Dublin Hurricanes

Infobox baseball team
Name = Dublin Hurricanes

League = Baseball Ireland
Division = Adult League
Location = Dublin
Stadium = O'Malley Fields
Founded = 1997
Nickname =
LeagueChamps = 2003, 2005
Colors = Red and black
BackColor = Red
TextColor = Black
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Ownership =
Management =
Manager =
Season =
Record =
Playoffs = 2004
h_title = Home
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h_socks =
a_title = Road
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The Dublin Hurricanes are an amateur baseball team that competes in the Baseball Ireland adult league.

Franchise history

The Dublin Hurricanes are one of Baseball Ireland's most successful franchises, having won two National Championships and numerous player awards. They have also taken part in several European club competitions including tournaments in Prague, London and Antwerp.

The Hurricanes were the first Irish club baseball team to take part in European competition.

The Hurricanes were formed in 1997 and started to play under the name 'The Dublin Hurricanes' in 1998. The team was one of the original founding teams of the Irish baseball league. They have also been one of the most successful teams in Irish club competition. The Canes were winners of the end of season blitz in both 2000 and 2001 and also won the Spring blitz in 2001.

They dominated in 2003 winning both the Spring blitz and the National Championship, won a league pennant in 2004 and a second championship the following season.

Hurricanes players have three times taken the Irish league MVP award, Tom Kelley in 1999 and 2003 and Steve Divito in 2005.

European competition

The Dublin Hurricanes were the first Irish team to take part in club competitions in Europe. To date they have played in the following tournaments.

* 2003 European Pool B Club Championships - Antwerp, Belgium
* 2005 Croydon Pirates invitational - London, UK
* 2006 Tempo Titans Invitational - Prague, Czech Rep
* 2007 Tempo Titans Invitational - Prague, Czech Rep

The Hurricanes missed out on making the final of the Croydon tournament in 2005 by one solitary run in run difference. In 2006 they finished second in the Prague invitational tournament. Again in Prague in 2007 the Hurricanes finished with an excellent 2-1 record having beaten two quality Czech baseball clubs. The Hurricanes plan to travel to further future tournaments.

National Championships

2003

The Hurricanes won an exciting Irish League championship in 2003, their first Irish title. The league came down to the final game where the Hurricanes had to face the Spartans, who needed to win to force a one game league title playoff. The Spartans took the final league game 6-1 forcing the playoff game that same afternoon. The Hurricanes steadied their ship and rebounded with an exciting 8-5 win over the Spartans to secure their first ever league title.

2005

The Hurricanes took their second league title in 2005. After a dominating league campaign, during which Captain Steve Divito won the Andy Leonard MVP Award, the Hurricanes once again faced the Spartans in the finals. They won the deciding game 18-1 and were crowned Irish league champions for the second time in a three year span.

Players

2007 roster

"As of August 29, 2007"

Notable past players

International players

Several Hurricanes players, past and present, have represented Ireland in European baseball competitions. Tom Kelley, Chris Foy, Tommy Hernandez, Gordon Ireland, Woody Woodburne and Cormac Eklof have all played extensively for the Irish National Baseball team. Garrett Pearse has several 'caps' for the Irish developmental baseball team. Former Hurricane Ken Murphy was also a pitcher on the Irish team before relocating to the United States.

Awards and honours

Team honours

* 2007 - League Pennant Winners Hurricanes * 2005 - League Champions Hurricanes * 2004 - League Pennant Winners Hurricanes * 2004 - M&M Psycho Invitational - Champs Hurricanes * 2003 - League Champions Hurricanes * 2003 - Spring Blitz Winners Hurricanes * 2002 - Autumn Blitz Winners 'Northern Hurricanes' * 2001 - Spring Blitz Winners Hurricanes * 2001 - End of Season Blitz Winners Hurricanes * 2000 - End of Season Blitz Winners Hurricanes

Individual award winners

* 2005 - Andy Leonard MVP Award Steve DiVito * 2004 - League Cy Young Award Cormac Eklof * 2004 - Silver Slugger Andy Martin * 2004 - M&M Psycho Invitational - MVP Steve DiVito * 2004 - M&M Psycho Invitational - Cy Young Award Cormac Eklof * 2003 - League MVP Tom Kelley * 2003 - Silver Slugger Tom Kelley * 2003 - Spring Blitz MVP Steve DiVito * 2003 - Spring Blitz Pitcher Cormac Eklof * 2002 - League Batting Champion Gordon Ireland * 2002 - League Gold Glove Mick Manning * 2002 - Autumn Blitz MVP Tom Kelley * 2001 - End of Season Blitz MVP Tom Kelley

Hurricanes in the media

References

* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/06/sports/baseball/06curry.html?ex=1336104000&en=f6726f5610f8f780&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss New York Times, May 6, 2007]

* [http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Sideline/6638/HurricanesHistory.html Hurricanes history]

External links

* [http://www.BaseballIreland.com Baseball Ireland Official website]
* [http://www.IrishBaseballMovie.com The Emerald Diamond]
* [http://irishbaseballseason.blogspot.com/ Hurricanes pitcher Cormac Eklof's Blog]