Joe Cleary

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 original 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.

Trivia

*In the same game and inning in which Cleary pitched, Red Sox outfielder Tom McBride tied a major league record with 6 runs batted in in one inning.
*Cleary was relieved by Bert Shepard, 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."

ee also

*List of players from Ireland in Major League Baseball

External links

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* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/C/Cleary_Joe.stm Baseball Library]