Rare Video Footage Surfaces from 2000 Sydney Olympic Baseball
As the official USA Baseball 2000 Olympic Team Press Officer at the Games in Sydney, Australia, my job was to coordinate all of the radio, TV and newspaper interviews between our athletes and our Manager, who happened to be Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda. That included the on-field interviews after games with NBC, which was carrying the live TV broadcast, and sending footage back to the USA.
One of the things that has been somewhat difficult to follow in the years since, is finding any of the results of those interviews, whether that be video, audio or newspaper articles. So what an awesome surprise it was, when as I was recently browsing through NBC’s website for the 2024 Paris Games on NBCOlympics dot com - I came across a “Classic Moments” section, where they have posted older Olympic footage and famous highlights from years in the past. Sure enough, they chose to feature highlights and post-game interviews of Team USA’s gut-wrenching, rain-delayed semifinal victory over South Korea, and Doug Mientikiewicz’s walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th to win it.
And as I was watching this, it was pretty cool to see my 30-year-old self back there in Sydney, on the field after the exhilarating win, high-fiving Mientkiewicz as he was being carried off the field! I remember the moment, but I don’t know if I recall ever seeing the NBC video footage get that far.
Blurry photo from the video footage of me high-fiving Doug Mientkiewicz as he is being carried off the field after his game winning home run.
They then chose to also include Mientkiewicz’s post-game interview with NBC’s Ted Robinson, and I can be seen several times in the background, handling my duties as Press Officer and coordinating things to set up Team USA Manager Tommy Lasorda for his interview as well. Tommy’s commentary is priceless as you can see the joy in his face, as he watched that game unfold and his American squad had clinched a spot on the podium, and a matchup with Cuba in the gold medal game.
I’m over Doug’s left shoulder, talking with our team logistics coordinator that was assigned to us in Sydney.
I guess I was looking for someone up in the stands, as NBC’s Ted Robinson begins his interview with Lasorda.
“We are one yard away from reaching the shore, and we will not drown. We WILL reach the beach” as Tommy correctly predicts that the Americans will go on to win the gold medal. Numerous times, I see myself in the background of Lasorda’s interview, even turning around to high five one of our players as he walks by. Such a strange feeling seeing yourself on video from over two decades ago. But also pretty exciting too. Brings back all the memories like it was yesterday.
Clapping and cheering with the Team USA fans that were remaining in the crowd, as I wait for NBC to finish up their talk with Lasorda.
NBC also adds some extra highlights of the gold medal game (that are hard to find footage of) the following night vs Cuba, when Team USA righthander Ben Sheets goes out there and tosses a complete-game, 3-hit shutout to dominate the Cubans and secure the gold. They show most of the big hits that we had in the game, and a lot of Sheets’ dominating curveball he had that night to strike out the Cubans. What a game!
To watch the videos, just log onto NBC’s Olympics website and find the Classic Moments section, and search for Baseball.
More of my own memories from Sydney, how USA Baseball put this entire roster together and detailed stories from all of the athletes on this memorable team, are chronicled in my book “Miracle on Grass” - available for sale on Amazon.
Neill’s clutch pinch-hit delivers an Olympic berth for Team USA
25 years ago today - on August 1, 1999 - the stakes were incredibly high for the USA Baseball Pan Am Team in Winnipeg, as they faced Mexico in a do-or-die semifinal. A win meant a trip to the 2000 Olympics; a loss meant going home. Mark Mulder took the mound for the U.S., while Jesus Rios pitched for Mexico. Tensions were palpable as both teams struggled to score early on, with Mexico managing to take a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning.
In the sixth inning, Team USA tied the game when Peter Bergeron drew a walk and eventually scored on an Adam Kennedy single. Manager Buddy Bell brought in Dan Wheeler from the bullpen, who had been stellar against Cuba in a previous game. Wheeler proved to be the hero of the night, keeping the game tied into extra innings.
