From the Toronto Star’s Chris Young, via Irish Eagle, comes the story of an unlikely film about an even unlikelier team.
The Emerald Diamond is a documentary by Irish-American John Fitzgerald about the Irish national baseball team. After trying out for the team, and failing to qualify for Irish citizenship, Fitzgerald decided instead to chronicle the team’s and the sport’s history in Ireland. It wasn’t too hard to track down people, since baseball was introduced to the country barely 15 years ago.
This reminds me a little of Dave Bidini’s book Baseballissimo, about baseball in Italy, which has a proud tradition going back about 60 years now. That’s when American GIs introduced the game to the war-weary Italians.
Perhaps they should arrange a game or seven between the two countries? A sort of Old-World Series.
{ 2 comments }
I would like you to repond please, if y ou are interested. I’ve got a player for you, my son. I missed being born in Ireland by three weeks. My father was from the north/ french decent./ Protestant. My Mom was a Murphy Catholic from the Sligo. Obviously, in those days (1937,) they had to “get out of dodge” with that kind of “mixed marriage”.
I became a Christian Brother here in the States (New York), and then became a NYPD detective…..got married at age 45 and had 5 kids in 7 years:
Brian, Twins Keri and Keven, Megan, Joe.
All my kids were All-State Athletes in several sports including baseball for Brian, and softball for Megan and Keri. Brian my youngest, is presently in Floriada, trying out for three professional teams which are interested in him as a free ageny. He’s 23, 6′2, 222lbs…pitcher.
I would love to know if you have pro baseball there in Ireland. We would be interested in visiting….to see what you have to offer in the way of opportunities….NEED A VERY EFFECTIVE AMERICAN-TRAINED PITCHER WITH A FAST BALL (94mph), A SLIDER, A-CHANGE-UP, AND A SPLITTER?
lOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU: Gerry Fulcher
Do you have professional baseball in Ireland? Are you looking for players?
We are thinking of moving there. I contacted you about a month ago about my 22 year old son, Brian, but I did not get a response. Brian is a pitcher who was recently drafted as the first pick in the first round by a professional independent league here in the States. But, as I said, we may be coming to Ireland, and we may stay, once there. Could you contact me at your convenience, please. By the way, I am a radio talk show host here in the state of Delaware. Any talk show hosting jobs available?
Thanks very much, and I wish you continued success.
Gerry Fulcher
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