Cats’ baseball coach, with Team USA, blogs from Beijing

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Cats’ baseball coach, with Team USA, blogs from Beijing

Posted on 15 August 2008.

Coach Dick Cooke of Davidson College and Team USA

Three games into preliminary play on the Olympic baseball diamonds of Beijing, Team USA has lost a tie-breaker to Cuba and a “heartbreaker” against Korea, but blanked the Netherlands.

You can read all about it on the Olympics blog of Davidson Davidson’s Dick Cooke, who is a coach for the U.S. team. Learn how he chatted up Davidson College with President Bush, took in the sights of Beijing, and dealt with the Cuban defending champs.

Mr. Cooke, Davidson College’s head baseball coach, is one of two auxiliary coaches on the staff of Manager Davey Johnson. Team USA won gold in Sydney in 2000, but failed to qualify for the games four years ago in Athens, where Cuba took top laurels. Team USA is one of eight national teams in a round-robin style tournament that runs through Aug. 20.

The top four teams advance to the finals, to be held Aug. 22-23.

Coach Cooke’s blog is carried on the Davidson College athletics website and offers play-by-play coverage and insights into what it’s like to be competing at the 29th Olympiad. Here’s some of his comments so far:

The Monday, Aug. 11 entry describing meeting President George Bush: “As group two starts to wind down, I am leaning on the batting cage talking with Davey. Suddenly there is a good deal of traffic walking on to the field through the gate by our dugout. Then the President comes bursting through the gate asking, “Where is Coach Johnson?” and marches right over to the cage and visits with Davey and I. It’s a brief visit as the media swarm is significant. I do get a Davidson College plug in, and he says “Awesome place.” Right after that it’s time for my group to hit, so I jump out to the mound. The President walks over to visit with the Chinese team.”

Friday, Aug. 8 entry from opening night of the Games: “On the ride home we see a Beijing that is simply impossible to describe. It’s 9 p.m., and we now see the major part of downtown, and it is incredible. Huge, wide streets, wide sidewalks and buildings lit up to their full extent that are impossible to accurately describe via written word or photos. Seiler calls the buildings “powerful.” Modern architecture with an oriental touch.”

Thursday, Aug. 13 entry after loss to Korea: “Not the ideal way to open the tournament. It was a great game if you were a fan, absolutely gut wrenching if you were in the dugout on either side. Korea was as advertised. Quality pitching, speed at the top of the order and power guys in the middle.”

Thursday, Aug. 14 entry after a decisive 7-0 win against the Netherlands: “The eight teams in the event are Cuba, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Canada, Netherlands, China and the USA. Japan, who has sent 24 of their major league players, and Cuba are the favorites. Korea is obviously talented, having shut down their professional season during the Olympics to send their best. There are no easy games. China and Korea were 0-0 today in the 5th when their game got suspended, and Cuba edged Canada 7-6 tonight. We bounced back well today, and now have to gear up for Cuba tomorrow, which is always a huge game. The international stage is what the Cubans live for. They have been together a long time and are playing very well right now. They opened up by beating Japan 4-2, in addition to tonight’s win over Canada.”

Friday, Aug. 15 entry after loss to Cuba: “Through 10 innings it was a very, very good baseball game. Another re-group moment is upon us as we have Canada tomorrow at 10:30. They lost 7-6 to Cuba last night.”

Here’s the preliminary rounds schedule for Team USA: