Grand Slam Special
	Olympic Games 2000

Compiled and Copyright © 2000 by Marco Stoovelaar

Exhibition Baseball Games

Olympic Games 2000 - Sydney, Australia

Welcome on the Olympic chapter on this site.
More Olympic News
Previous Olympic news
Olympic baseball rosters
Olympic baseball schedule and scores
Olympic softball schedule and scores
Olympic television schedule
Main index of this site

New Site added
To accomodate the visitors more and to extend the space, Grand Slam - Stats & News has added a new site to this one, called www.stoovstats.com, from which some of the pages already has been activated on Thursday, September 14.
Not much will change, except that some pages have been switched from this site to the new site, but you will be transferred automatically when you follow the link.
The new site will also be a back-up site for this one.

Nederlands
Nieuwe Site toegevoegd
Om de bezoekers nog meer van nieuws te voorzien en om meer ruimte te creëren, heeft Grand Slam - Stats & News een nieuwe site toegevoegd, genaamd www.stoovstats.com, waarvan al een aantal pagina's werd geactiveerd op donderdag 14 september.
Er zal niet veel in de opzet veranderen, alleen dat een aantal pagina's verhuisde van deze site naar de nieuwe, maar daar komt u automatisch terecht als u de link volgt.
De nieuwe site zal ook fungeren als back-up site voor deze site.

Dutch defeat USA!
BRISBANE (Australia) - The Dutch team handed Team USA its first exhibition loss on Monday, defeating the all-pro squad of manager Tom Lasorda, 4-3. The victory vs. USA is the second in Dutch history. The first was recorded during the 1998 World Championships.
Former Major Leaguer Rikkert Faneyte (pictured left) a hit three-run double in the second to give the Dutch team a lead it never gave up en route to the 4-3 victory. In the second, Robert Eenhoorn walked with two outs, then Dirk van 't Klooster doubled and Reily Legito also walked, before Faneyte delivered his baseclearing double. In the home second, Ernie Young and Jon Cotton singled to start the inning. Mike Kinkade then hit a two-run double to make it 3-2, before Dutch starter Jurriaan Lobbezoo struckout the next two batters and got a grounder to end the inning. In the top fourth, the Dutch added another run. With two outs, Dirk van 't Klooster (pictured right), who went 3-for-4 in the game, singled and scored the insurance run on a double by Reily Legito. The USA got another (one out) runscoring opportunity in the third, but Lobbezoo again struckout the next two batters. In the sixth, reliever Ken Brauckmiller saw lead-off batter Mike Neill reach third base on an error, but he was thrown out at home plate by left fielder Hensley Meulens, who's throw was relayed by short stop Robert Eenhoorn to catcher Johnny Balentina. When Brauckmiller got runners on first and second in the seventh with two outs, Ferenc Jongejan took over the pitching and got former Major Leaguer Doug Mientkiewicz to fly to center. In the eighth, Jongejan also struckout two batters. In the mean time, the Dutch didn't get any runscoring opportunities by relievers Rick Krivda and Bobby Seay in the last four innings. In the bottom of the ninth, Rikkert Faneyte took the mound and gave up a two out double to Adam Everett and a runscoring single to Brad Wilkerson but got Doug Mientkiewicz to fly the left to earn the save.
The victory was the fourth and last exhibition game for manager Pat Murphy and the Dutch team, which will travel to Sydney on Tuesday, where it will open the Olympic tournament next Sunday against host country Australia.
Also on Monday, Australia shut out South Africa, 7-0, while South Korea defeated Italy, 3-0.
Box Score USA-Netherlands
(September 11)

Big victory USA
BRISBANE (Australia) - Team USA got its fourth exhibition victory, winning 17-1 vs. South Africa on Sunday-evening. The Americans got fifteen hits, including a grand slam by Jon Cotton in a seven-run fourth inning. Anthony Sanders also homered in the inning. South Africa got only two hits.
(September 10)

Italy shuts out Dutch
BRISBANE (Australia) - Italy shut out The Netherlands 2-0 on Sunday. Dutch professional pitcher Ramhades Dijkhoff (pictured left) made his Dutch team debut as a starter and gave up two homeruns to Chris Madonna. The Italian catcher hit his fourbaggers in the first and fourth inning. In the rest of the game the Italian team didn't even reach second base anymore as the Dutch defense turned two double plays. In the sixth Madonna added a single to go 3-for-3 in the game. The Dutch team had seven hits, two each by Rikkert Faneyte and Dirk van 't Klooster. The team got four runners in scoring position, but only Faneyte reached third base in the first inning as the Italian defense turned three double plays.
On Monday, the Dutch play their last exhibition game and will meet the USA before moving to Sydney.
Box Score Italy-Netherlands
(September 10)

Third victory USA
BRISBANE (Australia) - USA remained unbeaten as it won 5-3 on only three hits vs. Australia on Saturday-evening. Doug Mientkiewicz went 2-for-3, including a two-run homerun in the first. Australia took over the lead in the fifth. Trailing 3-2, USA scored three runs in the sixth, the first two on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt, the third was scored on a wild pitch.
(September 9)

Dutch defeat South Africa
BRISBANE (Australia) - The Dutch squad shutout South Africa 7-0 on Saturday in its second pre-Olympic exhibition game. The Dutch opened the score in the first game in its history vs. South Africa in the first when Ralph Milliard doubled and scored on a force-play grounder by Hensley Meulens. In the second a comfortable and definitive lead was taken when three runs were scored. Consecutive doubles by Robert Eenhoorn and Ken Brauckmiller resulted in a run. A single by Evert-Jan 't Hoen moved Brauckmiller in scoring position, but he was thrown out at home plate trying to score after a fly ball by Chairon Isenia. Moments later, 't Hoen scored on Rikkert Faneyte's two-run homerun. In the fifth two runs were added, when Dirk van 't Klooster and Hensley Meulens scored. The seventh run was scored by Ken Brauckmiller in the seventh inning. South Africa had only three hits, the first came in the fourth inning off of starter Rob Cordemans, the only one he gave up in six innings. In the eighth, reliever Ferenc Jongejan walked a batter, marking the end of six-two thirds perfect innings he pitched in the six outings he had so far for the Dutch team. On Sunday, the Dutch team meets Italy.
Box Score Netherlands-South Africa
(September 9)

One-run victory Italy
BRISBANE (Australia) - On Friday, Italy won its first exhibition game, winning 6-5 vs. South Africa. In the game, Roberto De Franceschi homered, Davide Sheldon had two hits and Stefano Landuzzi singled in the winning run.
(September 8)

Exhibition victory USA
BRISBANE (Australia) - The USA also won its second pre-Olympic exhibition game, winning 3-1 vs. host Australia. In the first Brad Wilkerson homered off of former Major League-pitcher Mark Hutton to give the USA a 1-0 lead. In the fourth Marcus Jensen added an RBI-double and then in the sixth Mike Kinkade also homered for manager Tommy Lasorda's team.
(September 8)

Dutch drop first exhibition game
BRISBANE (Australia) - The Dutch national team was defeated on Thursday 7-5 by Australia in its first exhibition game as the final preparations for the Olympics went underway.
Australia opened the score in the first, then the Dutch scored three runs in the second. After rookie Sharnol Adriana, who went 3-for-3 in his debut, walked, Percy Isenia hit a one-out two-run homerun. Three singles followed to load the bases, then Reily Legito delivered an RBI-single to make it 3-1. Australia tied the game in the fourth and took the lead in the fifth on a homerun by Grant McDonald. In the sixth, the Dutch scored twice and re-took the lead. Reily Legito hit a lead-off homerun, then Robert Eenhoorn and Sharnol Adriana singled. Mike Crouwel then singled in another run to make it 5-4. The lead didn't last long, as Australia scored three runs in the seventh. Patrick Beljaards, who had relieved starter Orlando Stewart in the fifth, struckout the lead-off batter, but then gave up consecutive homeruns to Grant McDonald and Clayton Byrne, which renewed Australia's lead. A single by Brett Roneberg made it 7-5. McDonald went 5-for-5, including a double and two homeruns. In the ninth, the Dutch got runners on all bases, but failed to score as professional reliever Craig Anderson struckout two batters. Earlier in the day, five professional players and manager Pat Murphy arrived in Brisbane to complete the Dutch squad. Three of these professionals played briefly in the game.
Italy was defeated 11-2 by USA, which had three homeruns. Italy had only five hits, including three by Roberto De Franceschi.
Box Score Australia-Netherlands
(September 7)

