Baseball and softball have been fighting together to get back into the Olympics, and now they’re getting some help from one of Hollywood’s great fighters.
Jackie Chan was named a Playball2020 ambassador for the World Baseball Softball Confederation on Tuesday, less than a month before baseball-softball faces an International Olympic Committee vote as to whether it returns for the 2020 Olympic Games.
“I have noticed that baseball and also softball have been growing globally and attracting boys and girls to come together to play [a sport],” Chan said in a press release. “The two sports teach children teamwork, discipline — about facing challenges and overcoming difficulties.
“Hence, I support baseball and softball’s inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games and I sincerely wish baseball and softball receive the favorable votes from the IOC members.”
Baseball-softball, wrestling and squash are the three finalists for one spot in the 2020 Olympic program. The IOC will choose one of the three on Sept. 8 in Buenos Aires. Baseball became a regular Olympic sport beginning in 1992, and softball in 1996. The last Olympics for both sports was 2008.
Chan, originally from Hong Kong, has Olympic history. He carried the torch before the 2004 Athens Olympics and sang at the Beijing Olympics opening and closing ceremonies in 2008.
Here’s Chan and Yao Ming in a commercial leading up to the 2008 Olympics: