Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame
Announces Nominations for 2012 Induction
The Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame today announced the names of the nominees on the 2012 induction ballot. They include: Big Ed Delahanty, whose lifetime .346 average ranks fifth all-time; Gene Michael, scout and GM responsible for signing players including Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera; Peter O’Malley, longtime owner of the LA Dodgers; and late night host Jimmy Fallon, star of “Fever Pitch.”
Results of the voting will be announced in May; induction ceremonies will take place at Noon on Friday, July 27, 2012, at Foley’s NY Pub & Restaurant (18 W. 33rd St.), which houses the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame. Voters include past inductees into the IAB HOF and a panel of baseball historians.
Hall of Famers and Legends
Roger Bresnahan: “The Duke of Tralee” who pioneered the use of shin guards and batting helmets
“Big Ed” Delahanty: One of the great early power hitters of the game, his lifetime .346 average ranks fifth all-time
“Wee Willie” Keeler: Dead Ball Era star, holds the 2nd longest hitting streak at 44 games
Former Players
“Super Joe” McEwing: Popular utility player for the Cardinals, Mets, Royals, Astros and White Sox
Dale Murphy: Two-time National League MVP for the Atlanta Braves
Jeff Nelson: Longtime reliever for the Yankees; four-time World Series champion
Managers
Tom Kelly: Twins manager who won World Series titles in 1987 and 1991
Jack McKeon: Two-time NL Manager of Year whose 2003 Florida Marlins won the World Series
“Walpole Joe” Morgan: Popular former player, scout and a manager of Boston Red Sox
Executives
Gene Michael: Former Yankees GM, signed players such as Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada
Peter O’Malley: Former owner of the LA Dodgers and longtime supporter of Baseball Ireland
Charles Comiskey: Famed owner of the Chicago White Sox
Media
Jimmy Breslin: Veteran New York sports writer
Ed Coleman: New York Mets radio broadcaster
Hal McCoy: Cincinnati Reds beat writer
Entertainers
Jimmy Fallon: Star of Fever Pitch
Rosie O’Donnell: Co-star of A League of Their Own
Amy Madigan: Co-star of Field of Dreams
“We have a diverse group of nominees, including former players, scouts, managers, owners, journalists and entertainers,” said Shaun Clancy, owner of Foley’s, which features one of the country’s most extensive public displays of baseball memorabilia outside of Cooperstown.
With the blessing of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Foley’s, a popular destination among baseball players, executives, umpires and fans, created the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame to recognize players, managers, executives, journalists, and entertainers of Irish descent. Inductees are chosen based on a combination of factors, including impact on the game, popularity on and off the field, contributions to society, connections to the Irish community, and, of course, ancestry.
2011 inductees included Nolan Ryan, baseball’s all-time strikeout king, Big Ed Walsh, baseball’s all-time ERA leader, legendary New York Giants managerJohn McGraw, New York Yankees trainers Gene Monahan and Steve Donohue, “Baseball’s Balladeer” Terry Cashman, and Chuck Lennon, former player, coach and lifetime fan of Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball.
Foley’s NY Pub & Restaurant (18 W. 33rd St.) is home of the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame. A popular destination among baseball players, executives, umpires, media, and fans, Foley’s is located across from the Empire State Building. The “Irish Bar with a Baseball Attitude” features walls adorned with 2,500+ autographed balls, hundreds of bobbleheads, game-worn jerseys, stadium seats and other artifacts that make it the premier baseball bar in New York and one of the best sports bars in America. For more information, call (212) 290-0080 or visit FoleysNY.com.
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As I told Sean from Foley’s, it may be tough for a New York crowd to vote Peter O’Malley into the Irish-American HOF, but Gene Michael and Big Ed certainly merit inclusion.
