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