The Irish Baseball Union (known by the abbreviation IBU) was the governing body of the traditional code of British baseball in Ireland, with responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the domestic game and for overseeing the Irish international team, under the codified rules created by the English Baseball Association. The IBU was formed in 1933, and was a short lived organisation, with the Irish international team playing a limited number of games.

Irish Baseball Union
SportBritish baseball
JurisdictionRepublic of Ireland
AbbreviationIBU
Founded1933
HeadquartersDublin
Republic of Ireland

History

edit

Building on an introduction of rounders at the Aonach Tailteann in 1924, by April 1933 the new league in Ireland was in full swing and preparations were under way to send an international team to England.[1] The IBU was responsible for the overseeing of the game in Ireland but would "cooperate with the English Baseball Association" and members of the English body were in attendance, at Queens Park, Dublin, for an exhibition game in April 1933.[2] In June 1933 the Irish Baseball Union selected a team to travel to Liverpool for the first ever international between England and Ireland, the team included players from St. Mary's, St. Oswald's, British and Irish, Hibernians, Independent and Connaught ball clubs.[3] England overpowered the Irish team and won by an innings and 42 runs.[4]

First international roster

edit

The below table details the names, baseball clubs and positions of the Irish roster, chosen to play against England, in their first international, in 1933.[5]

Name Club Position
P. Murphy Coach
W. Cahill St. Mary's BC Bowler (captain)
T. Farrell St. Oswald's BC Bowler
W. Gilmartin St. Oswald's BC Backstop
J. Haynes British and Irish BC Third Base
P. Stanley Hibernians BC Longfield
J. McKane St. Mary's BC Backstop
J. Ryan Hibernians BC First base
P. Macken Hibernians BC Fourth base
P. Cornigan St. Mary's BC Longfield
J. P. Heard Independent BC Longstop
S. McKane St. Mary's BC Longfield
J. Smith St. Mary's BC Reserve
H. Lahan British and Irish BC Reserve
P. Brogan Connaught BC Reserve
J. Duffy St. Mary's BC Reserve

References

edit
  1. ^ "Baseball in Ireland". Liverpool Echo. 15 April 1933. p. 7.
  2. ^ "Baseball in Ireland". Liverpool Echo. 18 April 1933. p. 8.
  3. ^ "Bee's notes on Sports of the Day". Liverpool Echo. 1 June 1933. p. 10.
  4. ^ "Ireland at Baseball". Liverpool Echo. 6 June 1933. p. 9.
  5. ^ "Bee's Notes on Sports of the Day". Liverpool Echo. 1 June 1933. p. 10.