The Italian Federation has organized in the city of Parma 2 events that attracted a lot of interest during last week end (February 26-28, 2010)

The Officials Convention attracted in Parma over 300 baseball and softball umpires and scorers. Softball Umpires had a chance to review through the speeches of their collegues Andrea Marcon, Fabio Capitoni, and Mauro Fiorini the different chapters of the 'umpire manual'.

Scorers, in joint sections with their baseball collegues, reviewed the 2009 season in the speech of Stefano Pieri and learned how an official scorer can be educated with video lessons through the speech of Marco Travagli.

International scorers Maurizio Ronchi and Anna Maria Paini reviewed with the scorers all of the rule changes that are expected for the 2010 season and FIBS Communication Manager Riccardo Schiroli spoke about the interaction between FIBS press office and the data available thanks to the work of the official scorers.

The Baseball and Softball photographers met for the first time on the day the "Civica" library in Parma opened a sport section. Before the section was opened, Roberto Ghiretti (the deputy for sports of the Mayor of Parma) presented the picture exhibition named "Images from the diamonds".

During the Convention, photographer Franco Bagattini (who was ISF official photographer during 2004 Athens Olympics) explained the differences in covering a baseball and a softball game.

(Softball photographs can be viewed at the FIBS multimedia section)