Dublin Panthers

Infobox baseball team
Name = Dublin Panthers

League = Baseball Ireland
Location = Dublin
Stadium = O'Malley Fields
Founded = 1998
LeagueChamps = 1998, 2001
Trophy =
TrophyChamps = 2005
Colors =
BackColor = silver
TextColor = black
LogoDesign =
Mascot =
Ownership =
Management =
Manager =
Season =
Record =
Playoffs =
h_title = Home
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h_c

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h_leftarm = C0C0C0
h_pattern_b =
h_body = C0C0C0
h_pattern_ra =
h_rightarm = C0C0C0
h_pattern_pants =
h_pants = FFFFFF
h_socks =
a_title = Road
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a_pattern_la =
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The Dublin Panthers were a Baseball Ireland team located in the Irish capital from 1998 to 2005. After the 2005 season most of the team's players left either to join the Dublin Blacksox or retire.

The Emerald Diamond, a documentary film released in 2006, which chronicled the history of baseball in Ireland and the Irish National team features footage of a 2005 Panthers game against the Wolves from Belfast.

Franchise history

The Panthers were a highly successful team in their short existence, winning the innaugural Baseball Ireland league title in 1998 and adding a second championship in 2001.

In 2005 they became the first team to win the Baseball Ireland league trophy, with a record of 6-0 in the new tournament.

The Championship years

1998

With a record of eight wins and just one defeat at the end of their first year of league play, the Panthers were deservedly crowned national champions.

2001

Three years after their first title, the Panthers won Baseball Ireland's top prize for the second time. The previous two years had proved difficult. The 98 championship team had been broken up by the expansion draft ahead of the 99 season.

By the 2001 season, there was a new belief and commitment from the players and the Panthers jumped out to a great lead, hitting their way out of trouble.

The panthers were forced to wait until the last game of the season in September 2001. When the Spartans defeated the Hurricanes it ended the Canes title hopes and the Panthers were crowned champions.

International players

A host of Panthers players have represented Ireland in international games. Brian Connolly was a member of the Ireland squad from 1996 to 2001 and again in 2003. In 2002 he was selected to the Irish National Baseball Development Team.

Russ Manning was selected to the Ireland squad in 2000, 2002 and 2004, while in 2003 he was the Irish National Baseball Development Team coach.

In August 2004, Panthers pitcher Niall Rowan, then aged 19, appeared in Ireland's opening game of the European B-Pool Championships in Regensburg, Germany. He also pitched in relief in the semi-final game against Slovenia.

Rowan had previously been a member of the Development Team.

References

* [http://www.baseball-em.de/stats/stats.php?file=06 Ireland v Finland, box score. August 2, 2004]
* [http://www.baseball-em.de/teams/team/person/?id=00000253&team=00000007 Niall Rowen at the 2004 European Championships]

External links

* [http://eteamz.active.com/panthers-irl/index.cfm? Official site]
* [http://www.BaseballIreland.com Baseball Ireland Official website]
* [http://www.IrishBaseballMovie.com The Emerald Diamond]
* [http://www.baseball-em.de/photos/20040807_IRE-SLO/pages/slo_ire2.php Panthers pitcher Niall Rowen in action for Ireland]