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Baseball, Men

Date 1 December 1956 — 12:30
StatusOlympic (non-medal)
LocationMelbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Victoria
Participants35 from 2 countries

Baseball was demonstrated at the 1956 Olympics with a single game matching an American versus an Australian team. The American team was made up of military players stationed in the Far East, known as the Far East Command (FEC) All-Stars. The game was held on Saturday, 1 December, starting at 1210. The teams played only six innings with the American team winning, 11-5, having taken a 6-1 lead after three innings. The American starting pitcher, Vane Sutton greatly helped his cause when he also hit a grand slam home run in the third inning.

The game started out with 80,000 fans in attendance but had a final attendance of over 100,000, the largest ever to see a baseball game, although they were mostly there for the athletics events that were to follow the demonstration.

The US team played the Olympic demonstration as part of a tour of Australia running from 25 November to 18 December. They had played two games against a New South Wales side prior to the Olympics, and played another 10 after the Games. Some games were played against an Australian team, while others were against New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia teams. In all, the American team only lost one game, that to Australia on 5 December, 2-1.

This game has frustrated us somewhat as Olympic historians. Although we know some scoring details, no box score for the game has ever been found despite major efforts to locate one, so we are uncertain as to the details of who played in the game.

PosTeamNOC
1United StatesUSA
Starting PitcherVane Sutton
Relief PitcherJoe Belak
Relief PitcherJack Clement
CatcherKen Cochran
Catcher - subKen Lowe
1st BaseBruce Holt
1st Base - subFloyd Lasser
2nd BaseAl Pfeffer
ShortstopGeorge Zucca
3rd BaseJack Riley
Utility InfielderBen Dolson
Left FieldTom Black
Center FieldJesse Finch
Right FieldRichard Griesser
CoachWalter Koziatek
Pitcher - DNSAnthony Denicole
Pitcher - DNSJoe Poglajen
Pitcher - DNSGareth Methvin
Pitcher - DNSRudy Martinez
2AustraliaAUS
Starting PitcherEddie Moule
Relief PitcherPeter Box
Relief PitcherBob Teasdale
Relief PitcherMax Lord
CatcherBarry Wappett
1st BaseColin Payne
2nd BaseKen Smith
ShortstopNeil Turl
3rd BaseMax Puckett
Left FieldNorm Tyshing
Center FieldKen Morrison
Right FieldNorman White
SubstitutePeter McDade
SubstituteJohn Langley
SubstituteNeville Pratt
DNSRoss Straw

Final Round

Date1 December 1956 — 12:30
MatchDate/TimeTeamNOCResultTeamNOC
Match 1/201 Dec 12:30United StatesUSA11 – 5AustraliaAUS