Irish Baseball Association

[MickMcCann]

IRISH BASEBALL ASSOCIATION

Established: 1899
Headquarters: Dublin, Ireland

The game of baseball found its way across the Atlantic Ocean and was taken up by people in Dublin, who found it to be a cheaper alternative to cricket. The sport spread across the country in the late 1800's from out of Dublin.

There were eight prominent club teams in Ireland by 1899, whose owners met in Dublin the previous summer to organise a professional league. It was in June of that year that the eight most powerful men in Irish baseball signed an agreement at The Brazen Head pub. A 162 game season would start on 1 April 1900. The winners of the regular season would claim the Season Championship. The top two teams in the country would compete in a best-of-seven series to be named the IBA Cup Series. The IBA Cup would be the most sought after trophy in the land.

The founding members of the Irish Baseball Association were:

Osheen Scroggs, owner of the Belfast Giants
Cass Mabbett Jr., owner of the Cork Rebels
Gary Orton, owner of the Derry Bees
Wally Riddlesworth, owner of the Drogheda Boynesiders
Richard Knifton, owner of the Dublin Rovers
Tully O'Coogan, owner of the Galway Tribe
Reardon Crossbowmaker, owner of the Limerick Warriors
Gannon Nethicott, owner of the Waterford Wolves

The owners agreed by a vote of 6-2 to appoint Richard Cleary, a lawyer from Dublin, as the first IBA Commissioner. The only opposing votes came from Scroggs and Orton, who were worried about the Dublin headquarters being filled with a heavy local influence. It was ruled that the owners would decide whether to vote for a new Commissioner during the annual winter meetings in an effort to avoid any potential regionalism.

Going into the first season, Limerick was regarded to be huge favourites to win the Season Championship and take the IBA Cup. 19-year-old left fielder Osgur O'Grennan created a buzz amongst people in the know. Many great things were said of the little-known lad from Malahide, from his poetic left-handed swing, to his stallion strides around the bases, and his tidy fielding skills. Only baseball people knew of O'Grennan before the first season, but they called on the young man to lead Limerick to glory. He was to be assisted by 34-year-old third baseman Patrick “Music Man” Silverlock, and the two batsman were expected to forge a formidable 3-4 partnership in the Warriors line-up. The baseball writers predicted that the only challenge for the IBA Cup could come out of Belfast, and even then, they found it hard to see past Limerick.

[MickMcCann]

THE ORIGINAL BALLPARKS OF THE IBA

Belfast Giants
Scroggs Park

Built: 1896
Capacity: 5,700
Distance (ft): Left Field line - 335, Left Field - 360, Left-Centre - 395, Centre Field - 424, Right-Centre - 386, Right Field - 353, Right Field line - 326
Wall Height (ft): Left Field line - 10, Left Field - 10, Left-Centre - 10, Centre Field - 10, Right-Centre - 10, Right Field - 10, Right Field line - 10

Cork Rebels
Mabbett Field

Built: 1899
Capacity: 4,600
Distance (ft): Left Field line - 333, Left Field - 380, Left-Centre - 421, Centre Field - 438, Right-Centre - 417, Right Field - 375, Right Field line - 330
Wall Height (ft): Left Field line - 9, Left Field - 9, Left-Centre - 9, Centre Field - 9, Right-Centre - 9, Right Field - 9, Right Field line - 9

Derry Bees
Orton Grounds

Built: 1897
Capacity: 4,100
Distance (ft): Left Field line - 321, Left Field - 345, Left-Centre - 385, Centre Field - 418, Right-Centre - 373, Right Field - 347, Right Field line - 322
Wall Height (ft): Left Field line - 9, Left Field - 9, Left-Centre - 9, Centre Field - 13, Right-Centre - 9, Right Field - 9, Right Field line - 9

Drogheda Boynesiders
Boynesiders Ballpark

Built: 1900
Capacity: 4,100
Distance (ft): Left Field line - 322, Left Field - 351, Left-Centre - 386, Centre Field - 420, Right-Centre - 383, Right Field - 345, Right Field line - 314
Wall Height (ft): Left Field line - 7, Left Field - 7, Left-Centre - 7, Centre Field - 13, Right-Centre - 7, Right Field - 7, Right Field line - 7

Dublin Rovers
Knifton Park

Built: 1890
Capacity: 5,700
Distance (ft): Left Field line - 349, Left Field - 386, Left-Centre - 429, Centre Field - 431, Right-Centre - 410, Right Field - 365, Right Field line - 331
Wall Height (ft): Left Field line - 18, Left Field - 18, Left-Centre - 14, Centre Field - 10, Right-Centre - 7, Right Field - 7, Right Field line - 7

Galway Tribe
O'Coogan Ballpark

Built: 1900
Capacity: 4,600
Distance (ft): Left Field line - 329, Left Field - 364, Left-Centre - 402, Centre Field - 429, Right-Centre - 397, Right Field - 357, Right Field line - 323
Wall Height (ft): Left Field line - 10, Left Field - 10, Left-Centre - 10, Centre Field - 10, Right-Centre - 10, Right Field - 10, Right Field line - 10

Limerick Warriors
Crossbowmaker Field

Built: 1893
Capacity: 5,200
Distance (ft): Left Field line - 333, Left Field - 369, Left-Centre - 413, Centre Field - 425, Right-Centre - 401, Right Field - 360, Right Field line - 335
Wall Height (ft): Left Field line - 10, Left Field - 10, Left-Centre - 10, Centre Field - 10, Right-Centre - 10, Right Field - 10, Right Field line - 10

Waterford Wolves
Field of the Wolves

Built: 1900
Capacity: 5,700
Distance (ft): Left Field line - 325, Left Field - 351, Left-Centre - 383, Centre Field - 421, Right-Centre - 375, Right Field - 342, Right Field line - 314
Wall Height (ft): Left Field line - 7, Left Field - 7, Left-Centre - 7, Centre Field - 7, Right-Centre - 7, Right Field - 7, Right Field line - 7

[MickMcCann]

1900 LIMERICK WARRIORS: Setting The Standard

Part One

There were doubts going into the inaugural IBA season in regards to the Limerick Warriors coaching staff. Manager Kirwin Arkoll was only 34, while bench coach Leon Stanbridge was 35. Neither of them were considered to be great at what they did. Pitching coach Kenyon Paddey, the 59-year-old amateur legend for Dublin, was regarded to be exceptional at handling players while his superiors were fair or average at best.

