CARY, N.C. – Olympian John Gall has been elected president of USA Baseball, the organization announced on Thursday. Gall, a three-time USA Baseball alumnus and 2008 Olympic medalist, is a former big leaguer who has served on the USA Baseball Board of Directors since 2013.
“I am humbled and privileged to take on the role of president on the USA Baseball Board of Directors,” Gall said. “For many years, countless individuals, including outgoing President Mike Gaski, have been exceptional stewards for USA Baseball. These remarkable leaders have developed an uncommon culture of respect, trust, and vision that I am truly proud to associate with. Simply put, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the game of baseball for such a first-class organization.”
Gall succeeds Mike Gaski, who spent 22 years as the organization’s president after assuming the position in 2001 and being reelected seven times. Throughout Gaski’s presidential tenure, USA Baseball won a total of 87 medals in international competitions, including 53 gold medals. The organization totaled 25 Pan-American golds and 21 world championships with Gaski at the helm, also earning a bronze medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Prior to his presidency, Gaski was the delegation head/business manager for the Collegiate National Team in 1991 and 1992 before serving as an assistant coach in 1998. In addition to the organization’s resounding success in international competition since 2001, USA Baseball has also grown tremendously in other important avenues during Gaski’s presidency, introducing key initiatives like BASE (Baseball Athlete Safety Education), Fun At Bat, Pitch Smart, PLAY BALL, the Prospect Development Pipeline, and more.
“It was an honor to serve USA Baseball and to work with so many talented athletes, coaches, and administrators,” Gaski said. “I am grateful for the unflagging support from the Board of Directors and the passion and expertise that our USA Baseball staff brings to their mission each and every day. And while USA Baseball has accomplished a great deal on and off the field over these last twenty-plus years, I am certain that the future is even brighter for this dynamic organization.”
Gall–a native of Palo Alto, California–played collegiately at nearby Stanford University, where he was a four-year starter for the Cardinal and earned a spot on USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team in both 1998 and 1999. Gall played in 67 games for Team USA over two summers, batting .370 overall with seven home runs and 61 RBIs. The all-time Pac-12 hits leader was chosen by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 11th round of the 2000 MLB Draft. After playing parts of three seasons with the Cardinals and the Florida Marlins, the outfielder was selected to compete for the USA Baseball Olympic Team at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Gall started eight of Team USA’s nine games in Beijing, batting .242 and hitting a clutch home run against Chinese Taipei to help the U.S. secure a spot in the medal round and eventually earn a bronze medal.
In addition to his contributions to the organization on the field, Gall joined the USA Baseball Board of Directors in January 2013. As one of six former athletes on the board, he has assisted the organization in making key decisions in the advancement of the game of baseball throughout the United States. Gall was also previously USA Baseball’s rep to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee Athletes’ Commission (USOPC AC), which serves as the representative group and voice of Team USA’s athletes. Additionally, he has spent time as a member of five different USA Baseball committees: the Athletes Advisory Committee, the Finance and Audit Committee, the Medical Safety Committee, the Membership Committee, and the Nominating and Governance Committee.
On top of Gall’s election as president, Jason Dobis (Treasurer) and Elliot Hopkins (Secretary) were reelected to another term as officers. A member of the 1994 18U National Team, Dobis has been on the board since 2001. Hopkins, the Director of Sports, Sanctioning, and Student Services at the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), continues to serve since joining the board in 2019. Additionally, five-time Team USA alum and three-time Women’s National Team Manager Veronica Alvarez was reelected to a second term, while Richard Neely of the American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC) rotates on to serve his three-year term.
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