Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame
Class of 2015
Mike Sweeney
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5x American League All-Star first baseman for the Kansas City Royals, team captain (2003-07)
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Career .297 hitter with 215 home runs, 909 RBI and 759 runs scored. Holds Royals record with RBI in a season (144) in 2000
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Ranks 2nd in average (.299) and home runs (197) in club history
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Currently special assistant to baseball operations for the Royals
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Founder of the Mike & Shara Sweeney Family Foundation, a Catholic non-profit organization that encourages core family values among young athletes and unity between Catholics and Protestants
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Proud of his Irish grandfather, John O'Shea, originally from Co. Cork.
Jack McKeon
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Only manager to win more than 1,000 games in MLB and in the Minor Leagues
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Twice was named NL Manager of the Year (1999,2003)
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Led the Florida Marlins to a surprising World Series Championship over the Yankees in 2003
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Oldest manager in baseball history to win a World Series
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Author of two baseball books: Jack of All Trades (1988) and I'm Just Getting Started (w005)
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Irish Roots in County Sligo
Shannon Forde
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Joined the New York Mets as a media intern in January 1994
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Graduate of St. John's University with a double degree in sports administration and psychology
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Longtime member of Mets staff who is well loved and respected by sports media, as well be current and former Mets players and co-workers
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Since being diagnosed with Stage IV Breast Cancer in 2012, has been active in raising awareness of funds for the disease
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First female inductee in the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame
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Traces her Irish roots to Co. Meath. Husband John, was born and rasied in Co. Mayo
Dave O'Brien
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Play-by-play commentator for ESPN's MLB Wednesday Night Baseball
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Boston Red Sox radio play-by-play announcer
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Famously called both of Barry Bonds' historic home runs #755 and #756 on ESPN
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Won Achievements in Radio award for "Best Play-by-Play" call (1998)
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Irish roots in County Clare
Bill Murray
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Part-owner of the St. Paul Saints independent semi-pro baseball team, as well as the Charleston RiverDogs, Hudson Valley Renegades, and the Brockton Rox
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Had two at-bats for the Grays Harbor Loggers of the Northwest League in 1978
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Emmy Award winner (Writing) for Saturday Night Live (1977), Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner (Best Actor) for Lost in Translation (2003)
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Star of comedy classics such as Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, Stripes, Tootsie, Groundhog Day and What About Bob
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Ancestral roots in Co. Cork and Co. Galway