2008

Sean Casey (Current Player)

A career .300 hitter for Indians, Reds, Tigers and Red Sox, Sean Casey was voted “Friendliest Player in Baseball” by his peers and nicknamed "the Mayor," for chatting with runners at first base. Active in many charitable endeavors, he is a past nominee for The Sporting News' Good Guy Award, the Roberto Clemente Award, and USA Weekend's Most Caring Athlete Award. A devout Catholic, he co-founded Labels Are For Jars, a Massachusetts-based anti-hunger charity with Father Paul O'Brien. Born in New Jersey, Casey grew up in Pittsburgh and graduated from the University of Richmond. His family roots are in County Cork, Ireland.

Kevin Costner (Entertainer)

Kevin Costner has starred in several baseball-themed films, including the oft-quoted Bull Durham, which marks the 20^th anniversary of its release in 2008. A year later, in 1989, he played Ray Kinsella, an Iowa farmer who plowed over his corn to build a baseball diamond in Field of Dreams. Many baseball fans and film buffs regard Field of Dreams as the best baseball movie ever made. Costner also starred in For The Love of the Game (1999). He has participated in MLB All-Star Celebrity Hitting Challenge and other pro-am charity baseball events and loves to play the game even more than he loves watching it. Costner claims Irish, German, and Cherokee ancestry.

John Flaherty (Former Player/Broadcaster)

Currently a color analyst for YES Network broadcasts of Yankee games, John Flaherty played 14 seasons with the Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Devil Rays (as they were called at the time), and Yankees from 1992 until 2005. He became Randy Johnson’s personal catcher with the Yankees but is best known for a 2004 pinch hit walk-off single that ended an epic 13-inning game against Boston. A native New Yorker, Flaherty hit in 27 straight games in 1996 and broke up a Pedro Martinez no hitter in 9th inning in 2002. His roots are in County Kerry, Ireland.

Pete Flynn (Team Executive/Employee)

Born in Ballinamore, County Leitrim, Pete Flynn has been a New York Mets employee since the team’s inception. The native of Ireland has been a member of the grounds crew at Shea Stadium for its entire existence (1964-2008). He holds the distinction of chauffeuring The Beatles to their famous first concert in Shea’s history and Billy Joel to the stadium’s last concert held earlier this summer.

Red Foley (Official Scorer/Journalist)

Arthur “Red” Foley was the official scorer for 10 World Series, the 1977 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, and 3,000+ games overall. A longtime officer of the Baseball Writers Association, Foley also covered sports for three decades with the New York Daily News and later wrote for the New York Post. His popular “Ask Red” column entertained generations of baseball fans. Foley’s family roots were in Cork City, Ireland. He passed away in July 2008.

Jeff Horrigan (Journalist)

Jeff Horrigan has covered major league baseball since 1986 for Manchester (NH) Union Leader, The National Sports Daily, Cincinnati Post and currently the Boston Herald. He also co-wrote the Dropkick Murphys’ version of Tessie, an anthem of the 2004 Red Sox during their first championship season in 86 years. A longtime “Friend of Foley’s,” Horrigan has family roots in Galway, Cork and Killarney, Ireland.

Connie Mack (Hall of Famers - Manager)

Born Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy to Famine Irish immigrants, Mack owned the Philadelphia A's for 50 years and is still the winningest manager in baseball history. He managed five World Series champions, including the 1911 and 1929 A’s, both considered among the greatest teams ever assembled. Known affectionately as “The Grand Old Man of Baseball," he managed the American League in the first All-Star Game and later received a ticker tape parade in New York City in celebration of his 50^th anniversary as a manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937, and a statue of Mack stands today outside Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia.

