Major League Olympians

America's national pastime, baseball grew in popularity around the world throughout the 20th century. As a result of its growing popularity, baseball was intermittently included in the Olympics, not as a medal sport, but instead as a demonstration sport. The first time baseball was played at the Olympics was at the 1912 Stockholm Games. The game was demonstrated again in 1936, 1956, 1964, 1984, and 1988. After being demonstrated more than any other sport, baseball was finally added to the Olympics as a medal sport starting in 1992. Unfortunately, after less than two decades, the International Olympic Committee judged baseball no longer worthy of being part of the Olympic Games because of, among other reasons, the lack of major league players leaving their teams in the middle of the season and the relatively small number of nations that competed internationally. At this moment, baseball is no longer an Olympic sport and the South Korean team received the last gold medals awarded.

Though baseball was part of only five Olympic Games, a surprising number of major league players participated for their countries. Many of these players appeared in the Olympics prior to appearing in the majors, but a few appeared after the end of their major league career. A couple even appeared between stints in the major leagues. All told, 140 major leaguers also competed for medals at the Olympics. More players will join the list as 2008 Olympians make their way into the majors. I realize it's staggering, but I've listed all 140 MLB Olympians below.

MLB Players Who Played Olympic Baseball

Count	Name	Olympic Team	MLB Career	Teams
1	Brent Abernathy	2000 USA	2001-2005	TBD, KCR, MIN
2	Willie Adams	1992 USA	1996-1997	OAK
3	Kurt Ainsworth	2000 USA	2001-2004	SFG, BAL
4	Chad Allen	1996 USA	1999-2005	MIN, CLE, FLA, TEX
5	Rolando Arrojo	1992 Cuba	1998-2002	TBD, COL, BOS
6	Wladimir Balentien	2004 Netherlands	2007-2008	SEA
7	Grant Balfour	2000 Australia	2001-2008	MIN, MIL, TBD
8	Brian Barden	2008 USA	2007-2008	ARI, STL
9	Cley Bellinger	2004 Greece	1999-2002	NYY, ANA
10	Shayne Bennett	2000 Australia	1997-1999	MON
11	Kris Benson	1996 USA	1999-2006	PIT, NYM, BAL
12	Jung Bong	2008 South Korea	2002-2004	ATL, CIN
13	Pat Borders	2000 USA	1988-2005	TOR, KCR, HOU STL, CAL, CHW CLE, SEA, MIN
14	Matthew Brown	2008 USA	2007-2008	LAA
15	Sean Burroughs	2000 USA	2002-2006	SDP, TBD
16	Chin-Feng Chen	2004/2008 Taiwan	2002-2005	LAD
17	Stubby Clapp	2004/2008 Canada	2001	STL
18	Ivanon Coffie	2004 Netherlands	2000	BAL
19	Jose Contreras	1996/2000 Cuba	2003-2008	NYY, CHW
20	Rheal Cormier	2008 Canada	1991-2007	STL, BOS, MON PHI, CIN
21	Eric Cyr	2004 Canada	2002	SDP
22	David Davidson	2008 Canada	2007	PIT
23	Gookie Dawkins	2000 USA	1999-2003	CIN, KCR
24	Yurendell DeCaster	2004/2008 Netherlands	2006	PIT
25	R.A. Dickey	1996 USA	2001-2008	TEX, SEA
26	Jason Dickson	2004 Canada	1996-2000	CAL/ANA
27	Darren Dreifort	1992 USA	1994-2004	LAD
28	Rob Ducey	2004 Canada	1987-2001	TOR, CAL, TEX, SEA PHI, TOR, MON
29	Robert Eenhoorn	2000 Netherlands	1994-1997	NYY, CAL
30	Mark Ettles	2000 Australia	1993	SDP
31	Adam Everett	2000 USA	2001-2008	HOU, MIN
32	Rikkert Faneyte	2000 Netherlands	1993-1996	SFG, TEX
