Irish American BB HOF Induction

[G-Fafif]

Received this release a little while ago; appears to be open to the public. Never been there but Foley's sponsors Ed Randall's Talking Baseball on the FAN.



Tug McGraw, Mets Groundskeeper Pete Flynn, John Flaherty, Sean Casey and the Legendary Connie Mack Among Inductees in Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame, Tues, Aug. 26, 2008

Foley�s NY Recognizes Baseball Players, Managers, Executives, Journalists and Entertainers of Irish Descent

WHAT: Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame � Unveiling of plaques, induction of �The Starting Nine�

WHO:

1. Connie Mack, baseball�s winningest manager � Represented by daughter Ruth Mack Clark, age 94

2. Sean Casey, Red Sox 1B known as �The Mayor� � ATTENDING

3. Tug McGraw, Mets and Phillies reliever � Represented by his son, Mark

4. Pete Flynn, Shea Stadium�s longtime groundskeeper � ATTENDING

5. John Flaherty, YES Network announcer, former player � ATTENDING

6. Jeff Horrigan, Red Sox beat reporter � ATTENDING

7. Arthur �Red� Foley, Longtime official scorer and sports columnist

8. Mark McGwire, A�s and Cardinals slugger

9. Kevin Costner, star of Field of Dreams and Bull Durham

WHEN: Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Noon� 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Foley�s NY Pub & Restaurant

18 W. 33rd Street (near 5th Ave, across from Empire State Bldg)

WHY: To celebrate the contributions of Irish Americans to the game of baseball. Immigrants and their descendants have long been an important to baseball; during the early 1900s, an estimated one-third of players were either immigrants or first generation Irish Americans. Foley�s Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame celebrates current and former players, executives, umpires, sportswriters, and entertainers with Irish connections who have made the significant contributions to the national past time.

Foley's, the "Irish bar with a baseball attitude," is adorned with 1,800 autographed balls, 300+ bobbleheads, game-worn jerseys, stadium seats and other artifacts that make Foley�s New York�s best baseball bar and one of the best sports bars in America. Visit www.foleysny.com

[Yet no John McGraw or Doug Flynn? What blarney!]

[Guest sharpie]

John Flaherty?

[G-Fafif]

sharpie wrote: John Flaherty?

Hall of Available to Attend.

[Guest AG/DC]

Is this an inaugural class?

No offense but this was some awful selecting.

[metirish]

Kevin Costner? , like Edgy I would like to know if this is the inaugural class. Where is Tony Mullane?

[Guest AG/DC]

King Kelly and Ed Delahanty.

The game was once more Irish than it is Latin American now. Like with African-Americans and basketball, folks wondered out loud if there was some baseball gene that the Irish had. That's the story an Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame should be telling.

Getting a backslapping backup catcher because he was a recent member of a high profile team and he has a recognizeably Irish surname, well, that's just ass.

I mean it as no particular insult when I say that Tug McGraw belongs in the Redneck Baseball Hall of Fame. Martinez, CA is hardcore, and a long way from the green fields of Ireland.

[nymr83]

when you induct Flaherty you go from "Irish-American Baseball HOF" to "List of Irish-Americans involved in MLB"

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

Eddie Collins, Candy Cummings, Hugh Duffy, Dan Brouthers, Kid Nichols, Tim Keefe, Whitey Ford, Jim O'Rourke, Ed Walsh, Nolan Ryan, Mickey Welch, Vin Scully, Walter O'Malley: out

Kevin Costner: in

Sounds like a great HOF.

[MFS62]

Vince Coleman Firecracker wrote: Eddie Collins, Candy Cummings, Hugh Duffy, Dan Brouthers, Kid Nichols, Tim Keefe, Whitey Ford, Jim O'Rourke, Ed Walsh, Nolan Ryan, Mickey Welch, Vin Scully, Walter O'Malley: out Kevin Costner: in Sounds like a great HOF.

This must be the baseball equivalent of the MTV movie awards. I'd love to see who is voting.

Later

[Guest AG/DC]

G-Fafif wrote: Kevin Costner, star of Field of Dreams and Bull Durham

If anybody is to be nominated from the "enhanced the love of baseball through artifice" category, it should be W.P. Kinsella, who opened Shoeless Joe with a quote from Bobby Kennedy. The movie based on the title story from that volume opens. "My name is Ray Kinsella. It's an Irish name."

And I'd only support Kinsella after about 45 more worthies got in first.

[metirish]

Foley's NY owner Shaun Clancy (third from r.) inducts other Irish-American Hall of Famers with (from l.) Pete Flynn, Jeff Horrigan, Kevin Brofnahan, Mark McGraw. John Flaherty and Sean Casey

[metirish]

Irish American Star Mark Kotsay traded to the Red Sox for a minor league player.