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Eirball – Irish, North American and World Baseball and Softball Archive

The Eirball – Irish, North American and World Sports Archives – sub-site devoted to Irish, North American and World Baseball, Softball and Rounders where the All-Time Statistical History (Results, Standings, Rosters) of Rounders, Baseball and Softball in Ireland, the Irish Abroad and those who have immigrated to Ireland can be found.

Featured Image Credits: Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

Header Image Credits: see Image Credit

This is the Eirball Index Page to All-Time Results and Standings of the Irish Baseball League and other Baseball Leagues in Ireland such as the WW2 League among US and Canadian Soldiers stationed in Northern Ireland for the duration of the War.

Irish Baseball League

In mid-1990s a few Leinster Softball players wanted something more competitive and atarted the first Irish Baseball League in 1997. With funding from the Irish-American owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball team, a puropse-built Baseball Diamond was made in Corkagh Park, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, including a Little League field, and the League has been in existence since, celebrating its 25th anniverary in 2021.

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Irish Baseball League Preseason

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Irish Baseball Leagues 1942-1988

Cadet Baseball Leagues

Baseball has been played in Ireland since the first visiting American Major League teams in the 1870s, and the first Leagues in Ireland were played by American and Canadian Baseball playersstationed in Northern Ireland during the Second World War. In the 1960s the Youth first teams in Ireland were formed in Dublin and Waterford, and the Irish Baseball Association was formed by these teams. In 1982 the first Dublin Softball League (Softball is a recreational version of Baseball) season was played (the League is still in existence as the Leinster Softball League) 1988 the Donegal Baseball and Softball Association played a Youth Baseball season

Northern Ireland Baseball Championship

From 1942, when US Soldiers, Navy & Airmen stationed in Northern Ireland during World War II played in the Northern Ireland Baseball League and 8th US Air Corps Baseball Championship, to the Youth Baseball Championships played in Waterford & Dublin in the 1960s (The Irish Baseball Association) and Donegal (The Donegal Baseball & Softball Association) there have been Baseball Leagues in Ireland.

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Baseball Ireland Teams

The first Irish Baseball League season took place in 1997 with four teams. The following year it was decided to start fresh with all-new teams and an all-players draft. The Hurricanes and Spartans, now Dublin City Hurricanes and Dublin Spartans were among those teams and are still (as of 2021) in the Baseball Ireland A-League.

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Baseball Ireland Awards & Records

Baseball Ireland honours outstanding achievements in the Irish Baseball League.

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Baseball Ireland International Tournaments

The Dublin, Ulster and Ashbourne International Baseball Tournaments have been a highlight of the Baseball Ireland Calendar since 2002.

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Confederation of European Baseball

Ireland’s first foray into the European Baseball Championships occured in 1996, and with the National Team, and Juniors have been competing on a Regular basis in Europe since. In addition Irish Baseball League Champions have represented Ireland in European Competitions.

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Irish Baseball Tours of North America

From 2001 when Ireland’s National Baseball Team made its first Tour to New England, to the Buccaneers competing in the Men’s Senior Baseball League World Series, Irish Baseball teams have been making regular journeys across the Atlantic Ocean.

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Amateur Baseball World Series

Irish teams have been competing in the Men’s Senior Baseball League Amateur World Series in Arizona since the 2010s. Ulster Buccaneers were the first, a team gathered together from Senior players in both Ireland and Britain, they have been competing in the MSBL Amateur World Series featuring teams from all over USA and Canada.

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American Baseball In Ireland

Beginning in 1874 when Major League Baseball teams toured Ireland and Britain to the games played by US Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen during World Wars I and II and the Cold War, to Baseball re-enactments there has been a long history of American and Canadian Baseball Teams visiting Ireland

Visiting USA and Canadian Baseball Teams

In 1874, Major League Baseball teams visited Ireland for the earliest recorded Baseball match in Ireland, and, naturally enough, given the links between the countries, Ireland, along with France and Britain got the biggest promotion of Baseball when teams toured Europe during the era leading up to the First World War.

Major League Baseball in Ireland

During the First World War, teams of American and Canadian soldiers and sailors, stationed in Ireland for the duration, or visiting the shores of Ireland, played Baseball matches in aid of War Charities.

