Baseball, softball on short list for 2020 Tokyo Olympics

(Photo: TORU HANAI, REUTERS)TOKYO (AP) — The combined bid of baseball and softball were among eight sports shortlisted Monday for inclusion in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Tokyo Olympic organizers selected the eight from a list of 26 sports that had applied for inclusion.

The other sports shortlisted are bowling, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, surfing and the martial art of wushu.

Baseball and women's softball was considered a favorite because of the popularity of those sports in Japan.

"This is a great day for our sport," said Riccardo Fraccari, president of the World Baseball Softball Confederation. "Today baseball and softball — and the millions of athletes and fans who call it…