Baseball is a sport formerly contested at the Summer Olympic Games. It was originally played as a demonstration sport in seven Olympics—1912, 1936, 1952, 1956, 1964, 1984, and 1988[1]— more than for any other sport in Olympic history.[2] These exhibitions featured a single game at the first five Olympic appearances and then a tournament format in 1984 and 1988.[1] The International Olympic Committee (IOC) granted baseball official status on October 13, 1986, for the 1992 Summer Olympics.[1][3][4] The sport was contested at each subsequent Games through 2008, after which the IOC removed it from the roster of Olympic sports.
In 1992, the first official Olympic baseball tournament was won by the Cuban team. Cuba had boycotted the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, missing the previous exhibition baseball tournaments, but entered in 1992 as the favorite, having won the past 12 world championships and with a 62–1 record in international competitions since 1986.[5] The Cubans went undefeated in the 1992 Olympics and trailed in only one game.[5] They went undefeated again at the 1996 Olympics en route to a second consecutive gold medal.[6] The United States won their first medal (bronze) in the 1996 Olympics and then won gold at the 2000 Summer Olympics. 2000 was the first Olympics in which Cuba lost a game: first to the Dutch team in round-robin play and then again to the Americans in the gold medal game.[7] This was also the first time professional players were allowed to compete in baseball, though Major League Baseball (MLB) did not permit any player on the 40-man roster of an MLB team to compete.[8] In 2004, the reigning gold medalist United States did not qualify for the Olympic tournament, while the Cuban team won its third gold medal.[9]
In 2005, the IOC investigated the addition of sports to the Olympic schedule including golf, rugby sevens, and karate.[2] The IOC voted on July 8, 2005, to remove baseball and softball from the 2012 Summer Olympics roster, the first sports removed from the Olympics since polo in 1936.[8] A variety of factors were cited for removing baseball including the absence of MLB players, problems with performance-enhancing drugs, and the high cost of constructing a baseball stadium.[2][8][10] Appeals to reinstate both sports for 2012 were rejected.[11] Baseball was still played at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, however, and the South Korean team beat Cuba to claim their first gold medal in the event. The international governing bodies of several sports, including baseball, petitioned the IOC in 2009 to fill two sport slots at the 2016 Olympics.[12] IOC President Jacques Rogge said they were "looking for an added value – wide appeal, especially for young people."[12] The IOC ultimately voted to fill the two available slots for 2016 with rugby and golf.[13][14] However, the IOC ultimately approved the return of baseball and softball to the Olympic program for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2016.[15]
Baseball was open only to male amateurs in 1992 and 1996. As a result, the Americans and other nations where professional baseball is developed relied on collegiate players, while Cubans used their most experienced veterans, who technically were considered amateurs as they nominally held other jobs, but in fact trained full-time. In 2000, pros were admitted, but MLB refused to release its players in 2000, 2004, and 2008, and the situation changed only a little: the Cubans still used their best players, while the Americans started using minor leaguers. The IOC cited the absence of the best players as the main reason for baseball being dropped from the Olympic program.[16][17][18][19]
Cuba has been the most successful team, winning the most gold and silver medals and never finishing outside the podium. Cuban pitcher Pedro Luis Lazo is the most successful individual athlete, winning four medals—two gold and two silver—from 1996 to 2008.[20] No American ever appeared in the Olympics more than once.[16] Nine other Cuban players won three medals; no player from any other nation accomplished this feat.[21] From the 25 athletes who won two medals in baseball, 18 were Cuban, while the remaining seven included 4 South Korean and 3 Japanese players.[21]
Medal winners
edit
Athlete medal leaders
editAthletes who won at least two gold medals or three total medals are listed below.[21]
| Athlete | Nation | Olympics | Total | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pedro Luis Lazo |  Cuba (CUB)
|
1996–2008 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Omar Ajete | Cuba (CUB)
|
1992–2000 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Orestes Kindelán | Cuba (CUB)
|
1992–2000 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Omar Linares | Cuba (CUB)
|
1992–2000 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Antonio Pacheco | Cuba (CUB)
|
1992–2000 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Eduardo Paret | Cuba (CUB)
|
1996 2004–2008 |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Antonio Scull | Cuba (CUB)
|
1996 2004–2008 |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Luis Ulacia | Cuba (CUB)
|
1992–2000 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Ariel Pestano | Cuba (CUB)
|
2000–2008 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Norge Luis Vera | Cuba (CUB)