Nobody talked about the coaching staff when the season finally got under way. The Warriors were 18-9 after April. Their record of 17-8 in May, 21-7 in June, 18-9 in July, and 20-7 in August left their competition in the dust. The pitching staff, spearheaded by ace Orrin Aiken, saw three of the four starters win over twenty games, with Aiken himself ending the season at 29-12. They owed a lot to the vaunted batting line-up that terrified many of their opposite hurlers.

Limerick clinched the league on 9 September, winning 2-1 at home against Derry. It was an E4 in the bottom of the ninth that allowed a runner to cross home plate. The 5,147 fans in attendance were eager to celebrate the Season Championship and stayed after the game to applaud the remarkable work of their heroes. The last regular season game wasn't until 30 September, and there were worries regarding Arkoll's ability to keep his squad focused in the next few weeks.

With a 99-42 record when they clinched, the second closest were Galway at 77-64 at that time. After winning 9-7 against Waterford at home, the Warriors lost the next four games, but still ended the month with a 18-10 record. They ended the season with the best team batting statistics in every category other than home runs and strikeouts. O'Grennan and Silverlock led the attack, as the baseball writers predicted in pre-season.

CLUB LEADERS

[MickMcCann]

1900 IBA REGULAR SEASON
Final Table and Statistics

[MickMcCann]

1900 LIMERICK WARRIORS: Setting The Standard

Part Two

While Limerick were preparing for the IBA Cup Series, the Belfast Giants and the Galway Tribe were in a heated battle for the right to play the Warriors. Galway slipped and Belfast caught up, making it 83-76 apiece. The two clubs were set for a dramatic three game series in Galway to end the regular season.

The Giants won the first game 1-0 thanks to a sac fly in the third. Galway won the next game 4-1 after getting all of their runs in the sixth. In the final game, David Walcott's 2 RBI single in the first was all Belfast needed to leave the 3,268 fans at O'Coogan Ballpark frustrated. It was them against the firepower of the Warriors in the Cup Series, just like the writers predicted.

If anybody was going to be a formidable opponent to Limerick, it was the Giants. Limerick's head-to-head record against the league was: 17-6 against Cork, 19-5 against Derry, 14-9 against Drogheda, 18-5 against Dublin, 20-3 against Galway, and 14-9 against Waterford. Belfast were the only team in the league to have success against the Warriors, with a 13-10 head-to-head record. Belfast's experienced manager, Aodhan Apperley, told The Irish Baseball Chronicle that his team would ride their dramatic end to the season and “punch them in the nose,” feeling confident in the grit of his team.

1900 IBA CUP SERIES

GAME ONE

Belfast Giants: 0

Limerick Warriors: 1

Starting Pitchers

LHP Paulie MacGilmarten (21-9, 2.06 ERA, 1.03 WHIP) v. RHP Orrin Aiken (29-12, 1.75 ERA, 0.91 WHIP)

Game Summary

Bot 9: Osgur O'Grennan hit a flyball triple to left-centre that scored a runner from first for an important walk-off win. O'Grennan was 3-4 on the day, and couldn't have ended it on a better note.

Belfast Pitching

MacGilmartin (L): 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

Limerick Pitching

Aiken (W): 9.0 IP, 6 H, 7 K

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Orrin Aiken (9.0 IP, 6 H, 7 K)
Ballpark: Crossbowmaker Field
Weather: Partly Cloudy (59 degrees), wind blowing in from left at 13 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm EST
Time: 2:18
Attendance: 5114

GAME TWO

Belfast Giants: 0

Limerick Warriors: 5

Starting Pitchers

LHP Aodh Trainer (18-20, 1.90 ERA, 0.91) v. RHP Denzel Edington (23-10, 2.15 ERA, 0.99)

Game Summary

Bot 2: Frank Silverthorn's line drive double up the middle allowed Patrick Silverlock to score from second base. 1-0 Limerick.

Bot 3: Osgur O'Grennan hit a liner the other way to left for a double. Kean Tranent scored from second base. 2-0 Limerick.

Bot 7: Patrick Silverlock made the outfielders chase a flyball that found its way over the fence in right-centre for a 3-run home run. 431 feet. 5-0 Limerick.

Belfast Pitching

Trainer (L): 7.0 IP, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 1 HR
Tichborne: 1.0 IP, 1 BB, 1 KK

Limerick Pitching

Edington (W): 8.2 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K
O'Hegarty: 0.1 IP

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Denzel Edington (8.2 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K)
Ballpark: Crossbowmaker Field
Weather: Rain (52 degrees), wind blowing in from right at 12 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm EST
Time: 2:35
Attendance: 5144
Special Notes: Limerick's Osgur O'Grennan, playing in right field, injured himself on a defensive play in the fifth inning. A sprained knee put Ireland's greatest batman out for the rest of the Cup Series.

GAME THREE

Limerick Warriors: 6

Belfast Giants: 3

Starting Pitchers

RHP Whelan Edmands (24-10, 2.44 ERA, 1.05 WHIP) v. RHP Tomas Fidgett (15-21, 2.21 ERA, 1.04 WHIP)

Game Summary

Top 3: Kean Tranent's groundball single between third and short scored Monroe Nylan from second base. 1-0 Limerick.

Top 5: Frank Silverthorn's 2-run homer comes with two outs. It flew over left-centre and went 29 feet. 3-0 Limerick.

Top 7: Tranent's RBI single past short brought a man in from second, and Silverthorn followed up with a line drive RBI double out to right field, scoring Tranent. 5-0 Limerick.

Bot 7: Dowd Walcott's flyball triple to right-centre scores Belfast's first run of the Cup Series. Osgur Olive drove him in on the next at-bat with a flyball single to right field. 5-2 Limerick.

Top 9: Tomas Fidgett was called for a balk. Cawthra Lott scored. 6-2 Limerick.

Bot 9: Osgur Olive's groundball past third and short scored Aongus Ovenden. 6-3 Limerick.

Limerick Pitching

Edmands (W): 8.2 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 2 K
Edington (S): 0.1 IP, 1 K

Belfast Pitching

Fidgett (L): 8.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
Newport: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Frank Silverthorn (2-4, 3 RBI)
Ballpark: Scroggs Park
Weather: Clear skies (58 degrees), wind blowing left to right at 10 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm EST
Time: 2:48
Attendance: 5637

GAME FOUR

Limerick Warriors: 2

Belfast Giants: 4

Starting Pitchers

RHP Orrin Aiken (29-12, 1.75 ERA, 0.91 WHIP) v. LHP Paulie MacGilmarten (21-9, 2.06 ERA, 1.03 WHIP)

Game Summary

Bot 3: Paulie MacGilmartin helped his own cause with a sac fly to left-centre. Phelan McNeil scored from third. It was the first time Belfast took a lead in the series. Later in the inning, Jerry Wayland's grounded out into a 4-3, but Connor Dawes managed to score from third. 2- 0 Belfast.

Top 4: Frank Silverthorn's RBI groundball single between third and short cut the lead in half. 2-1 Belfast.

Bot 5: Rickard O'Grady's 2-run homer to right-centre gave the fans at Scroggs Park a chance to believe that the Giants could at least avoid a sweep. It was measured at 406 feet. 4-1 Belfast.

Top 9: Frank Silverthorn's line drive single over second base allowed Patrick Silverlock to score from second. 4-2 Belfast.

Limerick Pitching

Aiken (L): 8.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR

Belfast Pitching

MacGilmartin (W): 8.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
Fidgett (S): 0.1 IP

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Paulie MacGilmartin (8.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 K)
Ballpark: Scroggs Park
Weather: Clear skies (51 degrees), wind blowing out to center at 12 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm EST
Time: 2:25
Attendance: 5659

GAME FIVE

Limerick Warriors: 3

Belfast Giants: 2

Starting Pitchers

RHP Bartlae Steers (16-13, 2.97 ERA, 1.20 WHIP) v. LHP Aodh Trainer (18-20, 1.90 ERA, 0.91)

Game Summary

Bot 2: Osgur Olive hit a line drive over left field that left quickly and travelled 385 feet, a good 15 feet over the wall. The 2-run home run gave the fans at Scroggs Park a much needed jolt early on. 2-0 Belfast.

Top 5: Carey Stainer, a top batsman who was in the background of the two other elite Warriors hitters, started the inning with a solo home run to left field. It was 397 feet. 2-1 Belfast.

Top 6: An E6 allowed Kean Tranent to scored from third. 2-2.

Top 10: Redmond Forsyth hit a line drive to right that was caught, but it was far enough to allow Monroe Nylan to cross the plate and score the winning run. 3-2 Limerick.

Limerick Pitching

Steers: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 1 HR
Ambrose (W): 3.0 IP, 3 H, 3 K

Belfast Pitching

Trainer: 8.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 ER, 1 HR
Newport (L): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 K

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Carey Stainer (3-4, 1 RBI)
Ballpark: Scroggs Park
Weather: Clear skies (58 degrees), wind blowing out to center at 10 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm EST
Time: 2:55
Attendance: 5608
Special Notes: Belfast centre fielder Aongus Ovenden was injured on a defensive play in the sixth inning.

[MickMcCann]

1900 REGULAR SEASON ACCOMPLISHMENTS

[MickMcCann]

IRISH BASEBALL CHRONICLE
Monday, 22 October 1900

[MickMcCann]

1901 LIMERICK WARRIORS: Men of Glass

Part One

Limerick expected to smash the league again going into the 1901 season. They lost catcher Carey Stainer, the club's third best hitter in 1900, to Galway in the off-season. It was rumoured that he possessed a poor work ethic, and Arkoll didn't want a team of players who thought they could just show up and win in their defence of the Season Championship and IBA Cup.

28-year-old outfielder John “Gramps” Churchill was acquired in free agency, and the former Galway player was expected to replace Stainer's production at the plate. It also allowed Kirwin Arkoll to move Osgur O'Grennan to right field, where he proved to be better defensively.

37-year-old RHP Whelan Edmands went to Derry. He was another player who Arkoll deemed as “too lazy too often.” The Dubliner went on to a 20-14, 2.41 ERA, and 1.05 WHIP season, opposed to 24-10, 2.44 ERA, and 1.05 WHIP in the previous season.

35-year-old RHP Bartlae Steers went to Cork and didn't pitch a single game in the 1901 season. He was fit to play the whole time. Steers was considered a leader, but Arkoll felt there were better options than a 16-13 pitcher. He was right.

The Warriors signed RHP Jack Dubbs, a 30-year-old RHP who went 15-16, with a 1.96 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 1900 with Drogheda. He put in long hours, and there was every reason to believe that Dubbs could be a reliable arm. The very pedestrian RHP Niall MacKeown was considered the hit-or-miss signing. He had a good season with Drogheda, going 8-7 with a 2.27 ERA and 0.95 WHIP, but there was doubt as to whether the 35-year-old could do it again. But he was another Arkoll-type of guy who could provide leadership.

The Warriors were more confident after Belfast's off-season didn't inspire any confidence at Scroggs Park. Derry, Drogheda, and Galway were expected to battle for second place. The Tribe were considered favourites to meet Limerick in the IBA Cup Series due to signing RHP Mannix Morran, who produced the goods, but Galway needed bats and a bullpen.

