The rumor has been out there for months. It’s now official. Team Rainey is back, including the fellow shown in the photo above, circa 2006. More details to follow….

Update – March 26:

ROSTER
(pitchers shown in bold)

Bricklen Anderson 13
Sebastian Gervasutti 36
Tony Acedo 6
Jesse Duncan 21

Chris Hunt 17
Tim Hunt 14
Rod Rainey 10
Josh Tisdale 23
Eddie Brooks 16
Larry Machado 7
Chase Turner 77
Bryan Wells 20
Joel Manfredi 30
Jason Arijulo 19
Peter Turner 24
Marco Marciacini 9
Jeff Coleman

SCHEDULE

Stockton, CA (Nor Cal Travel) March 29-30
Sonora, CA (Nor Cal Travel) May 3-4
Folsom, CA (Nor Cal Travel) May 17-18
Santa Barbara, CA “Best of West” June 7, 8
Lodi, CA (Rainey/IAC tournament) June 13, 14
Portland, OR June 21, 22
Sonora (or find a scrimmage) July 12-13
NAFA Open (Madison, WI) July 25-27
Wisconsin “ISC Worlds” Aug 10-16
Missouri “”ASA “A” Nationals” Aug 29-Sep 1

12 TEAMS START VYING FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP JUNE 20

PLANT CITY, FLORIDA — The ten-day schedule of 70 games at the International Softball Federation’s VIII Jr. Men’s World Championship was made public today by the sport’s world governing body. Taking place in Whitehorse, Yukon (Canada), the fast pitch event will be played from June 20-29. The 19-and-under national team from 12 countries will participate.

“There is a lot of softball scheduled to be played at this year’s world championship,” ISF President Don Porter said. “The spectators attending and the media covering the tournament will have a lot to see, with some of the entries on the schedule showing as many as nine games in one day. The unique location of this event will provide a great setting for these world-class athletes to compete for the chance to be called ‘world champion.’ ”

In the northwest corner of the country, the Pepsi Softball Centre is in an area that daily gets over 20 hours of daylight, meaning that the teams will play against nature’s backdrop with no artificial (stadium) lights.

Australia is the three-time defending ISF Jr. Men’s World Champion, with this year’s host country the last to win the title before the Aussies started their run in 1997. Joining those two at the event in June will be: Argentina, Botswana, Czech Republic, Denmark, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, USA, and Venezuela.

The championship opens with Australia facing Botswana in the first of four games scheduled before all 12 teams participate in Opening Ceremonies, which will be followed by games between Canada and the Czech Republic and the U.S. versus Japan.

The official event website is www.worldsoftball2008.com and the full game schedule is available here.

Where is Whitehorse you say? See map below. Plug in your home address to see how far it is from you. Me? I’m a paltry 3,005 miles away.

View Larger Map

Arthur C. Clarke passed away today at the age of 90, after a remarkable life. Longtime readers of Fastpitchwest may have noted the inclusion of a quote from Arthur Clarke that has appeared on my Editor’s page, since the beginning of this website, more than ten years ago:

On new ideas:

‘Arthur C. Clarke, distinguished author of science and fiction (including 2001, A Space Odyssey), says ideas often have three stages of reaction – first, “it’s crazy and don’t waste my time.” Second, “It’s possible, but it’s not worth doing.” And finally, “I’ve always said it was a good idea.”‘ (Clarke predicted the advent of satellite technology in 1945 when the the world of science said it couldn’t be done)

I admired Clarke for “seeing” and believing in what did not yet exist. Fastpitch’s version of Clarke? David Blackburn comes to mind, with his work in bringing streaming media to the game. Before he had implemented radio broadcasts back in 2001, he was already talking about the next step beyond. “Someday we’ll be watching the ISC on streaming video”. Who would have imagined?

Someone, like Arthur Clarke.

RIP, Sir Arthur.

More below the jump, for those interested.

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