Sydney, Olympic Park, 17 September 2000, Games of the XXVII Olympiad: Ben SHEETS of the USA in action during the Japan-USA (2-4) baseball game during the preliminaries. The United States went on to win the gold medal. Credit : Getty Images/Jed Jacobsohn

Born: 18 July 1978

Birthplace: Baton Rouge (United-States)

Nationality: United-States

Sport: Baseball

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Sydney 2000

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 1

Overpowering pitcher

A graduate of Northeast Louisiana University, right-handed pitcher Ben Sheets was playing for the Indianapolis Indians of the Triple-A International League when he was selected to join Team USA for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Sheets was the starting pitcher for the US's opening game against Japan.

He pitched seven innings, giving up four hits and no runs. When he left the game, the US was ahead 2-0, but Japan later tied the score, so, although the US did win the game in extra innings, Sheets did not get credit for the decision. Five days later, he started against Italy. Pitching six innings, he gave up four hits, one earned run and one unearned run. He came out with the score tied 2-2, but the US went on to win 4-2.

In the final, the Americans faced two-time defending champion Cuba, which had beaten them 6-1 earlier in the tournament. This time Sheets was in top form. He pitched a complete game, shutting out the stunned Cubans on only three hits, all singles. Sheets induced sixteen ground ball outs, did not walk any batters and, during the entire game, only one Cuban runner got as far as second base. Sheets moved on to the Major Leagues in 2001 and immediately gained a place as a workhorse starter for the Milwaukee Brewers.