Ryan's Story
1983 -
Ryan Rowland-Smith won a silver medal for Australia in baseball in 2004. From New South Wales, the left-hander was part of a strong Aussie pitching squad in Athens. Rowland-Smith enjoyed a fine Olympic tournament. His two wins tied him for second place among all pitchers for wins. He was credited with preliminary round victories against Greece, the host nation, and Japan, a team stacked with professionals. The Japanese win was crucial for Australia qualifying for the semi-final phase of the competition. In the semis, Australia beat Japan for the second time in the tournament, the score 1-0. It then lost the final to Cuba 6-2. The silver remains Australia’s only baseball medal from the Olympics. Rowland-Smith has since played professionally in the US Major Leagues.
