Taiwan invitation

Press, 23 July 1976, Page 18

Taiwan invitation

NZPA Wellington The New Zealand Softball A'sociation has been in-) vited to send a men’s side to Taiwan next June. The invitation comes after negotiations begun when the Taiwanese team played in the world men’s championships at Lower Hutt last season. Although no other countries have yet been contacted on the matter, the ■Softball Association council hopes to -end an age-group team—probably under-23— oi. a tour of Asia, including Singapore. Hong Kong, and Japan as well as Taiwan. Softball Association councillors were told at a meeting m Wellington on Saturday that, although Taiwan had not been told the tour envisaged was for an agegroup team, this was not expected to hinder further negotiations. The association decided to write to Taiwan acknowledging the invitation and also to

the other countries it was hoped to include on the itinerary. The proposed tour is being investigated with the intention of providing intematio-l nal experience for young players before the next world men’s event —in Seattle in 1980. A number of the New Zealand players for this year’s championships are expected to retire from the game before the Seattle tournament. If next year’s tour eventuates it will be the first versets venture by a New Zealand age-group combination. The council wao also told that the inaugural world games—being planned for the benefit of sports which 1 could not gain inclusion in the Olympic Games —had been set down for Houston.. Texas in February. 1978. Both men's and women's' softball had been included on the programme drawn up for! the new event. A council member. Mr!

.'Tom Voyle, recently re- ■ turned from a meeting of the 'lnternational Softball Federa- ; tion’s executive in the (United States, said he had ■ I been told there that free ;! travel would be provided for ■I teams entering in the world i games softball. Other councillors ex-j pressed doubts that the free! ■ travel scheme would even-' I tt ate. however Mr Voyle also reported that the team from Reading. Pennsylvania, which represented the United States m this tear’s world event at' ■ Lower Hutt and shared first place with New Zealand and I Canada had recently beaten i the Canadian entry. Victoria Bate, three times ini II four matches. Victoria Bate had I'organised what they termed! a play-off series for the) world championship with; the Americans and the games) had been played in the Cana-i dian side’s home town. |