Francine's Story
1969 -
Queensland’s Francine McRae was a member of the Australian team which won a bronze medal as softball made its Olympic debut in 1996. The team’s Atlanta campaign got off to a shaky start, losing its first match to China 6-0. It then found form, winning five of its next six qualification round matches, including a memorable 2-1 win over the United States. In the medal round, Australia beat Japan 3-0 but lost again to its nemesis, China, 4-2, ensuring the team a bronze medal. McRae was honoured for her services to the sport when she was inducted into the Softball Australia Hall of Fame in 2004.