Marlies Struyvé officiating in second game
SYDNEY (Australia) - Dutch softball umpire Marlies Struyvé on Monday will officiate in her second game of the Olympic softball tournament. She will do the calls at First Base of the game between China and Japan. On Sunday, Marlies did her first game, being the Second Base Umpire in the game between Japan and Cuba, which the Japanese won 4-1.
Olympic Softball Scores
(September 17)

Olympic Briefs
SYDNEY (Australia) - On Friday-evening, Nancy Johnson of the USA became the first athlete to win a gold medal during this years Olympic Games. Nancy Johnson won the gold medal in the 10 meter Air Rifle Shooting competition, while Kang Cho-hyun of Korea won silver and Jing Gao of China the bronze.
On Friday, Brigitte McMahon of Switzerland also won a gold medal as she won the first ever Olympic triathlon for women.
Also on Friday, it was announced that Juan Antonio Samaranch, the Chairman of the International Olympic Committee, returned home to Barcelona, Spain to be with his wife, who was unable to accompany him to Sydney due to illness. Dick Pound, the Vice-Chairman of the IOC, will take over the duties of Mr. Samaranch. Unfortunately, Mrs. Samaranch, 69, passed away on Saturday.
(September 16)

Olympic Games officially opened
SYDNEY (Australia) - The XXVII Olympic Games have been officially opened on Friday, September 15 in a spectacular, impressive and colorful Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney.
In a ceremony, which lasted over four hours, song and dance were combined with Australian tradition and history. Over 12.000 performers put on great show with horsemen, tapdancing and singing. A huge brass band, the 2000 Marching Band with 2000 members from 20 countries, closed the show and then accompanied the participating countries as they entered the stadium, filled with a capacity crowd of 110.000.
After the 200 countries had taken their place, Juan Antonio Samaranch, the Chairman of the International Olympic Committee, and Michael Knight, the Chairman of the Sydney Organizing Committee SOCOG, welcomed everyone to this first Olympics of the new Millennium. Moments later, the Olympic Games were officially declared open by Sir William Deane, the Governor-General of Australia. Performing one of the Olympic Songs were John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John, who joined the athletes during the singing.
Always one of the most touching moments during an Olympic Opening Ceremony is the entering of the Olympic Flag and the Olympic Flame, which were both carried by former Australian Olympic athletes. The Olympic Torch was relayed into the stadium and towards the cauldron by six former Australian Olympic women athletes, including Betty Cuthbert and Dawn Fraser. When the six had completed their walk through the stadium and through the athletes, the torch was handed over to Cathy Freeman, who lit the Olympic Flame amid a huge waterfall. The 27-year old Australian Aboriginal sprinter will participate in this years competition. Four years ago, she won a Silver Medal.
(September 15)

Olympic Torch arrives in Sydney
SYDNEY (Australia) - The Olympic Torch arrived in the centre of Sydney on Thursday-evening as over a million people saw the Olympic flame being relayed from the famous Sydney Harbour to Town Hall. Amongst the torch-relayers were Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli, Australian singer/actress Olivia Newton-John and Australian tennis player Pat Rafter. During the arrival ceremonies the Olympic Rings on Sydney's Harbour Bridge were lit and a firework completed the evening.
(September 14)

Olympic television schedule
HILVERSUM (Neth.) - Dutch television will of course provide live coverage of many events of the Olympic Games.
NOS Studio Sport will not only carry daily live broadcasts, but also schedules highlights, background stories and interviews. NOS Studio Sport is anchored from both Sydney and Hilversum by Mart Smeets and Jack van Gelder. Also hosting will be Edward van Cuilenborg, Tom Egbers, Dione de Graaff, Daniëlle Overgaag and Humberto Tan.
RTL 5 and SBS 6 also will cover the Olympics. RTL 5 has a daily magazine scheduled, titled Olympisch Nieuws (Olympic News), with background stories and interviews by Mari Carmen Oudendijk and Jaap van Deurzen. SBS 6 also schedules a daily show, titled In Sydney staat een huis (In Sydney stands a house), with background stories and interviews by André van der Toorn and Edwin Evers. This show starts on Monday.
Dutch Olympic Television Schedule
(September 14)