The stage was set for the Warriors, but it wouldn't be an easy season. The club doctors earned their money and got to spend time with some of Ireland's best players. Osgur O'Grennan hit for .386 on the season, but only played 119 games, compared to the 133 he featured in during 1900, when he still wasn't mistaken for an iron man. Impressively, he picked up more hits, with 148 as opposed to the 140 hits in 1900. Still, Ireland's greatest player couldn't avoid the label of a “Glass Man” by the end of the season.

First it was an elbow inflammation on 16 April that put him out for a week. On 4 June, a stray pitch fractured his foot and he was out for 2-3 weeks. On 4 September, he was ejected after arguing a strike call and suspended for three days. He came out of a defensive play on 10 September with a strained hamstring that took three weeks to heal from.

Patrick “Music Man” Silverlock, his famous batting partner in crime from the previous season, had an even worse run of injuries. On 15 May, an elbow inflammation from throwing a ball caused him to miss six weeks. On 14 July, a strained quad had him sit out for another 5-6 weeks. On 20 August, he strained his back after a home plate collision and was diagnosed as day-to-day for 1-2 weeks. He injured himself while running the bases six days later, and was diagnosed with a strained medial ligament that sidelined him for another four weeks.

Silverlock only played 62 games in the 1901 season, but he made himself productive when he actually got to play. He hit four home runs, after hitting five in 158 games the previous season. He had a .372 AVG and a .460 OBP. But at 35, people wondered if he could put all the injuries behind him and make his talents more available.

Limerick still out-scored the rest of the league thanks to Churchill, and the increased production of Kean Tranent and Patty Nursey. The starting pitchers and bullpen were second and first respectively in ERA, and the Warriors allowed the least amount of runs. Silverlock was ready to go for the IBA Cup Series. O'Grennan was too, however, Arkoll controversially felt otherwise.

[MickMcCann]

1901 IBA REGULAR SEASON
Final Table and Statistics

[MickMcCann]

1901 LIMERICK WARRIORS: Men of Glass

Part Two

Osgur O'Grennan's hamstring healed and he was cleared to play in the IBA Cup Series by the club doctors. Warriors manager Kirwin Arkoll felt otherwise. None of those club doctors ever won a Season Championship or IBA Cup, and apparently that meant he knew more than them about whether the greatest batsman in Ireland was fit to start in the biggest series of the season. Patrick Silverlock, as previously noted, only played 62 games the entire year. Arkoll considered him fit enough to start, but not O'Grennan, who would not even see a pinch-hitting stint or a blade of grass a defensive substitution.

“Have you been watching the entire season?” Arkoll asked a group of baseball writers during team practice the day before Game One. “You haven't seen that Churchill lad play, have you? He's pretty good with the bat too. We didn't get this far just because of O'Grennan. He's a remarkable player, but I need to do what is best for this club. He missed the last few weeks and we need to be the most prepared at this point in the season.”

A cartoon in The Irish Baseball Chronicle depicted Arkoll wrapping O'Grennan up and putting him in a cardboard box marked “FRAGILE – HANDLE WITH CARE.”

The argument against Arkoll was that the Warriors went 13-14 in September and 4-6 in their last ten games. There wasn't a more scrutinised man in Ireland during those two weeks in early October.

Derry clinched second place on 17 September in a 4-1 win at Belfast. Limerick took the Season Championship three days later after Derry lost 4-1 at Galway. The Warriors didn't feel like champions, as they were in a three-game losing streak.

The Bees were the second best batting team after Limerick, but they were ranked at the bottom in pitching stats. Their starters were sixth in team ERA and their bullpen ranked seventh. They had the league leader in wins with RHP Michael Cancellor, who went 30-12 with a 1.72 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. The 30-year-old improved considerably after a 1900 season where he went 11-25 with a 3.05 ERA and 1.03 WHIP.

1901 IBA CUP SERIES

GAME ONE

Derry Bees: 0

Limerick Warriors: 8

Starting Pitchers

RHP Niven Machent (15-18, 2.85 ERA, 1.17 WHIP) v. RHP Orrin Aiken (25-14, 1.81 ERA, 0.91)

Game Summary

Bot 1: Patty Nursey's 3-run home run to left field drew first blood. Distance: 353 feet. 3-0 Limerick.

Bot 3: Patrick Silverlock hit a groundball down the third base line. Kean Tranent scored from third after getting their on a lead-off triple. 4-0 Limerick.

Bot 6: Orrin Aiken hit a grounder between third and short to score two runners. 6-0 Limerick.

Bot 7: A wild pitch allowed Silverlock to score from third. In the next at-bat, Morris O'Finn hit a screamer to right-centre. Patty Nursey scored from second. 8-0 Limerick.

Derry Pitching

Machent (L): 6.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
Quail: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Limerick Pitching

Aiken (W): 9.0 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 5 K

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Orrin Aiken (9.0 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 5 K)
Ballpark: Crossbowmaker Field
Weather: Clear skies (66 degrees), wind blowing in from right at 10 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm
Time: 2:42
Attendance: 5142

GAME TWO

Derry Bees: 5

Limerick Warriors: 4

Starting Pitchers

RHP Cian Derrick (21-17, 2.11 ERA, 1.06 WHIP) v. RHP Denzel Edington (22-10, 1.99 ERA, 0.96)

Game Summary

Top 2: Naughton Collyear singled to left. An E7 allowed him to move up to second and Allen Tebby scored. Dermot Maban hit a homer to right. Distance: 396 feet. 3-0 Derry.

Bot 2: Gary Daile stole second, and Morris O'Finn singled with a line drive to right, which allowed him to score. Kean Trenant's liner up the middle scored O'Finn, and an E1 on a failed pick-off attempt allowed Monroe Nylan to cross the plate. 3-3.

Top 12: Dermot Maban hit a lead-off homer, a liner to right. Distance: 352 feet. It was his second of the night. Naoise Flury got on base with an odd pop up to second that didn't hang for very long and dropped for a hit. Then it rolled into the outfield and he turned it into a double as Lugh Nunson crossed the plate from second. 5-3 Derry.

Bot 12: Patrick Silverlock got on with a one out triple. John Churchill doubled with a line drive to centre field to score Silverlock. 5-4 Derry.

