View source for 1976 Men's Softball World Championship

{{Infobox international softball tournament
| image =
| size =
| country = New Zealand
|country-flagvar = 1976
| dates = 31 January to 8 February 1976
| num_teams = 7
| defending_champion_other = {{Sb|CAN}}
| medal_type = world cup
| champion_other = {{Sb|USA}}<br>{{Sb|CAN}}<br>{{Sb|NZL}}
| num_championships =
| second_other =
| third_other =
| fourth_other = {{Sb|JAP}}
| prev_edition = [[1972 ISF Men's World Championship|1972]]
| next_edition = [[1980 ISF Men's World Championship|1980]]
}}
The '''1976 [[ISF Men's World Championship]]''' was an international [[softball]] tournament. The tournament was held at the [[Hutt Recreation Ground]] in [[Lower Hutt]], [[New Zealand]]. It was the fourth time the World Championship took place and the first time New Zealand was to host the tournament. Seven nations competed, including defending champions [[Canada men's national softball team|Canada]].<ref>{{cite web|title=ISF Men's World Championship - Historical Records |url=http://www.2015isfmensworldsoftball.ca/download.php?id=9 |website=2015 ISF Men's World Championship |publisher=International Softball Federation |accessdate=26 June 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626101514/http://www.2015isfmensworldsoftball.ca/download.php?id=9 |archivedate=26 June 2015 }}</ref>
The tournament was controversial due to the participation of Apartheid era [[South Africa]]. Prior to its start, an opponent to South Africa's involvement, planted an incendiary bomb in the middle of the ground's softball diamond which exploded and damaged a 10 metre radius.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19760120.2.140 |title=Bomb damages softball park |work=[[The Press]] |volume=CXVI |issue=34055 |date=20 January 1976 |page=16 }}</ref> Several Lower Hutt City Council members, led by councillor [[John Seddon (politician)|John Seddon]], unsuccessfully tried to block the South African team playing in the tournament.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19760127.2.8 |title=Bid to ban team fails |work=[[The Press]] |volume=CXVI |issue=34061 |date=27 January 1976 |page=1 }}</ref> Both the [[Philippines men's national softball team|Philippines]] and [[Mexico men's national softball team|Mexico]] boycotted in protest of South Africa competing in the tournament which led the [[International Softball Federation]] (ISF) to suspend both countries membership for refusing to compete.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19760131.2.230 |title=I.S.F. suspends Philippines and Mexico |work=[[The Press]] |volume=CXVI |issue=34065 |date=31 January 1976 |page=48 }}</ref>
==Final standings==
{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"
|-
!width=25|Rk
!width=170|Team
!width=25|{{Tooltip|W|Total wins in the tournament}}
!width=25|{{Tooltip|L|Total losses in the tournament}}
|-
|{{gold1}}
|align=left|{{Sb|USA}}
|12||2
|-
|{{gold1}}
|align=left|{{Sb|CAN}}
|11||3
|-
|{{gold1}}
|align=left|{{Sb|NZL}}
|10||3
|-
|4
|align=left|{{Sb|JAP}}
|6||8
|-
!colspan="8"|Failed to qualify for Playoffs
|-
|5
|align=left|{{Sb|TWN}}
|3||9
|-
|6
|align=left|{{Sb|GUM}}
|2||10
|-
|7
|align=left|{{Sb|RSA|1928}}
|1||11
|-
|}
The United States, Canada and New Zealand were declared joint winners of the championship after rain washed out the remainder of the final playoffs.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19760209.2.187 |title=Softballers upset about ending of world series |work=[[The Press]] |volume=CXVI |issue=34072 |date=9 February 1976 |page=26 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025032117/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19760209.2.187 |archivedate=2022-10-25 }}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Men's Softball World Championship}}
[[Category:1976 in softball|ISF Men's World Championship]]
[[Category:January 1976 sports events in New Zealand|Softball]]
[[Category:February 1976 sports events in New Zealand|Softball]]
[[Category:1976 in New Zealand sport]]
[[Category:Men's Softball World Championship]]