Final USA roster announced
SYDNEY (Australia) - On Thursday, the definitive Olynpic roster for the USA was announced. The squad flew with 28 players to Australia to play six exhibition games. Now, the team has been cut to 24, as pitcher C.C. Sabathia, pitcher Matt White, infielder Mike Coolbaugh and infielder/outfielder Shawn Gilbert were dropped from the roster. USA Olympic Roster
(September 14)

Holland House officially opened
SYDNEY (Australia) - The Holland Heineken House has officially been opened on Thursday-evening. The Holland House, located on Darlin Harbour, is the meeting point for all Dutch athletes, officials and fans during the Olympics. The Holland House was opened by Hans Blankert, chairman of NOC*NSF, the Dutch Olympic Committee and Dutch Sports Federation.
(September 14)

Baseball team participates in opening
SYDNEY (Australia) - The complete Dutch baseball team will participate in the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympic Games, which take place on Friday, September 15. Some of the Dutch athletes will not take part in the ceremony as they have to compete on Friday or Saturday. The baseball team will play its first game on Sunday. baseball schedule
(September 14)

Doctor Nusse returns home
SYDNEY (Australia) - Frank Nusse, the team doctor of the Dutch baseball team returned home to The Netherlands on Wednesday due to family circumstances. Ton Langenhorst, a member of the Dutch Olympic Medical Staff, will take care of the Dutch players in his absence.
(September 14)

Soccer teams start Olympic tournament
SYDNEY (Australia) - Two days before the official Opening Ceremony, six soccer matches were played on Wednesday in the preliminary round as the 2000 Olympics went underway.
In Canberra, Germany won the women match vs. host Australia, 3-0, while Brazil won 2-0 vs. Sweden in Melbourne.
In men's competition, Italy won 1-0 vs. Australia in Melbourne, Cameroon defeated Kuwait 3-2 in Brisbane. Two games ended in a tie. In Adelaide, the game between Nigeria and Honduras ended in 3-3, while in Canberra, the final score between USA and Czech Republic was 2-2.
(September 13)

Anky van Grunsven to carry Dutch flag
SYDNEY (Australia) - Anky van Grunsven will carry the Dutch flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Friday at Sydney. The 32-year old amazone is participating in her fourth Olympics and won three medals. This year she competes in the dressage with her horse Bonfire.
(September 13)

Dutch off to Australia
SCHIPHOL (Neth.) - The Dutch national team left for Australia on Sunday-morning as the squad flew to Brisbane where it will play four games prior to flying to Sydney for the Olympics. Joining the baseball-team were the men and women hockey-teams.
On Sunday, the Italian national team also flew to Brisbane where it will play five exhibition games. The USA Olympic Team left for Australia on Saturday and also will play five games. South Africa will join The Netherlands, Italy, Australia and the USA in Brisbane early this week and have five exhibition games scheduled. Next week, South Korea also will play two games in Brisbane. The only teams not playing exhibition games in Australia before the Games open are Cuba and Japan.
(September 3)

Adriana joins Dutch squad
SCHIPHOL (Neth.) - Dutch national team player Sharnol Adriana on Saturday arrived on Schiphol International Airport and will join the Dutch Olympic Squad on Sunday-morning when the team will fly to Brisbane, Australia. In Brisbane, the team will play four exhibition games in its final preparations for the Olympic Games. The Dutch will face Australia, South Africa, Italy and USA before travelling to Sydney.

Sharnol Adriana, pictured left after his arrival in Amsterdam, is one of six professional players added last week to the Dutch national team. This season, the 29-year old Adriana played in Cordoba and Campeche and last week finished the season as a member of the Newark Bears in the United States. The other five professional players will join the Dutch team coming week in Brisbane together with American manager Pat Murphy, who went home recently to become a father.
(September 2)

Olympic Village opened
SYDNEY (Australia) - On Saturday, the Olympic Village was officially opened by Edie Payne, the oldest living former Australian Olympic athlete, who participated in the 1928 Olympics at Amsterdam, The Netherlands. One of the first Olympic delegations to take residence in the Village was that of Finland.
(September 2)

More Olympic news
Olympic baseball rosters
Olympic baseball schedule and scores
Olympic softball schedule and scores

Thank you for visiting.

Mail your suggestions and questions to stoov@wxs.nl