|
2000–2008 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| José Estrada González | Cuba (CUB)
|
1992–1996 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Alberto Hernández | Cuba (CUB)
|
1992–1996 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Juan Padilla | Cuba (CUB)
|
1992–1996 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Lázaro Vargas | Cuba (CUB)
|
1992–1996 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
See also
editReferences
edit- General
- "Results database". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on December 5, 2010. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- "Olympic medals won in Baseball: Baseball". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- "Olympic Review and Revue Olympique". LA84 Foundation. Archived from the original on May 1, 2009. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- Specific
- ^ a b c "Olympic Baseball History". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 9, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ a b c Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Baseball at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games: Men's Baseball". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ "Olympics". The Washington Post. October 14, 1986.
- ^ Gooderham, Mary (October 14, 1986). "Baseball approved for '92 Olympics". The Globe and Mail.
- ^ a b Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Baseball at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Games: Men's Baseball". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Baseball at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games: Men's Baseball". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Baseball at the 2000 Sydney Summer Games: Men's Baseball". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ a b c "They'rrre out! Olympics drop baseball, softball". NBC Sports. Associated Press. 9 July 2005. Archived from the original on 3 May 2010. Retrieved 15 August 2008.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Baseball at the 2004 Athina Summer Games: Men's Baseball". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ "Cuba blames U.S. for IOC dropping baseball". NBC Sports. Associated Press. July 8, 2005. Archived from the original on December 28, 2009. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ "Olympic sports fail in appeal bid". BBC.co.uk. BBC. February 9, 2006. Archived from the original on June 22, 2009. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ a b "Seven sports aim for Olympic spot". BBC.co.uk. BBC. June 15, 2009. Archived from the original on June 18, 2009. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ Newman, Mark (August 23, 2008). "IOC: MLB players needed for 2016 bid". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on August 15, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ "Golf & rugby voted into Olympics". BBC.co.uk. BBC. October 9, 2009. Archived from the original on March 8, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ "Baseball, softball to return to Olympics in 2020". Los Angeles Times. August 2016. Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
- ^ a b Gems, Gerald; Borish, Linda; Pfister, Gertrud (27 February 2017). Sports in American History, 2E: From Colonization to Globalization. ISBN 9781492526520.
- ^ Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (2001). Official Report of the XXVII Olympiad (PDF). Vol. 2: Celebrating the Games. Canberra, Australia: Paragon Printers Australasia. pp. 176–9. ISBN 0-9579616-0-X. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
- ^ "The Olympic Team No Dream". CBS News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
- ^ OlympicTalk (January 8, 2021). "Tommy Lasorda, only manager of World Series, Olympic champions, dies at 93 - OlympicTalk | NBC Sports". Olympics.nbcsports.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Pedro Luis Lazo Biography and Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ a b c Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Baseball". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Cuba Baseball at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Chinese Taipei Baseball at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Japan Baseball at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Cuba Baseball at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Japan Baseball at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "United States Baseball at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "United States Baseball at the 2000 Sydney Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Cuba Baseball at the 2000 Sydney Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "South Korea Baseball at the 2000 Sydney Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Cuba Baseball at the 2004 Athina Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Australia Baseball at the 2004 Athina Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Japan Baseball at the 2004 Athina Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "South Korea Baseball at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Cuba Baseball at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "United States Baseball at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2010.