Derry Pitching

Derrick: 9.0 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Machent (W): 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Limerick Pitching

Edington: 9.0 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 K, 1 HR
Aiken (L): 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Dermot Maban (4-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI)
Ballpark: Crossbowmaker Field
Weather: Partly Cloudy (59 degrees), wind blowing in from right at 11 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm
Time: 3:37
Attendance: 5123

GAME THREE

Limerick Warriors: 0

Derry Bees: 4

Starting Pitchers

RHP Jack Dubbs (27-15, 2.39 ERA, 1.02 WHIP) v. Michael Cancellor (30-12, 1.72 ERA, 1.03 WHIP)

Game Summary

Bot 6: Beattie Rowell broke the deadlock with a 2-run home run, a flyball to left field. Distance: 373 feet. 2-0 Derry.

Bot 7: Allen Tebby hit a 2-run home run, a flyball to left field. Distance: 343 feet. 4-0 Derry.

Limerick Pitching

Dubbs (L): 8.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 HR

Derry Pitching

Cancellor (W): 9.0 IP, 4 H, 2 K

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Michael Cancellor (9.0 IP, 4 H, 2 K)
Ballpark: Orton Grounds
Weather: Clear skies (64 degrees), wind blowing in from right at 10 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm
Time: 2:28
Attendance: 4064

GAME FOUR

Limerick Warriors: 8

Derry Bees: 0

Starting Pitchers

RHP Niall MacKeown (20-9, 2.07 ERA, 0.95 WHIP) v. RHP Whelan Edmands (20-14, 2.41 ERA, 1.05 WHIP)

Game Summary

Top 3: Kean Tranent's line drive single over third scores Monroe Nylan. 1-0 Limerick.

Top 4: Patty Nursey doubled with a line drive over third. John Churchill scored from third. He took second during that at-bat on an E2 throwing error. 2-0 Limerick.

Top 6: Morris O'Finn doubled with a liner to centre field. Patrick Silverlock scored. 3-0 Limerick.

Top 8: Monroe Nylan's sac fly to centre field allowed Nursey to tag up and score. 4-0 Limerick.

Top 9: Nursey doubled with a liner over third to drive in two. Gary Daile singled with a liner past a third and short to bring in another. O'Finn's sac fly to centre allowed Nursey to tag up and score for the second straight inning. 8-0 Limerick.

Limerick Pitching

MacKeown (W): 9.0 IP, 3 H, 3 K

Derry Pitching

Edmands (L): 7.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 7 BB, 4 K
Quail: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Niall MacKeown (9.0 IP, 3 H, 3 K)
Ballpark: Orton Grounds
Weather: Cloudy (61 degrees), wind blowing out to left at 11 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm
Time: 2:52
Attendance: 4067

GAME FIVE

Limerick Warriors: 2

Derry Bees: 1

Starting Pitchers

RHP Orrin Aiken (25-14, 1.81 ERA, 0.91) v. RHP Cian Derrick (21-17, 2.11 ERA, 1.06 WHIP)

Game Summary

Bot 6: Fergal Stanway's solo home, a flyball to right field, put the home side ahead. Distance: 438 feet. 1-0 Derry.

Top 9: Gary Daile's flyball deep to right-centre allowed John Churchill to tag up and equalise. 1-1.

Top 15: Kean Trenant shattered the home fans with a line drive to left for an RBI triple. 2-1 Limerick.

Limerick Pitching

Aiken: 12.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 K, 1 HR
MacKeown (W): 3.0 IP, 3 K

Derry Pitching

Derrick: 10.1 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Cancellor (L): 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Orrin Aiken (12.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 K, 1 HR)
Ballpark: Orton Grounds
Weather: Partly Cloudy (47 degrees), wind blowing right to left at 11 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm
Time: 4:04
Attendance: 4048

GAME SIX

Derry Bees: 5

Limerick Warriors: 3

Starting Pitchers

RHP Niven Machent (15-18, 2.85 ERA, 1.17 WHIP) v. RHP Denzel Edington (22-10, 1.99 ERA, 0.96)

Game Summary

Top 2: Lennan O'Rahily doubled to left and drove in two runners. 2-0 Derry.

Bot 2: A wild pitch in a Monroe Nylan at-bat allowed John Churchill to score from third. 2-1 Derry.

Bot 3: With Churchill at the plate, Patrick Silverlocked swiped second base. Churchill hit a hot grounder up the middle to bring him home. 2-2.

Top 5: Dermot Maban's grounder down the first base line brought Beattie Rowell across the plate and Maban made it to third for a triple. 3-2 Derry.

Top 6: Edington was taken out, and RHP Randall O'Hegarty inherited a runner on first. Naughton Collyear took him deep for a 2-run home run to centre field. Distance: 436 feet. In the next at-bat, O'Hegarty caught Rowell on a 1-1 pitch. A bench-clearing brawl kicked off, and both the pitcher and batsman would get ejected from the game. The inning ended with Derry leading 5-2, and tensions were rising in Limerick.

Bot 9: Maccon Pendleberry singled with a flyball to left. Churchill rounded third and crossed the plate. 5-3 Derry.

Derry Pitching

Machent (W): 9.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

Limerick Pitching

Edington (L): 5.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 6 K
O'Hegarty: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR
Ambrose: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 3 K

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Niven Machent (9.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K)
Ballpark: Crossbowmaker Field
Weather: Partly Cloudy (49 degrees), wind blowing in from right at 12 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm
Time: 2:54
Attendance: 5142

GAME SEVEN

Derry Bees: 2

Limerick Warriors: 8

Starting Pitchers

RHP Whelan Edmands (20-14, 2.41 ERA, 1.05 WHIP) v. RHP Jack Dubbs (27-15, 2.39 ERA, 1.02 WHIP)

Game Summary

Top 5: Dermot Maban's sac fly to centre field allowed Naughton Collyear to tag up and score. 1-0 Derry.

