1976 Men's Softball World Championship
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country | File:Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand |
| Dates | 31 January to 8 February 1976 |
| Teams | 7 |
| Defending champions | File:Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | File:Flag of the United States.svg United States File:Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada File:Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand |
| Fourth place | File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan |
← 1972 1980 → | |
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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.[1] 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.[2] Several Lower Hutt City Council members, led by councillor John Seddon, unsuccessfully tried to block the South African team playing in the tournament.[3] Both the Philippines and 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.[4]
Final standings
| Rk | Team | W | L | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st place, gold medalist(s) | File:Flag of the United States.svg United States | 12 | 2 | ||||
| 1st place, gold medalist(s) | File:Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada | 11 | 3 | ||||
| 1st place, gold medalist(s) | File:Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand | 10 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan | 6 | 8 | ||||
| Failed to qualify for Playoffs | |||||||
| 5 | File:Flag of the Republic of China.svg Taiwan | 3 | 9 | ||||
| 6 | File:Flag of Guam.svg Guam | 2 | 10 | ||||
| 7 | File:Flag of South Africa (1928–1982).svg South Africa | 1 | 11 | ||||
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The United States, Canada and New Zealand were declared joint winners of the championship after rain washed out the remainder of the final playoffs.[5]
References
- ↑ "ISF Men's World Championship - Historical Records". 2015 ISF Men's World Championship. International Softball Federation. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
- ↑ "Bomb damages softball park". The Press. Vol. CXVI, no. 34055. 20 January 1976. p. 16.
- ↑ "Bid to ban team fails". The Press. Vol. CXVI, no. 34061. 27 January 1976. p. 1.
- ↑ "I.S.F. suspends Philippines and Mexico". The Press. Vol. CXVI, no. 34065. 31 January 1976. p. 48.
- ↑ "Softballers upset about ending of world series". The Press. Vol. CXVI, no. 34072. 9 February 1976. p. 26. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25.