Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame

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