Top 6: Allen Tebby's line drive triple down the third base line brought in Lennan O'Rahilly from first. 2-0 Derry.

Bot 6: Maccon Pendleberry, who was keeping Osgur O'Grennan out for this game by starting in left field, hit a liner the other way to left for an RBI single. Patrick Silverlock scored. Monroe Nylan's sac fly to centre allowed John Churchill to tag up and score. 2-2.

Bot 7: Patty Nursey drove in two with a line drive double to left field. Nursey then rounded third and scored on Pendleberry's line drive single between first. 5-2 Limerick.

Bot 8: Frank Silverthorn's line drive double over third allowed Gary Daile to score. Patrick Silverlock followed up with a line drive single up the middle to bring in two more runs. 8-2 Limerick.

Derry Pitching

Edmands (L): 7.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 7 BB, 4 K
McKey: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 K

Limerick Pitching

Dubbs (W): 7.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
O'Hegarty (SV): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 K

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Maccon Pendleberry (3-4, 2 RBI)
Ballpark: Crossbowmaker Field
Weather: Partly Cloudy (56 degrees), wind blowing out to left at 11 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm
Time: 2:56
Attendance: 5188

[MickMcCann]

1901 REGULAR SEASON ACCOMPLISHMENTS

[MickMcCann]

IRISH BASEBALL CHRONICLE
Articles from October 1901

11 October 1901 – The Irish Baseball Association has announced that two clubs will join the league next season – the Ennis Gems and the Tralee Roses. IBA Commissioner Richard Cleary invited Gems owner Maher Nunson and Roses owner Cavan McCrea to the league headquarters in Dublin for a public announcement at the front steps.

In the next few days, Cleary will travel to Ennis and Tralee for public gatherings to celebrate the IBA's two new clubs. Him and other league officials will first go to Ennis, where they will check out 4,600-seat Nunson Ballpark. In Tralee, they will visit the Field of Roses, which will also seat 4,600 fans. The two cities will be the smallest in the IBA, but their interest in baseball is huge.

[Walsh06]

Im not the only one playing Ireland only leagues. Thats a big shock. I wish Cork were a bit better though.

[MickMcCann]

BALLPARKS OF THE IBA

Ennis Gems
Nunson Ballpark

Built: 1901
Capacity: 4,600
Distance (ft): Left Field line - 313, Left Field - 333, Left-Centre - 356, Centre Field - 419, Right-Centre - 359, Right Field - 331, Right Field line - 308
Wall Height (ft): Left Field line - 10, Left Field - 10, Left-Centre - 10, Centre Field - 10, Right-Centre - 10, Right Field - 10, Right Field line - 10

Tralee Roses
Field of Roses

Built: 1901
Capacity: 4,600
Distance (ft): Left Field line - 328, Left Field - 346, Left-Centre - 381, Centre Field - 416, Right-Centre - 371, Right Field - 348, Right Field line - 320
Wall Height (ft): Left Field line - 10, Left Field - 10, Left-Centre - 10, Centre Field - 14, Right-Centre - 10, Right Field - 10, Right Field line - 10

[MickMcCann]

1902 LIMERICK WARRIORS: Next Man Up

Part One

Limerick manager Kirwin Arkoll wasn't too happy with the “glass men” label that his high-calibre squad gained due to the rough injury spell of a few individuals, who happened to be some of the most productive players in the country. He told journalists leading up to the 1902 season that his squad had a “next man up” mentality, meaning that even if the mighty fall, his players had it in them to step in and continue Limerick's ruthless run towards another Season Championship and IBA Cup. He had every reason to feel confident in his squad, and the baseball writers predicted Limerick to have their best season yet in the spring of 1902.

RHP Denzel Edington left the team in free agency and signed for Cork, who hoped that their new man could help their club get them off the bottom of the league table. The Warriors replaced Edington will Cork's RHP Russ Drinkale, who did exactly what his surname suggested after every game. At 32, he was two years older than Edington, but he would go on to be a more than suitable replacement.

Left fielder John Churchill was the man of the season in IBA. His .348 AVG, 17 home runs, and 128 RBI's made him the first Triple Crown winner in IBA history. The spray-hitting, left-handed leader from Dublin established himself as the consistent go-to man that Limerick needed in order to maintain their dominance.

Osgur O'Grennan hit a remarkable .448 AVG with a .618 OBP, but he only played in 106 games in the 1902 regular season. His first injury was a sprained thumb that he got after a home plate collision in 25 April, which put him out for three weeks. On 29 June, he was hit by a pitch that fractured his finger, and he missed four weeks. He managed 151 hits, opposed to the 148 hits out of 119 games from the previous season.

Injuries to Patrick Silverlock, Kean Tranent, and Patty Nursey kept them out of the line-up a few times, with Nursey's strained oblique keeping him out for six weeks. But the most devastating injury came 12 July, when pitching ace Orrin Aiken was diagnosed with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow. The league leader in strikeouts in the past two seasons would need a full year to recover. It would have been a total disaster for most clubs, but it was “next man up” for Arkoll's Warriors.

24-year-old RHP Flanagan Wainwright stepped up for his first run in professional baseball two years on the Warriors payroll, and did a good job by going 10-5 with a 2.76 ERA and 1.28 WHIP.

Drinkale, Jack Dubbs, and Niall MacKeown continued to have their best seasons yet, which eased the pain of losing their ace. Those three men improved on their strikeout totals from their previous two seasons. Drinkale ended on 246, Dubbs on 218, and MacKeown on 182. Their 1901 numbers were 192, 194, and 157 respectively. MacKeown's record of 30-6 was the best in the IBA, and he ended as the wins leader.

Limerick went on a 21-game winning streak that started on 28 July with a 2-1 win against Belfast, and ended on 20 August with a 4-2 home loss to Cork. They clinched the Season Championship on 3 September with a 7-4 win at Derry. They didn't take their foot off the pedal, and finished September with a 20-6 record. The Warriors were determined to win the IBA Cup Series before it even started.

