The Irish Wolfhounds, the world’s first All-Irish baseball club, will make their debut at Clover Stadium on June 17, 2023. Clover Stadium is just 20 minutes from the Tappan Zee Bridge, and tickets start at just $15 making it a great idea for a family night out.
The Wolfhounds will face the NY Finest Baseball Club, a team of NYPD officers who played college or professional baseball. The game will take place on Irish Heritage Night prior to that night’s New York Boulders game against the Lake Erie Crushers.
“Irish Heritage Night is always a special night for our fans because of our large Irish American population,” explained New York Boulders Team President Shawn Reilly. “This year, we get to see history as the first All-Irish club takes the field for the first time.”
The Wolfhounds roster includes players with college and professional experience. Each player has, or qualifies for, Irish citizenship, making them eligible to represent Ireland in the Olympics and World Baseball Classic. However, Baseball Ireland has implemented quotas for Ireland’s National Team which limit the amount of dual citizens allowed on the roster. An e-petition has begun to address this issue with Baseball Ireland, you can find it here.
“There are many talented baseball players who are Irish citizens and could help Team Ireland qualify for the Olympics and World Baseball Classic,” explained Wolfhounds GM John Fitzgerald. “We hope to see Ireland compete at baseball’s highest levels. Until that time, Irish Baseball fans can rally around the Irish Wolfhounds Baseball Club.”
Among the players already committed to the Wolfhounds roster are former major league pitcher Ryan O’Rourke, former Mets minor league pitcher Keelan Smithers, and Mitch Hillert, who pitches professionally in Germany.
The Irish Wolfhounds Baseball Club is a project of the Irish American Baseball Society, a non-profit organization that supports youth baseball programs in Ireland and operates the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame.
The Irish American Baseball Society celebrates the Irish impact on the game of baseball and supports the development of youth baseball programs in Ireland and America. By following the IABS on social media, you can not only keep up to date with the latest news on the Irish Wolfhounds and Irish baseball development, but also learn about the many Irish baseball pioneers who played ball in the United States. Membership of the IABS is open to anyone who loves baseball and Ireland, regardless of their ancestral heritage. For more information, visit IrishBaseball.org
Tickets to the inaugural Irish Wolfhounds baseball game on June 17th can be purchased here.
