PRESIDENT'S 9 CLAIM TITLE
3rd Dublin International Baseball Tournament
June 5th - 7th, 2004
Dodger Baseball Field, Corkagh Park, Clondalkin

This year's Dublin International Tournament turned out to be a Classic. After losing their initial qualifying game of the tournament to the Irish National Team on the Sunday morning and facing elimination, The President's 9 needed a victory against Club California on Sunday afternoon to put them into the final. In one of the best games ever played at Dodger Baseball Field in Corkagh Park, the P9 scored three runs in the bottom of the 8th to win a thrilling 4-2 game and, in so doing, knocked out the Golden State visitors.

Flawless defense, timely hitting and some key Managerial decisions by Jason Nebenzahl were once again the keys to the P9's 6-4 victory over the Irish National Team in the Championship decider. P9 Shortstop, Enrique Garcia was the worthy winner of the Tournament MVP award.

Tournament Schedule - RESULTS

Saturday, 5th June
Opening Ceremony
10am - Club California vs Ireland (2 - 17)
2pm - Old Timers vs Young Bucks (3 - 2)

Sunday, 6th June
10am - Ireland vs President's Nine (19 - 12)
2pm - President's Nine vs Club California (4 - 2)

Monday, 7th June
1pm - Final - President's Nine vs Ireland (6 - 4)

2003 DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT A HUGE SUCCESS
The 2003 Dublin International Baseball Tournament, held the weekend of July 12th & 13th, saw the visiting Slocum Baseball Club from Rhode Island, USA take the title.

Played in glorious sunshine on both Saturday and Sunday, the American team went undefeated in the tourney and were crowned 2003 Champions after defeating the Irish League's President 9 All-Star team 14-3 in the final. The game was close after four innings with the Slocum team holding a 4-3 lead behind the pitching and hitting of Tournament MVP Andy Donnelly. The President's 9 played terrific baseball throughout the tournament as well but ran out of gas against a better team on the day.

We would like to take this oppotunity to thank all who attended the two-day event including our visitors from Rhode Island and the many volunteers who put on a brilliant weekend of baseball agus craic. Special thanks to Sean Mitchell, Glen Poor, Ann Murphy, Brian Connolly, Jason Nebenzahl and a host of others who made this weekend the best hosted international event in Irish Baseball history.

Champions: Slocum Baseball Club, Rhode Island, USA
Runners-up: President's 9 All-Stars
MVP: Any Donnelly (Slocum BC)
Pitching Award: Cormac Eklof (Ireland)



2003 Dublin International Baseball Tournament Champions
Slocum Baseball Club, Rhode Island, USA

Mayor Bloomberg Supports Irish Baseball

At a recent Irish Festival in New York, New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg paid a special visit to Irish National Team player, Kevin Foy, who was operating a promotional stand for Baseball Ireland. Kevin spread the word of Irish Baseball to thousands of Irish-Americans who enjoyed a day of Irish ceol agus craic - and of course BASEBALL. Our tremendous thanks to the great people of New York who wholeheartedly supported Irish Baseball on the day. Pictured below is Mayor Bloomberg (sporting a National Team cap) and National Team player, Kevin Foy

Baseball Ireland Celebrates July 4th in Style

Baseball Ireland was invited to share in the special July 4th celebrations held at the US Ambassador's residence in the Phoenix Park.

The event, hosted by the US Ambassador to Ireland, Mr Richard Egan, was the largest such event ever held in Ireland and baseball played a central role. Over 3000 guests were invited to the party in which the theme surrounding the proceedings centred around Mr Egan's favourite memories of America and in particular his love for the the New England area of the US. Food served on the night ranged from hot dogs and clam chowder, flown in directly from Boston, to corn on the cob and BBQ ribs. The marquee used to house the event was one of the biggest ever constructed in Europe.

The entertainment was purely American with artists from the world of Jazz, an Afro-American Dance Troupe from Texas and the the star of the evening the legendary Neil Diamond. As Cormac so eloquently surmised, "Whatever IT is, some guys got IT, and Neil Diamond definitely has IT!". (This all made sense on the night)


Mike Kindle, Mr Richard Egan - US Ambassador to Ireland and Cormac Eklof
(Photograph courtesy of Colm Henry Photographers)

As well as the grand marquee and other pieces of Americana which decorated the surroundings, the architect of the event actually had Boston's Green Monster replicated in what was a miniature Fenway Park. Baseball Ireland's Cormac Eklof and Mike Kindle proudly 'manned' this area of the party by donning Boston Red Sox uniforms while posing for photographs with the guests and actually signing a few autographs!