CLUB LEADERS

[MickMcCann]

1902 REGULAR SEASON
Final Table, Statistics, and Accomplishments

[MickMcCann]

1902 LIMERICK WARRIORS: Next Man Up
Part Two

Limerick finished the regular season strongly thanks to Kirwin Arkoll's ability to keep his squad focused long after claiming the Season Championship. As they tuned up for the IBA Cup Series, Derry and Drogheda were in a second place race that would be determined on the final day of the season.

Drogheda had to go to Belfast for the last series of the regular season. In game one, the Boyensiders won 5-3 after scoring twice in the twelfth inning. They won the next game 2-0, getting both runs in the ninth. Drogheda won the last game 4-1 in another game where they scored their winning run late, that time in the eighth.

Derry travelled to Waterford. They won the first game 3-2 on a sac fly in the tenth. The Bees also won the second game by a score of 3-2. They couldn't force a one-game play-off, and lost 2-1 in what would be their last game of the regular season.

Drogheda may have had the best overall starting pitching ERA in the IBA, but they needed to drag themselves over the finish line when RHP Cian Derrick picked up a dead arm on 20 September. They signed in the off-season to join Mannix Morran, Lennon Granahan, and Quirke Hawes in the pitching rotation. If the series went to 5-7 games, the Boynesiders hoped that Derrick could make himself available if either of those three capable pitchers got injured or struggled to handle a big series against a powerful team.

Drogs second baseman Quigley “Gorilla” O'Feehan was one of the most popular players in the country. Heralded for his crowd pleasing, work ethic and charismatic personality, O'Feehan had the reputation of an iron man who played for most of the previous three seasons. He had his best season so far in 1902, hitting .321 AVG and going on a 25-game hitting streak that ended on 7 September. The rest of the Drogs line-up left a lot to be desired, and O'Feehan needed to lead the way for his fellow batsman.

For the third straight season, there would be October baseball at Crossbowmaker Field. The expectations on the Warriors were high, and despite missing their ace, the fill-in proved himself and the other three pitchers could have been an ace for any other club. All the big guns were healthy, in form, and ready to go in their bid to become the IBA's first dynasty.

1902 IBA CUP SERIES

GAME ONE

Drogheda Boynesiders: 3

Limerick Warriors: 5

Starting Pitchers

LHP Quirke Hawes (22-14, 1.79 ERA, 1.02 WHIP) v. RHP Jack Dubbs (26-12, 2.15 ERA, 1.12 WHIP)

Game Summary

Bot 1: Osgur O'Grennan attempted to steal second, and an E2 throwing error allowed him to take third. Patrick Silverlock then dropped a line drive single into right-centre field and O'Grennan scored. 1-0 Limerick.

Top 2: Quirke Hawes doubled on a line drive down the right field line that he hit the other way. Phelan McNeil and Kyran McLambroch scored. 2-1 Drogheda.

Bot 2: Frank Silverthorn took Hawes deep with a lead-off home run. Distance: 433 feet. 2-2.

Top 7: Tiernan Thornbury's lead-off homer to left-centre put Drogs back ahead. Distance: 439 feet. 3-2 Drogheda.

Bot 7: Pinch hitter Nevin Andison started the rally with a line drive single between third and short. Patty Nursey scored. Neal Kivlehan's sac fly put Limerick ahead for the first time since the first inning. In the next at-bat, O'Grennan sprayed a liner the other way to left field, and Andison scored from second on the RBI single. 5-3 Limerick.

Drogheda Pitching

Hawes (L): 8.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HR

Limerick Pitching

Dubbs (W): 7.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
O'Hegarty (SV): 2.0 IP, 1 K

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Frank Silverthorn (2-3, 1 RBI)
Ballpark: Crossbowmaker Field
Weather: Clear skies (62 degrees), wind blowing out to right at 10 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm
Time: 2:33
Attendance: 5112

GAME TWO

Drogheda Boynesiders: 0

Limerick Warriors: 2

Starting Pitchers

LHP Mannix Morran (13-11, 1.73 ERA, 0.80 WHIP) v. Niall MacKeown (30-6, 2.27 ERA, 0.99 WHIP)

Game Summary

Bot 2: Frank Silverthorn's groundball RBI single through third and short drove in Kean Tranent. 1-0 Limerick.

Bot 4: Patrick Silverlock started the inning off with a solo homer to left field. Distance: 404 feet. 2-0 Limerick.

Drogheda Pitching

Morran (L): 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 HR
Stannard: 3.1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K
O'Mulvey: 0.2 IP

Limerick Pitching

MacKeown (W): 9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 K

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Niall MacKeown (9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 K)
Ballpark: Crossbowmaker Field
Weather: Clear skies (58 degrees), wind blowing in from right at 11 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm
Time: 2:11
Attendance: 5184
Special Notes: Mannix Morran was injured while throwing a pitch in the fourth inning. He was diagnosed with a mild hamstring strain.

GAME THREE

Limerick Warriors: 2

Drogheda Boynesiders: 1

Starting Pitchers

RHP Russ Drinkale (23-7, 1.68 ERA, 0.83 WHIP) v. RHP Lennon Granahan (20-15, 1.43 ERA, 0.94 WHIP)

Game Summary

Top 9: Mannix Rylance broke the deadlock with a line drive RBI single to left field. Kean Tranent scored. John Churchill reached base on an E3 throwing error, and Patty Nursey scored from third. 2-0 Limerick.

Bot 9: Tiernan Thornbury's line drive RBI double to left-centre gave Drogs a bit of hope. 2-1 Limerick.

Limerick Pitching

Drinkale (W): 8.0 IP, 3 K
MacKeown: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB

Drogheda Pitching

Granahan (L): 8.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Russ Drinkale (8.0 IP, 3 K)
Ballpark: Boynesiders Ballpark
Weather: Clear skies (66 degrees), wind blowing in from left at 12 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm
Time: 2:35
Attendance: 4041

GAME FOUR

Limerick Warriors: 0

Drogheda Boynesiders: 1

Starting Pitchers

RHP Jack Dubbs (26-12, 2.15 ERA, 1.12 WHIP) v. LHP Quirke Hawes (22-14, 1.79 ERA, 1.02 WHIP)

Game Summary

Bot 12: Lennon Granahan, after coming in at the top of the inning to face only one batter, hit a line drive through third and short for a walk-off victory. Phelan McNeil crossed home plate to win a dramatically and avoid a series sweep.

