Baseball at the 1912 Summer Olympics

Baseball had its first appearance at the 1912 Summer Olympics as an exhibition sport. A game was played between the United States, the nation where the game was developed, and Sweden, the host nation. The game was held on Monday, 15 July 1912 and started at 10 a.m. on the Ostermalm Athletic Grounds in Stockholm.

The Americans were represented by various members of the American Olympic track and field athletics delegation, while the Swedish team was the Vesterås Baseball Club, which had been formed in 1910 as the first baseball club in Sweden. Four of the Americans played for Sweden, as the Swedish pitchers and catchers were inexperienced. One Swede eventually relieved Adams and Nelson, the American pitchers.

Six innings were played, with the Americans not batting in the sixth and allowing the Swedes to have six outs in their half of the inning.

The game was umpired by George Wright, a retired American National League baseball player.

Game result

Team123456RHE
United States41008x13102
Sweden000201375

Box score

United StatesPos.ABH2B3BSBREvs.SwedenPos.ABH2B3BSBRE
Vaughn Blanchard1B1100001Benjamin Adams (USA)P3100001
George Bonhag1B2000000C. AxellCF3000000
Richard ByrdP0000000Harlan Holden (USA)P0000000
J. Ira Courtney3B3210020E. JohanssonLF1100110
Ira DavenportC3200220Landahl2B3100002
Howard DrewRF1000010Y. LarsonRF3100010
Carroll HaffP2000000Frank Nelson (USA)P1000000
George HorineLF1000010Wesley Oler (USA)C4100000
Frank IronsLF2100000SaperySS4000000
John Paul Jones2B3100210TorsleffLF2100010
Fred KellyCF3100011Welin1B3000001
Abel KiviatSS4201120Wikman3B3110000
Walter McClureP0000010
Norman PattersonCF1000000
Lawrence WhitneyRF1000010
United States2710115132TotalSweden30710135

Second match

On the next day Tuesday, 16 July 1912 in the evening, two American teams played a second exhibition match.

Box score

US East "Olympics"Pos.ABRHPOAEvs.US West "Finland"Pos.ABRHPOAE
Benjamin AdamsCF200100Richard ByrdP/RF300110
Platt AdamsP410120J. Ira CourtneySS300110
George Bonhag1B400801Ira DavenportLF401101
Charles BrickleyC3001420Carroll HaffLB400700
Howard DrewRF311000George HorineCF411300
Harlan HoldenLF410201Frank Irons2B401041
John Paul Jones2B201010Fred Kelly3B322213
Abel KiviatSS312122Edward LindbergC4001221
Eugene Mercer3B411010Walter McClureRF/P402010
Wesley OlerCF211000
Jim ThorpeRF201000
US East "Olympics"33672784TotalUS West "Finland"333727106

References

  • Cava, Pete (Summer 1992). "Baseball in the Olympics" (PDF). Citius, Altius, Fortius. 1 (1): 7–15.
  • Official Report. 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games. 1912.

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