{"id":4411,"date":"2010-07-25T09:24:19","date_gmt":"2010-07-25T16:24:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/?p=4411"},"modified":"2010-07-25T18:01:19","modified_gmt":"2010-07-26T01:01:19","slug":"espns-coverage-of-mens-slopitch-instead-of-fastpitch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/?p=4411","title":{"rendered":"ESPN’s Coverage of Men’s Slow-pitch Instead of Fastpitch"},"content":{"rendered":"

“News” item: Canada 30, USA 29 in Slow-pitch Border Battle. 59 runs scored on 67 hits. Two of the final three outs by the USA were made when they hit home runs over the fence. Yes, you read that right – two of the final outs were made when USA batters hit the ball out of the park. “Sorry, you’re over your 10 home run limit, those are outs”. See it to believe it. <\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Even ESPN’s announcer thinks it’s a joke – listen to the intro….”I’ll get the beer……” Any doubt what they think of this “sport”?. Get a look at the expression on the face of the guy that hits one out of the park for the second out<\/strong> of the inning. You’d think he’d struck out. What kind of “sport” calls you out when you go yard? “Whoops, sorry, I didn’t mean to hit it that far. I was trying for a dying quail into shallow centerfield. ” What are they trying to do? Keep the score under 100? <\/em> <\/p>\n

They couldn’t convince the USA and Canadian men’s fastpitch teams to play on TV? <\/p>\n

Reader Brian Helwig writes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

I want to encourage others to voice their opinions about this, and their lack of ever covering mens fastpitch. Here is the address \n

Here is the email that Brian sent:<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I was disgusted to see your network actually show highlights of mens slowpitch softball. I could live with it if you EVER bothered to cover men’s fastpitch softball. The womens game get’s all kinds of coverage but only one time do I ever remember seeing mens fastpitch on ESPN. The World Tournament is is Midland Michigan in August. There you will find great athletes from all over the world. Austrailian Adam Folkard and Canadaian Sean Whitten throw 83 MPH from 46 feet. The reaction time is less than a batter trying to catch up with a Justin Verlander 100 mph fastball. We see slowpitch softball and hot dog eating contests but not a legitimate sport like mens fastpitch. Please check out www.ISCfastpitch.com<\/strong><\/a> and consider covering the game in the future. Thanks
\nBrian Helwig<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Click to send email to ESPN<\/strong>.<\/a><\/p>\n

Editor’s note: <\/strong> I used the link to send an email to ESPN this morning, and encourage all of our readers to do so. It’s a great chance to give voice to our sport. My suggestion is to be respectful and avoid profanity — but let them know that there is interest in real men’s softball, and it’s fastpitch, not slow.<\/p>\n

The article notes 650,000 viewers for this slow-pitch event. My website hit meter at Fastpitchwest says more than 10 million times a year, people choose FASTPITCH<\/strong>. Let them know there is an audience they are missing out on.<\/p>\n

Want to get motivated to write that email? Try reading the article below:<\/p>\n

The money quote:<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153While I would truly love to see it men’s slopitch]<\/strong> considered for Olympic inclusion, the efforts of both slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball fans around the country are focused on returning women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s fast pitch back into the Games. There are simply more competitive international teams and the sport truly deserves reconsideration.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In other words, there are no competitive international men’s fastpitch teams and men’s fastpitch is not worthy of inclusion as an Olympic sport, but men’s slopitch should be considered ? <\/strong>Really?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nMen’s softball set for 2nd Border Battle
\nJoanne C. Gerstner July 23, 2010<\/p>\n

The covers of J.D. Genter and Rusty Bumgartner were blown sky high in 2009, thanks to television.<\/p>\n

Genter and Bumgartner live average lives, save for their long-time association as star members of USA Softball\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s men\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s slow-pitch national team.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Infielder Bumgartner, who hails from Gastonia, N.C., plays softball professionally for equipment manufacturer Combat. Genter, also an infielder, is a high school economics teacher and prep softball coach who lives in Chickamauga, Ga.<\/p>\n