33	Oswaldo Fernandez	1992 Cuba	1996-2001	SFG, CIN
34	Dexter Fowler	2008 USA	2008	COL
35	Ryan Franklin	2000 USA	1999-2008	SEA, PHI, CIN, STL
36	Kosuke Fukudome	1996/2004 Japan	2008	CHC
37	John Gall	2008 USA	2005-2007	STL, FLA
38	Nomar Garciaparra	1992 USA	1996-2008	BOS, CHC, LAD
39	Chris George	2000 USA	2001-2004	KCR
40	Jason Giambi	1992 USA	1995-2008	OAK, NYY
41	Troy Glaus	1996 USA	1998-2008	ANA, ARI, TOR, STL
42	Steve Green	2008 Canada	2001	ANA
43	Rick Greene	1992 USA	1999	CIN
44	Seth Greisinger	1996 USA	1998-2005	DET, MIN, ATL
45	Jeffrey Hammonds	1992 USA	1993-2005	BAL, CIN, COL MIL, SFG, WSN
46	Rick Helling	1992 USA	1994-2006	TEX, FLA, ARI BAL, MIL
47	Orlando Hernandez	1992 Cuba	1998-2007	NYY, CHW, ARI, NYM
48	Mike Hessman	2008 USA	2003-2008	ATL, DET
49	Shawn Hill	2004 Canada	2004-2008	MON/WSN
50	A.J. Hinch	1996 USA	1998-2004	OAK, KCR, DET, PHI
51	Mark Hutton	2000 Australia	1993-1998	NYY, FLA, COL, CIN
52	Tadahito Iguchi	1996 Japan	2005-2008	CHW, PHI, SDP
53	Marcus Jensen	2000 USA	1996-2002	SFG, DET, MIL, STL MIN, BOS, TEX
54	Kevin Jepsen	2008 USA	2008	LAA
55	Kenji Johjima	2004 Japan	2006-2008	SEA
56	Charles Johnson	1992 USA	1994-2005	FLA, LAD, BAL CHW, COL, TBD
57	Mike Johnson	2004/2008 Canada	1997-2001	BAL, MON
58	Jacque Jones	1996 USA	1999-2008	MIN, CHC, DET, FLA
59	Gene Kingsale	2004/2008 Netherlands	1996-2003	BAL, SEA, SDP, DET
60	Mike Kinkade	2000 USA	1998-2003	NYM, BAL, LAD
61	Danny Klassen	2004 Canada	1998-2003	ARI, DET
62	Brandon Knight	2008 USA	2001-2008	NYY, NYM
63	Masahide Kobayashi	2004 Japan	2008	CLE
64	Billy Koch	1996 USA	1999-2004	TOR, OAK, CHW, FLA
65	Mike Koplove	2008 USA	2001-2007	ARI, CLE
66	Mark Kotsay	1996 USA	1997-2008	FLA, SDP, OAK ATL, BOS
67	George Kottaras	2004 Greece	2008	BOS
68	Rick Krivda	2000 USA	1995-1998	BAL, CLE, CIN
69	Hiroki Kuroda	2004 Japan	2008	LAD
70	Pete LaForest	2004 Canada	2003-2007	TBD, SDP, PHI
71	Matt LeCroy	1996 USA	2000-2007	MIN, WSN
72	Travis Lee	1996 USA	1998-2006	ARI, PHI, TBD, NYY
73	Graeme Lloyd	2004 Australia	1993-2003	MIL, NYY, TOR, MON FLA, NYM, KCR
74	Braden Looper	1996 USA	1998-2008	STL, FLA, NYM
75	Calvin Maduro	2004 Netherlands	1996-2002	PHI, BAL
76	Oswaldo Mairena	1996 Nicaragua	2000-2002	CHC, FLA
77	Nick Markakis	2004 Greece	2006-2008	BAL
78	Lou Marson	2008 USA	2008	PHI
79	Shairon Martis	2008 Netherlands	2008	WSN
80	Daisuke Matsuzaka	2000/2004 Japan	2007-2008	BOS
81	Chris Mears	2004 Canada	2003	DET
82	Hensley Meulens	2000 Netherlands	1989-1998	NYY, MON, ARI
83	Doug Mientkiewicz	2000 USA	1998-2008	MIN, BOS, NYM KCR, NYY, PIT
84	Ralph Milliard	2000/2004 Netherlands	1996-1998	FLA, NYM
85	Warren Morris	1996 USA	1999-2003	PIT, MIN, DET
86	Calvin Murray	1992 USA	1999-2004	SFG, TEX, CHC
87	Aaron Myette	2004 Canada	1999-2004	CHW, TEX, CLE, CIN
88	Micheal Nakamura	1996/2000 Australia	2003-2004	MIN, TOR
89	Norihiro Nakamura	2000/2004 Japan	2005	LAD
90	Blaine Neal	2008 USA	2001-2005	FLA, SDP, BOS, COL
91	Mike Neill	2000 USA	1998	OAK
92	Phil Nevin	1992 USA	1995-2006	HOU, DET, ANA, SDP TEX, CHC, MIN
93	Kevin Nicholson	2004 Canada	2000	SDP
94	Dave Nilsson	2000/2004 Australia	1992-1999	MIL
95	Jayson Nix	2008 USA	2008	COL
96	Augie Ojeda	1996 USA	2000-2008	CHC, MIN, ARI
97	Pete Orr	2004 Canada	2005-2008	ATL, WSN
98	Roy Oswalt	2000 USA	2001-2008	HOU
