Ross Straw

• Throws Right

Biographical Information

Ross Straw was a major figure in the Australian baseball world. He played and coached for Victoria from 1942-1969. He was with the Australian national team in 1948, 1952, 1953, 1956 and 1962 (when they did not play in any major events) and managed them in 1968 and 1969. He played for, captained and coached Australia in the 1956 Olympics.

Straw was one of the first Australians offered a contract by a MLB team (the Boston Red Sox). He later was the first Australian native to be a pro scout. He helped lead efforts for the first dedicated baseball field in Australia, built in Melbourne, Victoria. He played a key role in getting Australia invited to Baseball Federation of Asia competitions. In 1976, he took the first Australian junior team to go on an overseas trip. He also helped secure the first federal sports funding for youth baseball in Australia, from the Australian Department of Sport in 1976-1977.

In 2005, Straw was an inaugural inductee in the Baseball Australia Hall of Fame.

Source: Australian Hall of Fame