Before the inaugural Border Battle game aired on a major sport network in 2009, only friends and family members knew of their big-time softball careers.<\/p>\n

The exciting game against Canada, which the U.S. won 30-23, drew 650,000 TV viewers and put highlights on \u00e2\u20ac\u0153SportsCenter.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

And now their neighbors, acquaintances, and even Genter\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s current and former students, knew how good the players were.<\/p>\n

Which is why both players are so excited for the upcoming 2010 Border Battle, scheduled for Saturday at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It was unreal last year, in every year,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Genter, 36, said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That game is so special to all of us because we were able to show of our game and show how exciting it is. I had former students coming up to me when I got home and said, \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcWow, Mr. Genter, that was awesome to watch.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 And that just makes all of us on the national team so happy. We work really hard to be the best and play the game at the highest level. To get a little appreciation back \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s more than I can put into words.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153And that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s why we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re all so pumped for the game this year \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 We know Canada\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going to give us their best shot. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going to be a great thing.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Bumgartner, a highly decorated member of the ASA Hall of Fame, counts the Border Battle as one of the top highlights of his career.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Being on Team USA was a lifelong goal of mine, and then you get opportunities like this on top of it \u00e2\u20ac\u201d it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s just great,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Bumgartner, 41, said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Being able to play on ESPN, live, that just took it over the top. Wow. I saw it listed in the listing guide for the TV and I just stared at that \u00e2\u20ac\u201d that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going to be us! Like two weeks before I left, I set everything to record I was gone and checked it like every day to make sure it was going to work. <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Putting us on TV made us big time. So yeah, I guess you could say this is a really exciting thing for me. I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t wait to play in it again.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Team USA coach Steve Shortland sees the popularity of the Border Battle helping grow the event and the sport of slow pitch softball overall. Shortland has been involved in slow pitch for nearly three decades, and has seen the growth of the game.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The goal of the Border Battle is to set the stage for more international slow-pitch competition,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Shortland said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153An enormous byproduct of the event is it gives us a chance to showcase our sport to the entire world. Even though it is one the world\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s largest recreational sports (numbers by participation), most do not realize the caliber and skill of the elite players. ESPN broadcast brings it into their living rooms.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

The members of Team USA make a big commitment to represent the best in their sport. Genter and Bumgartner, along with their teammates scattered around the country, spend hours working on their conditioning, hitting, and on-field skills every week.<\/p>\n

Genter can be spotted taking cuts in the batting cage in the high school field.<\/p>\n

Bumgartner said he learned early in his career to develop a strong work ethic, thanks to watching veteran stars.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve known people in my career who were really talented and didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t work that hard, and people who weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t the most talented but worked their hardest and became the best,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Bumgartner said.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what we have on Team USA: We have the guys who are really talented but also work the hardest. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s why every person on the team is good at what they do. We respect each other for our talent and hard work to get there. And we are all immensely privileged and proud to wear the USA on our uniforms. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a thrill every single team we get to do it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

The dream of having men\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s slow pitch included the Olympic program is alive, but remains more abstract than real. The players would love to represent their country on the Olympic stage, but realize the sport needs to grow beyond its niche in many more countries before it can be actively considered.<\/p>\n

Shortland is realistic about the big picture.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Slow-pitch softball was actually a demonstration sport as part of the Olympics in the 80s, but it was limited to two teams, both from the USA (East vs. West),\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Shortland remembers. <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153While I would truly love to see it considered for Olympic inclusion, the efforts of both slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball fans around the country are focused on returning women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s fast pitch back into the Games. There are simply more competitive international teams and the sport truly deserves reconsideration.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“News” item: Canada 30, USA 29 in Slow-pitch Border Battle. 59 runs scored on 67 hits. Two of the final three outs by the USA were made when they hit home runs over the fence. Yes, you read that right – two of the final outs were made when USA batters hit the ball out […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4411"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4411"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4411\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4411"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4411"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4411"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}