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

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
United States 4 1 0 0 8 x 13 10 2
Sweden 0 0 0 2 0 1 3 7 5

Box score

US East "Olympics" Pos. AB R H PO A E vs. US West "Finland" Pos. AB R H PO A E
Benjamin Adams CF 2 0 0 1 0 0 Richard Byrd P/RF 3 0 0 1 1 0
Platt Adams P 4 1 0 1 2 0 J. Ira Courtney SS 3 0 0 1 1 0
George Bonhag 1B 4 0 0 8 0 1 Ira Davenport LF 4 0 1 1 0 1
Charles Brickley C 3 0 0 14 2 0 Carroll Haff LB 4 0 0 7 0 0
Howard Drew RF 3 1 1 0 0 0 George Horine CF 4 1 1 3 0 0
Harlan Holden LF 4 1 0 2 0 1 Frank Irons 2B 4 0 1 0 4 1
John Paul Jones 2B 2 0 1 0 1 0 Fred Kelly 3B 3 2 2 2 1 3
Abel Kiviat SS 3 1 2 1 2 2 Edward Lindberg C 4 0 0 12 2 1
Eugene Mercer 3B 4 1 1 0 1 0 Walter McClure RF/P 4 0 2 0 1 0
Wesley Oler CF 2 1 1 0 0 0
Jim Thorpe RF 2 0 1 0 0 0
US East "Olympics" 33 6 7 27 8 4 Total US West "Finland" 33 3 7 27 10 6

Second match

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


Baseball At The 1912 Summer Olympics Media