2023: Highs and Lows

A fantastic 2023 with many successful events. As the year draws to a close, let’s look back at what excited us and what disappointed us.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Two teams showed incredible grit and determination: Montigny in the France Challenge and Montpellier as French Champions.
• A stellar year for baseball 5 in junior and senior categories, with a world No. 1 ranking
• French players making waves in American colleges
• French players shining in championships in Australia and Japan
• A standout draft with Mathias Lacombe joining the White Sox
• The long-awaited return of baseball and softball to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles
• 26 championships or competitions organized across the three disciplines
• National teams across all categories improving their skills and world rankings
• Men’s and women’s softball making strides at the European level
• An umpiring corps making a name for itself internationally…

LOWLIGHTS

• Rouen’s team falters in Europe and the French Championship after 17 years of dominance
• The legendary PUC club, a Division 1 stalwart, relegated to Division 2.
• The MLB’s decision not to come to Paris in 2025
• Little media coverage of French baseball, except for Mathias Lacombe’s draft
• No media presence from the Federal Presidency
• Women’s baseball struggling on the world stage
• A lack of vision and medium-term projects due to the Olympics ending next year
• Key figures leaving the Federation for new adventures
• Cricket breaks away from baseball amid a governance controversy.
• Bruce Bochy, fresh off his World Series win, drifts even further from France…