WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Old Ballgame: A New Sport in the Old Games

Episode Date: March 21, 2024

A look at baseball's presence in the Olympic Games

Welcome to the old ball game, where we talk about the past of America's favorite pastime. I'm Tay Christensen. Today we talk about baseball's appearance in the Olympics. The sport first appeared in the Paris Games of 1900, but little, in fact really nothing, was recorded of the occurrence. Twelve years later, in the 1912 games of Stockholm, it appeared once again but as a demonstration game, meaning that it was played more to promote the sport rather than for true competition. In these Olympic games, the U.S. team played host to Sweden and won 13 to 3. baseball continued to be an exhibition sport throughout the 20th century,

with games played in the 1924 Paris Games, 1936 Berlin games, 1956 Melbourne games, and the 1988 Seahol games, among others. Many oppose the idea of bringing baseball into the Olympics, saying that baseball is too commercialized to sport for the Olympic Games. Still today, baseball is not an official Olympic sport and will not be played in the upcoming 2024 Paris Games. This has been the old ball game on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. Thank you.