Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame

Class of 2012

Jeff Nelson

  • One of the tallest pitchers ever at 6' 8"

  • 4-time World Series Champion with the NY Yankees (1996, '98,'99, 2000)

  • Held batters to a .191 average with RISP and two outs

  • Compiled 62 strikeouts and 2.65 ERA in 55 postseason games

  • Set Seattle Mariners all-time record holder for most game pitched (383)

  • MLB broadcaster

  • Family roots in Co. Donegal

"Wee Willie" Keeler

  • One of the smallest players ever, standing 5' 4½" and weighing 140 pounds
  • Had highest seasonal average for a left handed batter at .424 in 1897
  • Hit .341 lifetime and stole 495 bases primarily for the Baltimore Orioles (NL), Brooklyn Superbas (NL), and New York Highlanders (AL)
  • Set the NL mark for longest hitting streak (44 games) set in 1897; shares record with Pete Rose
  • Coined the phrase "Hit 'em Where They Ain't" and perfected the "Baltimore Chop"
  • Dominant figure in the Dead Ball era; inducted into Cooperstown in 1939

Gene "The Stick" Michael

  • Long-time player, coach, manager, scout, GM, and senior advisor for  the NY Yankees
  • World Series Champion (1978)
  • Responsible for building the Yankee dynasty of the 1990s-2000s
  • Drafted or signed Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Derek Jeter, and Jorge Posada
  • Family roots in Co. Cork

Jimmy Breslin

  • A legend among New York City's great Irish American journalists
  • Chronicled the 1962 Mets in Can’t Anybody Here Play This Game?, one of the most famous baseball books of all time
  • Authored Branch Rickey, an acclaimed biography of the man who integrated baseball
  • Won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1986
  • Family roots in Co. Clare and Co. Donegal

Tom Kelly

  • Managed 2,384 games with the Minnesota Twins from 1986-2001
  • 2-time World Series Champion (1987, 1991)
  • AL Manager of the Year (1991)
  • Minnesota Twins retired his #10
  • Native of Sayreville, NJ, proud of Irish roots

"Walpole Joe" Morgan

  • Manager of the Boston Red Sox (1988-91); won AL East pennants (1988, 1990)
  • "Morgan Magic" led Boston to wins in his first 12 games as manager -- a record that still stands
  • Managed in longest baseball game ever played (33 innings; 8 hrs, 25 mins ) Pawtucket Red Sox vs. Rochester Red Wings (April 18, 1981)
  • Coined the phrase "Six, two and even"
  • Named to the Red Sox Hall of Fame (2006) and International League Hall of Fame (2008)
  • Proud of Irish roots

Mike Roarke

  • Instrumental in the development of the game of baseball in Ireland
  • Longtime pitching coach for the Cubs, Cardinals, Padres and Red Sox
  • Credited with teaching the split-fingered fastball to Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter
  • Manager of record in the longest professional baseball game ever played (April 18, 1981)
  • Family roots in Co. Cavan