Design by Sophia Dyer.

Pat Borders was known for being tough. A two-time World Series winner and the 1992 World Series MVP, with over 1,000 games behind the dish, would have to be. His manager with the Blue Jays, Cito Gaston, gave him the highest of compliments when he said that Borders was “someone who would run through a wall for me if I asked him to.”

When it came to the gold medal game in the 2000 Olympics, that’s exactly what United States manager Tommy Lasorda was going to do.

“The importance of winning was paramount,” Borders told MLB.com recently ahead of team's 25th anniversary. “It was because of [Lasorda’s] attitude toward winning, and the intensity he brought. He did not want to lose, and he made it apparent that we don't need to come in second place.”

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The Unite

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