Frank “Tug” McGraw (Former Player)

One of baseball's most colorful characters, Tug McGraw pitched in the major leagues for 19 seasons with the New York Mets (1965-74) and Philadelphia Phillies (1975-84). He was credited 43 years ago today with the first Met victory over Sandy Koufax on August 26, 1965. (The Hall of Fame lefthander had previously been 18-0 against the team.) A 1969 World Series champion, McGraw coined the famous phrase "Ya Gotta Believe" in 1973 during Mets’ pennant run. He continued his stellar career after being traded to Philadelphia, where he struck out Willie Wilson to end the 1980 World Series, the only one ever won by the Phillies. During his first spring training with his new team, McGraw started a tradition by dying his uniform green in honor of St Patrick's Day, his favorite holiday. The father of sons Mark, Matthew, country music star Tim, and daughter Cari, Tug McGraw passed away in 2004 after a brave battle with brain cancer.

Mark McGwire (Former Player)

One of the premier sluggers in baseball history with 583 career home runs, Mark McGwire set single season mark of 70 in 1998 (a record since broken by Barry Bonds in 2001). For his career, the power hitting first baseman averaged a home run once every 10.61 at bats, the best in history. He was Rookie of the Year in 1987 when he set the mark for home runs by a rookie (49). A 12-time All-Star, 1990 Gold Glove winner and 1989 World Series champion with the Oakland A's, McGwire also played on the 1984 U.S. Olympic baseball team. He co-founded the Mark McGwire Foundation for Children to support agencies that work with child-abuse victims.

Steve Garvey (Former Player)

One of the most popular players of his era, Steve Garvey was a ten-time All Star and twice was the game’s MVP. He played in NL record 1,207 consecutive games and was part of baseball’s most enduring infield with fellow Dodgers Davey Lopes (2B), Bill Russell (SS), and Ron Cey (3B). He was 1974 National League MVP, 1981 World Series Champion, a three-time NLCS MVP, a four-time Gold Glove Award winner at first base, and had six 200-hit seasons. His numerous charitable activities include: recipient of the Bill Shea Award (Little League's Highest Honor), Lou Gehrig Award (ALS Spirit Award); MLB’s Roberto Clemente Award for charitable service, and M.S. (Hope Chest) Meritorious Award. Steve Garvey has family roots in Co. Cork and has visited Ireland many times.

2009

Paul O’Neill (Former Player)

A five-time World Series Champion with Reds (1990) and Yankees (1996, 1998-2000), Paul O'Neill won the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame fan vote over Adam Dunn, Al Leiter, Joe McEwing and Nolan Ryan. A passionate player dubbed “The Warrior” by George Steinbrenner, the longtime Yankee outfielder won the AL batting title in 1994 and compiled a lifetime BA of .288 with 281 HR and 1,269 RBI. Currently a color commentator on YES Network, Paul O’Neill was a five-time All-Star.

Walter O’Malley (Hall of Famer/ Executive)

A longtime owner of the Dodgers, Walter O’Malley’s Brooklyn teams won four NL pennants and the 1955 World Series, while his LA teams won seven pennants and three World Series (1959, '63, and '65). He tried for more than ten years to build a new stadium in Brooklyn and when unsuccessful, pioneered baseball’s western migration. One of the most successful owners in baseball history, O’Malley was ranked 8^th by ABC Sports on its list of the most influential sports figures of the 20th century and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 2008. A Bronx native with family roots in County Mayo, he was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Fordham Law School.

Jim Joyce (Umpire)

A major league umpire for more than two decades, Jim Joyce is known for distinctive “Strike!” call. The veteran umpire has worked the 1999 and 2001 World Series, five League Championship Series, and two All-Star Games. Joyce is a supporter of Umps Care, a charity that provides financial and in-kind support for America’s youth and families in need. A relative of the great Irish writer James Joyce, the Toledo, OH, native has family roots in Connemara and Tipperary.

Vin Scully (Broadcaster)

Vin Scully has been the voice of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers for 60 years - longest tenure of any broadcaster with a single club. The veteran broadcaster received the prestigious Ford Frick Award from Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, was a 1995 Radio Hall of Fame inductee, and named “Top Sportscaster of All-Time” by American Sportscasters Association. His memorable calls include the 1955 World Series, Sandy Koufax’s perfect game, Hank Aaron’s 715^th home run, Game 6 of 1986 World Series and Game 1 of 1988 World Series (Kirk Gibson’s unlikely home run off Dennis Eckersley). The red haired Bronx native is a Fordham graduate with family roots in Co. Cavan.

Ed Lucas (Broadcaster)

Ed Lucas lost his sight as a boy when struck by line drive while playing baseball after watching Giants defeat Dodgers for 1951 pennant. Though blind, he has covered the Yankees and Mets for more than 40 years. Lucas is a graduate of Seton Hall University, which created the “Strikeouts for Scholarships” program for disabled students in his honor. He is also a motivational speaker and has raised millions of dollars for causes that help the blind. A native Jersey City, NJ, native with family roots in Co. Cork, Ed Lucas is a devoted father who was the first male in NJ history to win full custody of children vs. a female parent and the first disabled person in U.S. history to win full custody from a non-disabled spouse. He wed his second wife, Allison, at home plate in Yankee Stadium on March 10, 2006; they were the first and only couple ever granted permission to be married at that hallowed spot.

2010

Tim McCarver (Former Player/Broadcaster)

Born in Memphis, TN, Tim McCarver signed with the St. Louis Cardinals right out of Christian Brothers High School and was a two-time All-Star selection (1966, 1967) and World Series champion (1964, 1967). During a career that spanned from 1959 until 1980, McCarver also played for the Phillies, Expos and Red Sox. He was the favorite catcher for two Hall of Fame pitchers: Bob Gibson and Steve Carlton.

After retiring as a player, McCarver became a six-time Emmy-winning broadcaster. He has called games for the Phillies (1980-82), Mets (1983-98), Yankees (1999-2001), and Giants (2002). Beginning with the 1985 Fall Classic, Tim McCarver has provided color commentary for more World Series games on TV than any other announcer in history. He is frequently paired with Joe Buck as the lead team on FOX network broadcasts and also hosts The Tim McCarver Show, a nationally syndicated interview program now in its ninth season.

Brian Cashman (Executive)

A native of Rockville Center, NY, Brian Cashman began his career with the New York Yankees as an intern in 1986. He moved up the ranks and eventually succeeded Bob Watson as General Manager in 1998. During Cashman's tenure as GM, the Yankees have won six AL pennants and four World Series championships (1998-2000 and 2009). Brian Cashman graduated from Georgetown Prep in 1985 and The Catholic University of America in 1989. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and two children.

Bill James (Executive)

Born in Holton, KS, Bill James has authored more than two dozen books on baseball history and statistics. He coined the term “sabermetrics” for his innovative statistical analysis of player performances. James’ statistical measures gained widespread acceptance when Oakland A’s GM Billy Beane applied sabermetric principles in running his low-budget, small market team (chronicled in Michael Lewis' bestseller Moneyball). In 2003, James became a senior advisor for the Boston Red Sox and is credited with advocating moves such as the team's emphasis on on-base percentage. Bill James is a Viet Nam era veteran, a graduate of the University of Kansas, and was one of TIME magazine’s “Time 100” most influential people in 2006. He is proud of his predominantly Irish heritage with grandparents named Burks, Yates, McCool and James.

Bob Murphy, (Broadcaster)

A transplanted Oklahoman, Bob Murphy was a TV and radio announcer for the New York Mets from their inception until his retirement in 2003. Beloved for his sunny disposition and "happy recaps" of Mets’ victories, he and colleagues Lindsey Nelson and Ralph Kiner described both the ineptitude of the 1962 Amazin’s and the ecstasy of the 1969 World Series. From 1978 onward, Murphy served primarily as the Mets’ radio voice. He welcomed fans to the team's first game and called the thrilling post-season wins in ‘69 and ‘86. Bob Murphy received the prestigious Ford C. Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame and is a member of the New York Mets Hall of Fame. He died of lung cancer in 2004.

