Alan Phillips (baseball)

Alan Phillips (born 17 June 1956) is a South African retired badminton and baseball player. He won the national badminton championship 27 times, more than any other player. Phillips also played for the South African national baseball team in the 2000 Summer Olympics. As of October 2012, Phillips serves as a baseball coach.

Alan Phillips
Personal information
Born (1956-06-17) 17 June 1956
Cape Town, South Africa
Height1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight84 kg (185 lb)
Sport
SportBadminton, baseball
ClubBellville, Cape Town

Career

Phillips won 27 national titles in badminton, competing in the South African Badminton Championships, the most of any player. He qualified for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona as the nation's second-ranked badminton player. However, the South African sports federation bypassed Phillips for the third-ranked player because they felt Phillips was too old.[1] He represented South Africa in badminton in the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia.[2]

Though South Africa does not have a professional baseball league, Phillips played baseball for various local amateur teams as a relief pitcher, including the Clyde Pinelands and Bellville Tygers.[2][3] He played for the South African national baseball team in the 1998 Baseball World Cup in Italy and in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. At 44, Phillips was the oldest baseball Olympian.[2] Phillips coached the South African team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Like many South African athletes, Phillips has a full-time job. He works as an electrical inspector.[1]

Personal

Phillips' wife, Gussie, also plays badminton; the couple played mixed doubles in the 1994 Commonwealth Games.[2] His sons, Anthony Phillips and Jonathan Phillips, who both played for South Africa in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, are both minor league baseball players.[4]

References
  1. Grant, Geoff (19 September 2000). "Olympic journey bittersweet for South African pitcher". The Gazette. Colorado Springs, CO. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2012. (subscription required)
  2. Kleintjies, Lennie (27 May 2000). "Brothers bat together for SA in Olympics – IOL Sport". Independent Newspapers Online. IOL.co.za. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  3. Craig, Jermaine (6 September 2000). "Harrell brothers pitch in to help SA's cause – IOL Sport". Independent Newspapers Online. IOL.co.za. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  4. Nick Patterson (25 July 2008). "AquaSox infielder hopes to be first South African in the majors". Herald Net. The Daily Herald Co. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
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