Mario Debono has been recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of service to baseball and softball in Malta.
Debono’s involvement began in 1993 with the Mustangs, where he was part of a side that won three league titles. In 1998, he helped found the Gozo Tornadoes Baseball Club and guided the team to win its first season in 2001.
That same year, he became president of the Malta Baseball and Softball Association, a role he held for 16 years. During his tenure, Malta formed its national teams, baseball was introduced in schools, including Verdala and Stella Maris, and new pathways were created for Maltese players through partnerships with the Italian Baseball Federation.
After stepping down as president, Debono continued to serve the sport at the international level as a technical commissioner for the World Baseball and Softball Confederation. He also played a key role in organising the body’s Technical Commissioners Congress in Malta.
Officials said the award recognises a record of leadership that built structures for participation, improved standards and expanded opportunities for Maltese players at home and abroad.