The turning point came in the top of the tenth inning. Marcus Jensen hit a clutch double and was replaced by pinch-runner Shawn Gilbert. With two outs, pinch-hitter Mike Neill stepped up to the plate. On a full count, Neill delivered a broken-bat single, driving in Gilbert and giving Team USA a 2-1 lead.
Neill’s pinch hit single in the 10th proved to be the difference, and sent Team USA to Sydney.
Gilbert scores the winning run vs Mexico in the semifinal game of the 1999 Pan Am Games.
The bottom of the tenth was nerve-wracking, but Wheeler remained unflappable, securing the final three outs and clinching the victory. Wheeler had faced 12 batters in the game, and retired them all under gut-wrenching circumstances. “The intensity of that game was just awesome. It was everything you could ask for as a baseball player, and it was what you had been practicing for and playing for your whole life,” said Wheeler. “To be put in that kind of situation, and to be able to successfully focus on making great pitches, that experience in itself gave me so much confidence, and really helped launch me into the major leagues. When we finally scored that run, there was no way I was going to let them get one back on us. It was one of the greatest moments of my baseball career.”
The American team celebrated in the locker room after the win, knowing they had qualified for the Olympics. The hard-fought victory was a mix of relief and joy, as the expectations on the U.S. team were immense.
How USA Baseball ends up choosing Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda to lead their team in Australia, selects the 24 players and prepares for the Olympics, and advances and all the way to the gold medal game vs Cuba in Sydney – is chronicled in my book “Miracle on Grass” - available for sale on Amazon.
On this day 25 years ago, Team USA begins it’s quest for Olympic Baseball Gold
A game ticket (left) to the Pan Am baseball contest between the United States and Canada, that took place on July 26, 1999. A game ticket to the Team USA baseball contest for the July 27 game is on the right, along with a ticket stub to the 1999 Pan Am Games Opening Ceremony (center).
Today Marks the 25th Anniversary of the Start to USA Baseball’s Journey to Olympic Gold
As the 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony unfolds in Paris and the competition gets underway, today marks the 25th Anniversary to the exact day that USA Baseball began a journey to earning arguably the greatest underdog team sport Olympic Gold Medal in American history.
A ticket to the USA vs Canada baseball game on July 26, 1999 (left), along with the ticket to the 1999 Pan Am Games Opening Ceremonies and a ticket to the USA Baseball game on July 27 vs Mexico.
It was July 26, 1999 in Winnipeg – the opening baseball game between the United States and the home team from Canada in the Pan Am Games, which was serving as the qualifying tournament for the 2000 Summer Olympics, that were to be played in Sydney, Australia. It was also the very first game that USA Baseball would be playing with professional players in international competition.
It was an incredible game in front of a sold out crowd. With the score tied 3-3, Team USA plated three runs in the top of the 11th inning to take what looked to be a strong enough lead. But amazingly, the Canadians mounted a rally and had the tying run at the plate with two outs, when Todd Stewart connected on a game-tying home run. I can still hear the deafening crowd going crazy, as I sat in the small press box at Canwest Global Park.
Three batters later, with our relief pitcher still rattled, Canada’s Stubby Clapp blooped a ball into shallow left field, and neither American shortstop Gookie Dawkins or left fielder Shawn Gilbert could catch it. As it fell to the ground, the winning run scored from second base, and Team USA was stunned.
Highlights of the USA vs Canada baseball game can be seen here in the Pan Am Games Daily News Show, beginning at the 14:40 mark.
The front page headline in the Winnipeg Free Press the next morning read “The Miracle on Grass”.
An online search turned up this image of the front page of the Winnipeg Free Press on July 27, 1999, but I don’t have a copy of the original. I wish I had kept it.
Needless to say, it was not the beginning the Americans had hoped for. Our backs were against the wall right away. I recall seeing Team USA manager Buddy Bell and our players sitting in the locker room, in shock.
How Team USA bounces back in Winnipeg, qualifies for the Olympics, and advances and all the way to the gold medal game in Sydney – is chronicled in my book “Miracle on Grass” - available for sale on Amazon.