Legendary softball leader Don Porter inducted into Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame
Former World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Co-President and International Softball Federation (ISF) President Don Porter was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in a stunning ceremony at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma on Monday, a well-deserved recognition for one of the most influential figures in the history of softball.
“I was deeply moved to learn that Don Porter is being posthumously inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame," expressed WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. "I want to recognise and honour the tremendous contributions made by Don Porter to the global development of softball, and later, to the unification of baseball and softball under a single international federation. Not only in my personal capacity, but also officially on behalf of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC)."
Porter, who passed away on 7 June 2020, dedicated his life to softball, playing a central role in its international growth through an extraordinary career as the leader of the global softball movement. He was the driving force behind transforming softball into the worldwide sport it is today.
In 1962, as Executive Director of the Amateur Softball Association (ASA), Porter helped conceptualise and launch the first-ever Softball World Championship in 1965: The Women's Softball World Championship in Australia. At that event, he was elected Secretary General of the ISF, marking the beginning of a journey for the sport that - 63 years later - has evolved into a thriving international programme, with six Softball World Cups under the WBSC umbrella and the sport played in all corners of the globe.
Arguably his most significant achievement was leading the campaign to make softball an Olympic sport. From 1968, Porter worked tirelessly for 23 years to earn Olympic recognition for softball - a dream he shared with every player around the world. That dream became reality in 1991, when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed softball as an official sport for the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
In 1987, he was elected President of the ISF, a role he held for 26 years. His visionary leadership was instrumental in the formation of the WBSC in 2013 alongside WBSC President Fraccari, paving the way for baseball/softball’s return to the Olympic Games.
"I fondly recall the time when we served together as Co-Presidents of the WBSC, and how we were able to guide this historic merger forward with shared determination and purpose," remembered Fraccari.
Porter was awarded the WBSC Order of Honour, which represents the Confederation’s highest distinction. It is awarded to those individuals whose actions have illustrated the ideals of Baseball/Softball, whose outstanding merits have advanced the development of the sport, and who have rendered exceptional service to the global Baseball/Softball community.
Porter’s legacy lives on wherever Softball and Baseball are played, inspiring future generations to believe in the power of unity, vision, and perseverance.