Softball making pitch to return to Olympics

BEIJING (AP) One day after the U.S. softball team failed to win the gold medal for the first time, the sport's officials pointed to Japan's victory as proof that their game is globally competitive and deserves to return to the Olympics.
The U.S. gold medal streak that dated to softball's Olympic debut in Atlanta in 1996 was broken Thursday by a resilient Japanese team led by pitcher Yukiko Ueno. The victory was perhaps the strongest argument yet for softball's reinstatement.
The International Olympic Committee voted in 2005 to remove softball after the Beijing Games, and it won't be played in London in 2012.
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What are the differences between a baseball and softball field? How far is it between the pitchers mound and home plate? How many innings is an Olympic softball game? This AP interactive has the answers to all your questions about the sport of softball.
| Medal Count | ||||
| Softball | ||||
| G | S | B | Total | |
| AFG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ALB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ALG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ASA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AND | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ANG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ANT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ARG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ARM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ARU | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Full Medals Table | ||||
