Baseball
The United States, which had barely missed medalling in the first official Olympic baseball tournament, tried again in 1996. This time, they were successful. In the preliminary round, they defeated six of their seven opponents, losing only to the undefeated Cubans. The Americans were second place in the round, pitting them in a semifinal match against the third-place Japanese team. In a game much more reminiscent of the Japanese victory in the 1992 bronze medal game than the American win in the 1996 preliminary round, the United States was defeated and found itself playing in their second bronze medal game in as many Olympiads. This time, however, they defeated Nicaragua to win their first baseball medal.
Men's Team Competition:
- United States (7-2) — Bronze Medal
Read more about this topic: United States At The 1996 Summer Olympics
Famous quotes containing the word baseball:
“The salary cap ... will be accepted about the time the 13 original states restore the monarchy.”
—Tom Reich, U.S. baseball agent. New York Times, p. 16B (August 11, 1994)
“When Dad can’t get the diaper on straight, we laugh at him as though he were trying to walk around in high-heel shoes. Do we ever assist him by pointing out that all you have to do is lay out the diaper like a baseball diamond, put the kid’s butt on the pitcher’s mound, bring home plate up, then fasten the tapes at first and third base?”
—Michael K. Meyerhoff (20th century)
“How, in one short century, has this ersatz sport so strangled the consciousness of the country in the grip of its flabby tentacles that the mention of women’s baseball gets no reaction other than blank amazement?”
—Darlene Mehrer, As quoted in Women in Baseball. Ch. 6, by Gai Ingham Berlage (1994)