Baseball at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Encyclopedia
Baseball
was again a demonstration sport at the 1956 Summer Olympics
in Melbourne
. Though it was nominally the "foreign" demonstration sport of that Olympiad, Australia
had a long history of baseball dating back to at least 1889. The Australians were the first to field a full team in an exhibition match against the United States
, represented by a detachment from the United States Far East Command. Many Sheffield Shield cricket players who were quite successful at baseball
as a winter sport were unable to be selected on the basis that they were professional
players.
, where one that bounces or rolls on or over the track, shall be declared a ground rule double
. This rule was put in place to stop baseball cleats damaging the track for the events after the baseball.
The game was played on 1 December 1956 from 12:30pm. As the visiting team, the Americans batted first, scoring 2 runs off 3 hits. Australia did not strike back until the bottom of the 2nd inning, when Chalky White of South Australia
hit a solo home run off Vane Sutton. Sutton made up for his error in the top half on the 3rd, with a grand slam
to send the score out to a commanding 6-1. The Americans again put the pressure on Australia in the fifth inning as two errors led to another 2 runs to the US, putting them in a comfortable position.
The game was eventually called at 2:40pm, after six completed innings and a final score 11-5, with the Americans batting first. Very few fans were present at the start of the game, but according to Cava1 114,000 had arrived by the sixth inning. This was due to the finals for the 1500 metres, 4x400 metres relay and finish of the men's marathon
.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
was again a demonstration sport at the 1956 Summer Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. Though it was nominally the "foreign" demonstration sport of that Olympiad, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
had a long history of baseball dating back to at least 1889. The Australians were the first to field a full team in an exhibition match against the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, represented by a detachment from the United States Far East Command. Many Sheffield Shield cricket players who were quite successful at baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
as a winter sport were unable to be selected on the basis that they were professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
players.
Game
Due to the field being set up between the running tracks, right field was only 225 feet so special ground rules were put in place, stating that a ball hit over the running track on the full will be declared a home runHome run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
, where one that bounces or rolls on or over the track, shall be declared a ground rule double
Ground rule double
In baseball, a ground rule double is an award of two bases from the time of pitch to all baserunners including the batter-runner as a result of the ball leaving play after being hit fairly and leaving the field under a condition of the ground rules in effect at the field where the game is being...
. This rule was put in place to stop baseball cleats damaging the track for the events after the baseball.
The game was played on 1 December 1956 from 12:30pm. As the visiting team, the Americans batted first, scoring 2 runs off 3 hits. Australia did not strike back until the bottom of the 2nd inning, when Chalky White of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
hit a solo home run off Vane Sutton. Sutton made up for his error in the top half on the 3rd, with a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
to send the score out to a commanding 6-1. The Americans again put the pressure on Australia in the fifth inning as two errors led to another 2 runs to the US, putting them in a comfortable position.
The game was eventually called at 2:40pm, after six completed innings and a final score 11-5, with the Americans batting first. Very few fans were present at the start of the game, but according to Cava1 114,000 had arrived by the sixth inning. This was due to the finals for the 1500 metres, 4x400 metres relay and finish of the men's marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
.
Game score
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 11 |
| Australia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
- Umpire: Gunnah MollahGunnah MollahGunnah Mollah was an Australian baseball player, coach and umpire. He is considered as one of the founding fathers of Queensland Baseball. Mollah played with the Eastern Suburbs club in the QBA Fixtures as a catcher in 1927 before moving to Valley in 1930...
United States roster
- Leonard Weissinger (Manager)
- Walter Koziatek
- Vance Sutton
- Anthony Denicole
- Joe Belack
- Joseph Poglajen
- Garethe Methvin
- Rudolph Martinez
- John Clement
- Ken Cochran
- Ken Lowe
- Floyd Lasser
- Alvin Pfeffer
- John Riley
- George Zucca
- Tom Black
- Jesse Finch
- Richard Griesser
- Bruce Holt
- Ben Dolson
Australia roster
- Reg Darling (Manager)
- Eddie Moule
- Peter BoxPeter BoxPeter Box was an Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the Victorian Football League during the 1950s....
- Robert Teasdale
- Max Lord
- Barry Wappett
- Colin Payne
- Ken Smith
- Max Puckett
- Neil Turl
- Norman Tyshing
- Ken Morrison
- Norman White
- Peter McDade
- John Langley
- Neville Pratt
- Ross StrawRoss StrawRoss Straw is an Australian Olympic coach and former olympic baseball competitor. He was first appointed national coaching director in 1975 and formed Australia’s first national elite coaching committee.-References:...