Salt Lake Bees Manager Reflects On 2008 Olympic Experience
Jul 31, 2021, 9:06 PM
Keunwoo Jeong #8 of Korea scores the tying run under the tag of catcher Lou Marson #6 of the United States in the ninth inning during their preliminary baseball game at the Wukesong Sports Centre Baseball Field during Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 13, 2008 in Beijing, China. Korea won 8-7. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY — Baseball has officially begun in Tokyo.
It’s one of the five new sports for these Olympic Games, even though it has been an Olympic sport before.
Baseball was last seen in the Olympics during the 2008 Beijing Games.
We have a Utah connection to Olympic baseball, and that connection was on the 2008 USA Baseball team for the Beijing Olympics. Now, that man is the manager of the Salt Lake Bees.
Lou Marson has been the Bees skipper since 2019, but back in 2008, he was named the top minor leaguer in the Philadelphia Phillies system.
That great season earned him a spot to tryout for Team USA and he made the team.
Baseball is underway here in Tokyo. The last time it was an Olympic sport was in Beijing 2008. Current @SaltLakeBees manager Lou Marson was a catcher on that team. I spoke with him about his Olympic memories and will have that story in about 45 minutes on @KSL5TV at 5. @kslsports pic.twitter.com/VDMcrkXvAy
— Alex Cabrero (@KSL_AlexCabrero) July 31, 2021
Marson would eventually play in the major leagues for the Phillies and Cleveland Indians, but when he sat down to chat with KSL’s Alex Cabrero before a Bees game in Salt Lake, he said he will always have great memories of playing for Team USA.
“It was awesome, you know. I was young at the time. I was 21, 22 years old. I was with the Phillies in double-a, having a great season and leading my team that year, having a good year. And going to represent my country was just an awesome experience. Family and friends followed and it was just a once in a lifetime experience,” said Marson.
Marson also joked he remembered thinking the baseball players were in shape, until seeing athletes in other sports and realizing many baseball players could work out a little more.
Click here for KSL Sports’ exclusive coverage of the Games.
