.

The Canadian Women’s National Team participated in the 2001, 2002 and 2004 Women’s World Series and won the bronze medals at the 2004 and 2006 Women’s World Cups.

Taiwan

Taiwan has had women’s baseball teams for about four years. In 2004, Taiwan sent a women’s national team to play in the Women’s World Series and the Women’s World Cup.

The country hosted the 2006 Women’s World Cup in Taipei and the team has placed fifth in all events so far.

Cuba

In 2006, Cuba sent a women’s team to play in the Women’s World Cup in Taipei. The Cubans were great competitors and appeared only a year or two away from playing with best.

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has a women’s baseball program that started in 2002. The New England Lady Spirit travel team went to Santo Domingo in 2004 for a series of games.

The Dominican women’s team played strong baseball according to Robin Wallace who traveled as a player with the Lady Spirit. However, the squad has yet to participate in a Women’s World Cup event.

Hong Kong

The women’s baseball program in Hong Kong is only a few years old and the Chineses territory now hosts a national tournament to encourage participation by female athletes.

In 2004, Hong Kong selected a national team to play at the Women’s World Series in Japan and competed in the 2006 Women’s World Cup in Taipei.

India

India’s women’s national team played their first international games at the 2004 Women’s World Series in Japan. That team was organized and sponsored by the Amateur Baseball Federation of India (ABFI).

In 1985, baseball was first introduced in India by the ABFI. The ABFI is affiliated with the International Baseball Federation and has been appointed as the national governing body by the Government of India.

The ABFI will send a women’s national team to participate in the 2008 Women’s World Cup of Baseball in Matsuyama, Japan.

Japan

Japan is an acknowledged powerhouse in women’s baseball. In four years of Women’s World Series competitions,the Japanese have two Silver Medals (2001-2002) and two Gold medals (2003-2004). Japan won Silver at the 2004 and 2006 Women’s World Cup in Edmonton and Taipei.

A well-developed national program is run by the Women’s Baseball Association of Japan (WBAJ).

Korea

Korea is also new to women’s baseball. They began their women’s program in 2002 through the efforts of An Hyang-mi who dreamed of starting a baseball league for women in Korea. Through her efforts Korea fielded a team and traveled to Japan for the 2004 Women’s World Series.

The Korean Baseball Federation announced they will send a women’s national team to compete in the 2008 Women’s World Cup.

USA

The first three USA national women’s teams were organized primarily by the American Women’s Baseball Federation. In 2001 Jim Glennie of the AWBF and Tom Giffen of Roy Hobbs Baseball organized the winning national team at the first ever Women’s World Series in Toronto.

In 2002 and 2003 the American Women’s Baseball Federation selected and sent USA national women’s teams to Women’s World Series events in St. Petersburg, FL and the Gold Coast, AU.

In 2004 USA Baseball became responsible for selection and training of the women’s national baseball team. The USA women’s national team placed second at the 2004 Women’s World Series in Japan, and won Gold Medals at the 2004 and 2006 Women’s World Cups in Edmonton and Taipei.

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