Olympian medallist John Gall elected president of USA Baseball.

John Gall has been elected president of USA Baseball, the organisation 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 assume the role of president of the USA Baseball Board of Directors. For many years, countless individuals, including outgoing president Mike Gaski, have been exceptional stewards of USA Baseball. These remarkable leaders have developed an extraordinary culture of respect, trust, and vision that I am truly proud to be associated with. Simply put, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the game of baseball for such a first-class organisation," the American said. 

Gall succeeds Mike Gaski, who served 22 years as the organisation's president for 22 years after taking office in 2001 and being re-elected seven times. During Gaski's tenure as president, USA Baseball won a total of 87 medals in international competition, including 53 gold medals. The organisation won a total of 25 Pan American gold medals and 21 world championships with Gaski at the helm, as well as a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 

Prior to his presidency, Gaski served as delegation head/business manager for the collegiate national team in 1991 and 1992 before becoming an assistant coach in 1998. In addition to the organisation's resounding success in international competition since 2001, USA Baseball has also grown tremendously in other important areas during Gaski's presidency, introducing key initiatives such as BASE (Baseball Athlete Safety Education), Fun At Bat, Pitch Smart, PLAY BALL, the Prospect Development Pipeline, and more. 

"It has been an honour to serve USA Baseball and to work with so many talented athletes, coaches, and administrators. I am grateful for the unwavering support of the Board of Directors and the passion and expertise that our USA Baseball staff brings to the mission every day. And while USA Baseball has accomplished a great deal on and off the field over the past twenty-plus years, I am certain that the future is even brighter for this dynamic organisation," Gaski stated.

A native of Palo Alto, California, Gall 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. 

Mike Gaski has been president of USA Baseball for 22 years. USA BASEBALL
Mike Gaski has been president of USA Baseball for 22 years. USA BASEBALL

The Pac-12's all-time hits leader was selected 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 for the 2008 Beijing 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 USA earn a spot in the medal round and eventually a bronze medal. 

Gall joined the USA Baseball Board of Directors in January 2013. As one of six former athletes on the board, he has helped USA Baseball make key decisions to advance the game of baseball in the United States. Previously he also served as USA Baseball's representative on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Athletes' Commission (USOPC AC), which serves as the representative group and voice of Team USA’s athletes. He served on five different USA Baseball committees: the Athlete Advisory Committee, the Finance and Audit Committee, the Medical Safety Committee, the Membership Committee, and the Nominating and Governance Committee. 

In addition to Gall's election as president, Jason Dobis (treasurer) and Elliot Hopkins (secretary) were re-elected to another term as officers. Dobis, a member of the 1994 18U national team, has been on the board since 2001. Hopkins, the director of sports, sanctioning and student services for the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), has been on the board since 2019. 

In addition, five-time Team USA alumna and three-time Women's National Team Manager Veronica Alvarez was re-elected to a second term, while Richard Neely of the American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC) will continue his three-year term. 

USA Baseball is the national governing body for baseball in the United States, dedicated to serving, protecting, and promoting the game of baseball and its 15.6 million participants. Founded in 1978, USA Baseball fields six national teams annually and is a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). 

On the diamond, USA Baseball is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and its national teams have won 68 gold medals in international competition. Off the field, the organisation is dedicated to the growth and health of the sport through the creation and management of numerous development initiatives including BASE (Baseball Athlete Safety Education), Fun At Bat, Pitch Smart, PLAY BALL and the Prospect Development Pipeline.