Mike “King” Kelly (Hall of Famers and Legends)

Widely regarded as the game’s first superstar, Mike “King” Kelly was a colorful catcher, outfielder and manager. Born in Troy, NY, to Famine immigrants and raised in Paterson, NJ, Kelly’s baseball skill and Irish charm made him one of America’s first sports celebrities. He was the subject of a hit song, Slide Kelly, Slide, and a Vaudeville star. A two-time batting champion and daring base runner, historians credit Kelly with developing the hit-and-run, the hook slide, and the catcher's practice of backing up first base. However, his greatest contribution was the popularity he brought to the game in the 1880s and ‘90s. He was the first player to sign autographs, the first to publish his autobiography, and his trade from Chicago to Boston for $10,000 was one of the biggest deals in early baseball history (thus solidifying baseball as a business). King Kelly was elected posthumously to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.

2011

Nolan Ryan (Hall of Famers and Legends)

Among the most dominating righthanders in Major League history and known as the “Ryan Express,” Nolan Ryan is baseball’s all-time strikeout king (5,714). He holds numerous records including seasons played (27), no hitters (7), and strikeouts in a season (383). During his storied career, Ryan recorded 324 wins for the Mets, Angels, Astros and Rangers. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 1999 and was a member of MLB’s “All-Century Team.” Ryan played a key role for the 1969 New York Mets by recording a 2 1/3 inning save in Game 3 of the World Series. He is currently part owner and team president of the Texas Rangers.

Big Ed Walsh (Hall of Famers and Legends)

One of the top pitchers of the early 20th century, Big Ed Walsh is baseball’s all-time ERA leader (1.82). In 1908, he had one of the greatest seasons in history, winning 40 games and posting an ERA of 1.42. Born in Plains Township, PA, Walsh had four 20-win seasons, six sub-2.00 ERA seasons, and was a World Series champion with the Chicago White Sox in 1906. He owns the second-best WHIP (1.00) in Major League history, compiled a win–loss record of 195–126, and recorded 1,735 strikeouts primarily for the White Sox. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 1946. A meteoric star of the “Dead Ball” era, Big Ed Walsh is the quintessential great but overlooked Irish American in the game of baseball.

John McGraw (Hall of Famers - Manager)

With his 2,763 managerial victories, John McGraw ranks second only to the legendary Connie Mack in Major League history. A dominant figure in early baseball, he led the New York Giants for 31 years, winning 10pennants and three World Series. McGraw managed in both the first World Series and the inaugural All Star Game in 1933. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 1937. John McGraw was also an exceptional player who hit .334 lifetime and stole 436 bases.

Gene Monahan/Steve Donohue (Trainers)

Long time New York Yankee trainers Gene Monahan and Steve Donohue have attended to numerous World Series teams. They were named MLB’s best trainers by the Professional Athletic Trainer Society in 2010. Monahan, who is proud of his Irish roots, is a throat cancer survivor and is one of three employees to span the entire length of George Steinbrenner’s ownership. Earlier this year, he announced his retirement at the end of the 2011 baseball season. Donohue, whose ancestors hailed from Cork and Wexford, has been part of Yankees’ training staff since 1986.

Terry Cashman (Entertainers)

Terry Cashman is best known for his hit song Talking’ Baseball, which was inspired by a photograph he saw of 1950s icons Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider. The song struck a chord with fans during the 1981 baseball strike and has grown in popularity ever since. Over the years, Cashman has revised the lyrics of Talking’ Baseball to accommodate every Major League team's history. Now widely known as “The Balladeer of Baseball,” Cashman played for the Detroit Tiger organization during the early 1960s. Born Dennis Minogue in New York City, Terry Cashman’s Irish roots are in Co. Clare.

Chuck Lennon (Executive)

Chuck Lennon served 30 years as director of the University of Notre Dame’s alumni association and exemplifies the spirit of the Fighting Irish. A former ballplayer, former coach and a lifelong fan of Notre Dame baseball, Lennon was a college teammate of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski in South Bend. Lennon and his wife, Joan, have five children, three of whom are Notre Dame graduates. His family traces its roots to Athlone, Co. Westmeath.

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