Joe Cleary
Encyclopedia
Joseph Christopher Cleary (December 3, 1918 - June 3, 2004) was a Major League Baseball
pitcher
for one game in 1945. The right-hander was born in Cork
, and he was the last native of Ireland
to appear in a major league game. He also holds the major league record for the highest ERA of any pitcher who retired a batter.
Cleary pitched one game in relief for the Washington Senators
on August 4, 1945. In the 4th inning of game 2 of a doubleheader
against the Boston Red Sox
, he gave up 8 baserunners (5 hits
and 3 walks) and 7 earned runs in just 1/3 of an inning
. World War II
amputee Bert Shepard
came in to relieve and pitched the final 5 1/3 innings, giving up just one run.
In Cleary's short MLB career he had a 0-0 record with 1 strikeout
and an ERA
of 189.00.
He died at the age of 85 in Yonkers, New York
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for one game in 1945. The right-hander was born in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, and he was the last native of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to appear in a major league game. He also holds the major league record for the highest ERA of any pitcher who retired a batter.
Cleary pitched one game in relief for the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
on August 4, 1945. In the 4th inning of game 2 of a doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
against the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, he gave up 8 baserunners (5 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
and 3 walks) and 7 earned runs in just 1/3 of an inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
. World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
amputee Bert Shepard
Bert Shepard
Robert Earl "Bert" Shepard was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who pitched in one game for the Washington Senators in 1945 after having had his right leg amputated after his fighter plane was shot down in Germany during World War II while he was serving as a pilot in the...
came in to relieve and pitched the final 5 1/3 innings, giving up just one run.
In Cleary's short MLB career he had a 0-0 record with 1 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
and an ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 189.00.
He died at the age of 85 in Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
.
Trivia
- In the same game and inning in which Cleary pitched, Red Sox outfielderOutfielderOutfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Tom McBrideTom McBride (baseball)Thomas Raymond McBride was a professional baseball outfielder. He played all or part of six seasons in Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox and Washington Senators . He also played extensively in minor league baseball...
tied a major league record with 6 runs batted in in one inning. - Cleary was relieved by Bert ShepardBert ShepardRobert Earl "Bert" Shepard was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who pitched in one game for the Washington Senators in 1945 after having had his right leg amputated after his fighter plane was shot down in Germany during World War II while he was serving as a pilot in the...
, who was also playing in his only major league game. Shepard is notable as the only one-legged player in major league history. - Cleary's nickname was "Fire."