Limerick Pitching

Dubbs: 10.0 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 4 K
Drinkale (L): 1.2 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Drogheda Pitching

Hawes: 11.2 IP, 2 H, 6 BB, 3 K
Granahan: 0.1 IP

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Quirke Hawes (11.2 IP, 2 H, 6 BB, 3 K)
Ballpark: Boynesiders Ballpark
Weather: Clear skies (62 degrees), wind blowing left to right at 12 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm
Time: 3:11
Attendance: 4049

GAME FIVE

Limerick Warriors: 5

Drogheda Boynesiders: 0

Starting Pitchers

RHP Flanagan Wainwright (10-5, 2.76 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) v. LHP Mannix Morran (13-11, 1.73 ERA, 0.80 WHIP)

Game Summary

Top 7: Kean Tranent's groundball single past a diving third baseman gave Neal Kivlehan a chance at running home from second, where he would beat a throw to score the first run. Frank Silverthorn hit a groundball single through the gap between third and short to drive in two more runs. Nevin Andison's line drive double to left field added two more runs. 5-0 Limerick.

Limerick Pitching

Wainwright (W): 6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Ambrose (SV): 3.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K

Drogheda Pitching

Morran (L): 8.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

Game Notes

Player of the Game: Flanagan Wainwright (6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K)
Ballpark: Boynesiders Ballpark
Weather: Clear skies (57 degrees), wind blowing in from left at 12 mph
Start Time: 1:05 pm
Time: 2:37
Attendance: 4027

[MickMcCann]

THE IRISH BASEBALL CHRONICLE
Articles from October 1902

[joefromchicago]

I like what you've done here. Keep up the good work!

[MickMcCann]

1903 LIMERICK WARRIORS: Pulling A Catcher From The Hat
Part One

Limerick were considered to have the most improved squad after the off-season. They lost Frank Silverthorn, who always turned it on in the IBA Cup Series, but his regular season numbers were nothing impressive. Silverthorn's grit was replaced by 34-year-old first baseman Grady Phillimore, who was a good role-player for Waterford, but there was a feeling that he was capable of doing better.

RHP Niven Machent came in from Derry to help fill in until Orrin Aiken returned from his injury. Machent was the winning pitcher in Game Six of the 1901 IBA Cup Series, which forced a deciding game that could have ended Warriors juggernaut before it really got going. He joined the Warriors to get in on the glory. When Aiken suffered a set-back in his recovery in early April, and ruled out for the entire season, Machent remained as the fourth starter.

RHP Creedon McKey was another free agent coming in from Derry. The Cork native was thought of as one of the best relievers in the game, and he had the stamina to step up as a spot starter.

Yet the off-season signing who made the biggest impact was a 29-year-old rookie. Scouting director Conlan O'Ferris discovered Sheen Meagher in a Dublin amateur league in the summer of 1902. The catcher was competent in his position, but it was his bat that spoke to O'Ferris. The Warriors and Meagher would communicate over the next few months, with Meagher tempted to move to the United States and start a new life.

Meagher changed his mind when Warriors manager Kirwin Arkoll and RHP Randall O'Hegarty, both of them natives of the Dublin region, showed up to his door in January 1903. Arkoll, a former catcher himself, brought his old gear with the intentions of playing ball. They went out to a snow-covered baseball diamond nearby. Arkoll told some kids by the field to go fetch their gloves and come back. O'Hegarty pitched to Meagher and the schoolboys got a crash course fielding lesson from the most successful manager in Ireland. The man who would become known as “Megaphone,” because of his loud speaking voice, passed the test. Meagher accepted Arkoll's offer to come back to Limerick with him and get a deal done.

Even Arkoll couldn't have imagined the type of season that his new catcher would have. When asked where he found “Megaphone,” Arkoll simply replied that he “pulled a catcher from the hat.”

Meagher's 20 home runs led the league, and he also topped the RBI standings with 130. With a .325 AVG, the only batsman who stood in his way of a Triple Crown was teammate Osgur O'Grennan, who hit .398.

O'Grennan played in 136 games in 1903 – the most since 1900, when he played in 133. The only major injury he suffered was a herniated disc in his back that he suffered on 15 April, and it kept him out for three weeks. He was able to turn in his best season yet, and the batsman around him also stepped up.

Patrick Silverlock, the lead-off man, hit .314 AVG with 15 homers. Kean Tranent followed him in the line-up and batted .306. Then it was O'Grennan at third. John Churchill batted in clean-up and hit .305 AVG with 12 home runs and 110 RBI's. The surprise of Meagher at fifth continued the gauntlet for pitchers. Neal Kivlehan, who hit for .242 in his best season before 1903, hit for .300 that year. Even Patty Nursey in seventh, who hit for .236 and was never known for high averages, was a home run threat. The only real hole finally came with the eighth batter, Maccon Pendleberry, and then the pitcher. It's still no surprise that the Warriors finished once again with the highest team batting numbers in the IBA.

The pitchers covered their end of the bargain. RHP Niall MacKeown finished the season with a 33-4 record and 1.63 ERA, while RHP Jack Dubbs finished at 32-5 with a 2.01 ERA. Staff ace Russ Drinkale wasn't too shabby either, going 26-4 with a 1.14 ERA. For the second straight season, O'Hegarty picked up 24 saves, and finished with the most in the IBA.

The Warriors won the Season Championship on 1 September 2-0 home victory against Galway. As expected of Arkoll's men, they didn't slow down their pace, and finished September with a 22-3 record. They won 132 of the 162 games – a winning percentage of .864. Besides Aiken, who missed the entire season anyway, everyone was fit for the IBA Cup Series.