Olympic Softball Final, Japan vs. US (VIDEO)

Here's the footage of today's Olympic Softball final in Beijing 2008, where Japan upset the Unisted Stated 3-1. Sad day for the sport , as they say goodbye to the Olympics.. (while freaking WALKING remains as an Olympic sport. WALKING. As I said to a friend earlier, I'm gonna be lobbying for crip-walking and krumping to be included in the games next time.)

Olympic Softball Final, Japan vs. United States (VIDEO) link

The end of Olympic softball for the foreseeable future also saw the end of a women's dynasty in the sport.

The Japanese women's team stunned the United States 3-1 in the gold medal final at the Beijing Games on Thursday, denying the Americans of their fourth straight softball gold medal in Olympic competition.

It was a thrilling end for a competition that may not be on the Olympic radar for another eight years. The International Olympic Committee voted softball off the 2012 program in London, although the sport is hoping to be reinstated next year, in time for the 2016 Games.

Thursday's win gives Japan its first gold medal in Olympic women's softball.

It also ended the 22-game winning streak for the Americans, whose last loss in Olympic competition also came against Japan, in preliminary play at the 2000 Sydney Games.

But the stakes couldn't have been higher Thursday for the top-ranked U.S. squad, which gets silver.