Summer and winter Utah Olympian has one medal, hopes for two

Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo, Japan, 23 July. where American Eddie Alvarez who already has a winter silver medal in Olympic speed skating was the flag bearer. Photo: courtesy of EPA/JOE GIDDENS

TOKYO, Japan. — Eddie Alvarez and his Team USA baseball team were defeated today in the quarterfinals by the home team, Japan. Alvarez spent years training in Kearns, Utah at The Utah Olympic Oval, home of US Speedskating, while winning his Olympic silver medal representing the United States in the sport of speed skating in the Winter Sochi 2014 Games.

In extra innings, Alvarez, the Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony co-flag-bearer for Team USA found his team on the losing end of a one-point game at the end with a 7 to 6 result in the 10th. The US will get to stay and play for the opportunity to grab a bronze medal against the impending victor of the Isreal v Dominican Republic game, however, it’s not the color medal they traveled to Tokyo for.

Tied up heading into the 5th inning, Alvarez started a rally from Team USA against the Japanese resulting in a 6 – 3 advantage. Team Japan chipped away at that American lead during the 5th to 6 – 4, then 6 – 5 where the score stayed until the 9th when Japan tied it back up. That 6th run from the Japanese came when Alvarez, from his 2nd base position, catches then throws a Japanese player out at first after making the decision to throw there instead of home. A decision the tv commentator called the right one. Pandemic protocols have the NBC commentators stateside while broadcasting the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

All this while a drizzle turned to rain in Tokyo’s famed Yokohama Stadium.

Then, creating in the second out in the 8th, Alvarez steps close into the infield from 2nd base getting a runner out at first. In the 9th inning, Alvarez took a hard hit smack dab in the back of his upper thigh for a walk to first base. The very next pitch to his teammate, as Alvarez ran to the second, resulted in a double play by Japan. All while a drizzle turned to rain in Tokyo’s famed Yokohama Stadium.

Alvarez said to NBC, “When the call came to represent my country once again in the summer Olympics after the life-changing experience I had in the winter Olympics, it was a no-brainer.” 

The Japanese people enjoy the game of baseball to such a degree that they successfully lobbied the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to bring baseball back into the program in an effort to win an elusive gold medal on home soil. The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will not have baseball in its program. Japan’s baseball team advance to the semis to next play the team representing South Korea.

Alvarez, an MLB Florida Marlin, is attempting to become the third Olympian to medal in both summer and winter Games. If triumphant, he will join storied Paralympians, Park City resident Chris Waddell and former Utahn and current Idaho State Representative Muffy Davis, in that exclusive club.