99	Chris Oxspring	2004 Australia	2005	SDP
100	Erik Pappas	2004 Greece	1991-1994	CHC, STL
101	Jim Parque	1996 USA	1998-2003	CHW, TBD
102	Simon Pond	2004 Canada	2004	TOR
103	Ryan Radmanovich	2004/2008 Canada	1998	SEA
104	Alexei Ramirez	2004 Cuba	2008	CHW
105	Jon Rauch	2000 USA	2002-2008	CHW, MON/WSN, ARI
106	Chris Reitsma	2008 Canada	2001-2007	CIN, ATL, SEA
107	Ryan Rowland-Smith	2004 Australia	2007-2008	SEA
108	Anthony Sanders	2000 USA	1999-2001	TOR, SEA
109	Nate Schierholtz	2008 USA	2007-2008	SFG
110	Bobby Seay	2000 USA	2001-2008	TBD, COL, DET
111	Ben Sheets	2000 USA	2001-2008	MIL
112	Jason Simontacchi	2000 Italy	2002-2007	STL, WSN
113	Chris Snelling	2000 Australia	2002-2008	SEA, WSN, OAK, PHI
114	Sean Spencer	2004 Greece	1999-2000	SEA, MON
115	Paul Spoljaric	2004 Canada	1994-2000	TOR, SEA, PHI, KCR
116	John Stephens	2004 Australia	2002	BAL
117	Adam Stern	2004/2008 Canada	2005-2007	BOS, BAL
118	Andy Stewart	2004 Canada	1997	KCR
119	Phil Stockman	2004 Australia	2006-2008	ATL
120	R.J. Swindle	2008 Canada	2008	PHI
121	So Taguchi	2000 Japan	2002-2008	STL, PHI
122	Taylor Teagarden	2008 USA	2008	TEX
123	Brad Thomas	2000 Australia	2001-2004	MIN
124	Rich Thompson	2004 Australia	2007-2008	LAA
125	Scott Thorman	2008 Canada	2006-2007	ATL
126	Terry Tiffee	2008 USA	2004-2008	MIN, LAD
127	Chin-Hui Tsao	2004/2008 Taiwan	2003-2007	COL, LAD
128	Michael Tucker	1992 USA	1995-2006	KCR, ATL, CIN, CHC SFG, PHI, NYM
129	Jason Varitek	1992 USA	1997-2008	BOS
130	Ron Villone	1992 USA	1995-2008	SEA, SDP, MIL, CLE CIN, COL, HOU, PIT FLA, NYY, STL
131	Chien-Ming Wang	2004 Taiwan	2005-2008	NYY
132	Jeff Weaver	1996 USA	1999-2007	DET, NYY, LAD LAA, STL, SEA
133	Brad Wilkerson	2000 USA	2001-2008	MON, TEX, SEA, TOR
134	Glenn Williams	2000/2004 Australia	2005	MIN
135	Jeff Williams	1996/2004 Australia	1999-2002	LAD
136	Todd Williams	2000 USA	1995-2007	LAD, CIN, SEA NYY, BAL
137	Craig Wilson	1992 USA	1998-2000	CHW
138	Ernie Young	2000 USA	1994-2004	OAK, KCR, ARI DET, CLE
139	Tim Young	2000 USA	1998-2000	MON, BOS
140	Clint Zavaras	2004 Greece	1989	SEA

It's a really long list. The 2004 Greek team, only in the Olympics by virtue of the Games being held in Athens, was made up mainly of Greek-Americans (and at least one Greek-Canadian, Mr. Kottaras). That circumstance gave the last man on the list, Clint Zavaras, a chance to play on the world stage fifteen years after his cup of coffee in the majors.

As expected, the USA laps the field in the number of major league Olympians. Sixty-six of the 140 men listed above played for the United States. The full breakdown looks like this:

1. USA - 66
2. Canada - 23
3. Australia - 16
4. Japan - 8
5. Greece - 6
6. Cuba - 5
7. Taiwan - 3
8. Italy - 1
9. Nicaragua - 1
10. South Korea - 1

As mentioned, Greece's contingent was made up of players from North America. Italy's sole major leaguer, Jason Simontacchi, was born in California. Oswaldo Mairena is one of only nine major league players born in Nicaragua. South Korea's representative is former Brave and Red Jung Bong.

It's possible I missed someone while going through the rosters for all forty squads to play in the Olympics. If you know of someone who should be on the list but isn't, email me or comment below.