Little League Baseball and Softball is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States, that organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the United States and the rest of the world.
Professional baseball leagues, amateur-baseball organizations, sportswriting associations, and other groups confer awards on various baseball teams, players, managers, coaches, executives, broadcasters, writers, and other baseball-related people for excellence in achievement, sportsmanship, and community involvement.
The Asia Series was an international club baseball competition, contested by the champions of all four professional leagues associated with the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC)—Australian Baseball League (ABL), Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL), Korea Baseball Organization League, and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB)—along with the CEB European Champion Cup holder and host city, to bring the number of teams to six.
The Australian national baseball team represents Australia in international baseball tournaments and competitions. It is ranked as the top team in Oceania, and is the Oceanian Champion, having been awarded the title in 2007 when New Zealand withdrew from the Oceania Baseball Championship. After achieving a last (16th) place in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, its rank dropped to 13, which is the lowest rank Australia ever received. The highest rank it has achieved is 6th, and its current rank is 10th.
The Italian Baseball League, officially known as the Serie A, is the top-level baseball league in Italy. Founded in 1948, it is governed by the Italian Baseball & Softball Federation (FIBS), which has its headquarters in Rome.
Sport in Israel plays an important role in Israeli culture and is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Sport. The most popular sports in Israel have traditionally been Association football (mainly) and basketball (secondly) – with the first being considered the national sport – in both of which Israeli professional teams have been competitive internationally. Israel is an international center for Jewish sport around the world and since 1932 the Maccabiah Games, an Olympic-style event for Jewish athletes, is held in the country. Despite Israel's location in the Asian continent, the Israeli sports associations in various sports belong to the European associations due to the refusal of many Arab Asian countries to compete with Israeli athletes.
The Junior League Softball World Series is a softball tournament for girls aged between 12 and 14. The tournament is administered by Little League Baseball, Inc. and is held annually in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland, Washington.
Nikolaos "Nikos" Zisis is a Greek basketball executive and former professional basketball player. During his pro club playing career, at a height of 1.97 m tall, he played at both the point guard and shooting guard positions. He was inducted into the Greek Basket League Hall of Fame in 2022. He is currently the general manager of the senior Greek men's national basketball team.
The French National Baseball team represents the French Federation of Baseball and Softball in international competitions, such as the World Baseball Classic, the European Baseball Championship, and the World Cup of Baseball. They are currently ranked 21st in the world.
Naz Aydemir Akyol is a Turkish volleyball player. She plays as a setter for Eczacıbaşı Dynavit and the Turkey women's national volleyball team. She has won a total of nine Turkish League championships, four with Vakıfbank, three with Eczacıbaşı and two with Fenerbahçe. She has four CEV Champions League championships, winning three with Vakıfbank and one with Fenerbahçe. She also has three FIVB Club World Championship, winning two with Vakıfbank and one with Fenerbahçe. She was part of the Turkey national team at the 2012 and 2020 Summer Olympics.
Sharlon Romans Emederio Schoop is a Dutch-Curaçaoan professional baseball shortstop for L&D Amsterdam of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse. He played for Team Netherlands in the 2019 European Baseball Championship, and at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament in Italy in September 2019.
Jeremy Bleich is an American-Israeli former professional baseball pitcher who currently works as an advance scout and analyst for the Pittsburgh Pirates and pitches for Team Israel. He previously played for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB).
2014 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
Christopher Adrian Colabello is an Italian-American professional baseball first baseman and outfielder for the Québec Capitales of the Frontier League. He has previously played in parts of four seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays, after playing seven seasons in independent baseball.
Earvin Ngapeth is a French professional volleyball player, member of the France national volleyball team and Italian club Modena Volley, 2015 European Champion, gold medallist of the World League, French Champion (2010), Italian Champion (2016), and Olympic Champion.
Nicholas Jay Rickles is an American-Israeli coach for the Milwaukee Brewers organization, and a former professional baseball and current Team Israel catcher.
Alon Leichman is an Israeli assistant pitching coach of the Cincinnati Reds in Major League Baseball. He also pitches and coaches for Team Israel.
Gabriel Isaac Cramer is an Israeli-Canadian-American professional baseball right-handed pitcher who is currently a free agent. He throws a 99 mph fastball. He plays for the Israel National Baseball Team.
Blake Shane Gailen is an American-Israeli hitting coach for the Arizona Complex League Dodgers and left-handed former professional baseball outfielder. He also plays for the Israel National Baseball Team.
Shlomo Lipetz is an Israeli baseball player who pitches for Team Israel. He is also Vice President of Programming and music director at City Winery in New York City.
