Softball in Queensland

Softball is played in Queensland .

History and governance

Softball saw a "benefit" in the bombing of Darwin and the inclusion of Australia in World War II in terms of bringing in American military personnel who brought softball with them to this state.[1] Local competitions were organised by Mack Gilley in the state by 1946.[2] A Queensland organisation was created in 1946 by the American Mack Gilley.[3] The state federation was one of the foundation federation members of the Australian Women's Softball Council in 1949.[3][4] In 1971, there were 171 teams affiliated with the state organisation, 290 in 1975, 326 in 1976, 538 in 1977, 504 in 1978, 786 in 1983 and 951 in 1984.[5] The state association is involved with Softball Australia's Play Ball programme and is working to increase junior participation in the sport in their state.[6]

National champions

Gilleys Shield

In 1947, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria participated in the first interstate softball competition in the country. The competition was eventually called the Mack Gilley Shield.[3] Queensland won the Mack Gilley Shield in 1963, 1966 and 1968.[3][7] They won again in 1975, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1992 and 1994.[7] In 2012, Queensland finished third in the Gilley Shield.[8] The state hosted the Mack Gilley Shield in Brisbane in 1947, 1953, 1959 and 1966.[3] Women's open team members who represented Queensland at the 2008 Mack Gilley Shield include Jodie Bowering[9] and Jocelyn McCallum.[10] Women's open team members who represented Queensland at the 2012 Mack Gilley Shield include Jodie Bowering.[8]

John Reid Shield

Queensland competed in the John Reid Shield in 2012. Men's national team member William Bailey played for Queensland in the competition.[11]

Players from Queensland

National team representatives

Members of the 1965 Australian national team from Queensland included Brisbane based Lorraine Woolley, who competed at the World Championships in 1965 and was named the player of the tournament.[12] Members of the 2012 Australia women's national softball team from Queensland include Jodie Bowering[13][14] and Jocelyn McCallum.[14]

Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holders

The Australian Institute of Sport first awarded softball scholarships in 1993, after the 1991 announcement that softball would be included on the programme for the 1996 Summer Olympics. Since then, several competitors from this state have been awarded scholarships including Kim Cooper, Carolyn Crudgington, Tanya Harding, Joyce Lester, Francine McRae, Haylea Petrie, Nicole Rose and Linda Ward who all had scholarships in the programme's inaugural year.[15]

American university players

Some softball players from this state have played softball for American universities, which depleted the level of high quality players available for local, state and international competitions. They include Kellie McKellar who played for Oklahoma City University starting in 1993, Michelle Moores who played for Barton Community College starting in 1993, and Tanya Harding who played for the University of California at Los Angeles starting in 1995.[16]

Facilities

Brisbane was the home to Australia's first international competition ready softball diamond, complete with lights. It was built in 1980.[17]

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References
  1. Embrey, Lynn; Australian Softball Federation (1995). "Hits and Bunts". Batter up! : the history of softball in Australia. Bayswater, Vic.: Australian Softball Federation. pp. 69–127.
  2. Cashman, Richard (2001). Australian sport through time. Milsons Point, N.S.W.: Random House Australia. p. 259. ISBN 1740514459. OCLC 223005022.
  3. Pollard, Jack (1968). AMPOL book of Australian Sporting Records. Sydney: The Pollard Publishing Co. pp. 273–274. OCLC 71140.
  4. Vamplew, Wray; Australian Society for Sports History; Australian Sports Commission (1994). The Oxford companion to Australian sport (2 ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press. pp. 388–389. ISBN 0195532872. OCLC 27509815.
  5. Embrey, Lynn; Australian Softball Federation (1995). "Appendix H". Batter up! : the history of softball in Australia. Bayswater, Vic.: Australian Softball Federation. p. 170.
  6. "Softball: Softball Australia". A survey of cultural diversity and racism in Australian sport (PDF). Australia: Australian Human Rights Commission. p. 10. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  7. Vamplew, Wray; Australian Society for Sports History; Australian Sports Commission (1994). The Oxford companion to Australian sport (2 ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press. p. 521. ISBN 0195532872. OCLC 27509815.
  8. Grams, Jacob (29 February 2012). "Sports extra with Jacob Grams". Northside Chronicle. Brisbane. p. 55. NSC_T-20120229-1-055-480689. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  9. "Locals keep state on ball softball". Redcliffe Bayside Herald. Brisbane, Australia. 10 January 2007. p. 102. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  10. "Olympics heartache fightback". The Northern Times. Brisbane, Australia. 19 September 2008. p. 49. TNT_T-20080919-1-049-096911. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  11. "Bailey selected to join Steelers". Ipswich News. Australia. 29 February 2012. p. 34. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  12. Cashman, Richard (2001). Australian sport through time. Milsons Point, N.S.W.: Random House Australia. p. 334. ISBN 1740514459. OCLC 223005022.
  13. "Softball — Jodie Bowering". Bruce, Australian Capital Territory: Australian Institute of Sport. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  14. "Australian Open Women's Squad 2012". Australia: Softball Australia. 24 February 2012. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2012.
  15. Embrey, Lynn; Australian Softball Federation (1995). "The Olympics". Batter up! : the history of softball in Australia. Bayswater, Vic.: Australian Softball Federation. pp. 152–156.
  16. Embrey, Lynn; Australian Softball Federation (1995). "Scholarships: Softball's "Brain Drain"". Batter up! : the history of softball in Australia. Bayswater, Vic.: Australian Softball Federation. p. 136.
  17. Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism; Australian Sport Commission (1985). Australian Sport, a profile. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publish Service. p. 186. ISBN 0644036672.

See also
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