Can an Irish horse win the prestigious Breeders Cup? In 1907 the Epsom gallery was horrified to see an Irish owned, Irish trained (if Berkshire bred) horse, Orby, storm to victory at 100/6 in the most prestigious classic race for three-year-olds in the world, the Epsom Derby. The reaction of the top hat and tails aristocracy was to leave the parade ring for the … [Read more...] about Galileo: King of Kings
Sports
Why Grandpa Should Be in the Hall of Fame
On July 1st, 1920, my grandfather saved the only no-hitter ever thrown by the Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson. Grandpa played first base for the Washington Senators, and he and Johnson were in Boston to play the Red Sox. When the ninth inning came around, only one Red Sox had made it to first base – on an error – and the Senators were ahead 1-0 with two outs. One more out … [Read more...] about Why Grandpa Should Be in the Hall of Fame
The Giants’ Cause
Rioting fans, hooliganism and remote and sometimes ugly multi-millionaires have given sports a bad name in recent times. But every now and then, the world of fun and games provides an uplifting story, like the one unfolding in Belfast, where a team of American and Canadian hockey players is being heralded for improving relations between Protestants and Catholics. At … [Read more...] about The Giants’ Cause
Those We Lost: Al McGuire
On January 26 the sports and television world lost one of its true champions. Known as "the James Joyce of the airwaves," sportscaster Al McGuire passed away in his Milwaukee home surrounded by his loved ones. McGuire's renown as former coach of the Marquette Warriors basketball team, and later NBC then CBS commentator for the NCAA basketball tournament, was matched only by … [Read more...] about Those We Lost: Al McGuire
Irish student Wins N.C.A.A. Championship
A County Louth native battled frigid temperatures in Iowa to win the men's 10,000 meter National College Athletic Association cross-country championship. Keith Kelly, a student at Providence College, finished the race in 30 minutes 14.5 seconds in temperatures of 17 degrees with biting winds. "If the race had been 20 meters more," he told The New York Times, "I wouldn't have … [Read more...] about Irish student Wins N.C.A.A. Championship