World War II Baseball in Northern Ireland

From 1942, when US Soldiers, Navy & Airmen stationed in Northern Ireland during World War II played in the Northern Ireland Baseball League and 8th US Air Corps Baseball Championship, to the Youth Baseball Championships played in Waterford & Dublin in the 1960s (The Irish Baseball Association) and Donegal (The Donegal Baseball & Softball Association) there have been Baseball Leagues in Ireland.

Re-enactments

In addition to the Northern Ireland Baseball League during WWII, there have been exhibition matches played by American and Canadian Soldiers and Sailors stationed in Ireland during WWI or visiting Irish shores. There has also been reenactments of famous Baseball matches, including the Amateur World Series of 1903, which was re-enacted on the 100th anniversary in Drum, Co. Roscommon, featuring relatives of players involved.

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International Baseball

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International Baseball

Ashbourne International Baseball Festival 2017-2019; Rota Series 2011-2013; Dublin International Baseball Tournament 2002-2008; Ulster Open Baseball Championships 2015

Ireland in the European Championships 1998-Present

Ireland National Baseball Team Tours of North America 2001-Present

Ulster Buccaneers in the Men’s Senior Baseball League Amateur World Series 2017-present

Major League Baseball Teams in Ireland 1874-1889, WWI and WWII Leagues in Northern Ireland, USAFE Baseball in Ireland during the Cold War, 100th Anniversary Re-enactments

Softball Ireland

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Softball Ireland

Irish National Fastpitch Softball League#

Softball Ireland National Club Championship, Brian Walshe Cup (ISA Cup), Irish Open Softball Trophy

Fastpitch: Women’s World and European Softball Championships, Coed Slowpitch National Teams: European Coed Slowpitch Softball Championships. Coed Slowpitch Club Teams: European Cup Coed Slowpitch, European Coed Slowpitch Softball Super Cup

Softball Leinster Weekend League 2020; West Coast Softball Friendlies 2006-2009; Inter-County Tournament 2001; Dublin Bay Challenge Series 1998

Softball Leinster Corporate League; Softball Ireland Business House League

Provincial Softball

Softball Leinster

The Leinster Softball League is a Coed Slowpitch Softball League in Leinster Province, Ireland. It is currently at a 5:5 Male:Female Ratio although in its early days it was 9:1 Male:Female. There was a Female Slowpitch League from 1997-2002 which was League for Competitive Females from the top Divisions in the Leinster Softball League.

The most successful clubs over the entire history of the League have been Dodder Dynamoes (the oldest Softball team in Ireland) and Marlay Martyrs (both based in South Dublin suburbs – Marlay in Marlay Park, Rathfarnham (D14) and Dodder Dynamoes originally from Dodder Park, Dartry and now nomadic.

The League is Coed, originally 8:2 Ratio of Men:Women, until it levelled to 5:5 twice – in the late-1990s and in 2017.

Softball Leinster Roll of Honour

This is a look at the Champions of each of the Levels of the Leinster Softball League with the winning record (W-L-Pts) for each year of the League Champions.

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Female Slowpitch League

The Female Slowpitch League lasted five years from 1997 to 2002 (one year – 2001 – there was no league). After the League ended in 2002 two Fastpitch Teams were created although there is no evidence of any Fastpitch competitions or teams playing until the Fastpitch Ireland programme was started in 2015

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Leinster Softball League Level 1

Leinster Softball League History 1982-1989

The League started in 1982 as the Dublin Softball League with 5 teams – teams from the US Embassy Marines,  Japanese Embassy Skinny Rats, the Fat Cats (American Businessmen), the Misfits (American Students, Irish Computer Workers and American Businessmen), and one from the Druid’s Chair, Killiney.

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Leinster Softball League Level 2

Leinster Softball League History 1990-1999

In 1990 the first Irish Softball Association was formed, which in 1992 became the Irish Baseball & Softball Association, adding a Second Division. A third Division was added in 1994, and a Fourth in 1996. In 1997 the Female Slowpitch League for Competitive Females was added.In 1998 the IBSA was renamed the Irish Baseball & Softball Federation.

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Leinster Softball League Level 3

Leinster Softball League History 2000-2004

In 2000 a split occurred between the Baseball & Softball Federations, and The Irish Softball Association took over the running of Softball in Ireland. A fifth Coed Division was added that year and in 2001 a Seventh Level, the Men’s Non-Competitive League was added. 2002 was the last year of the Women’s Slowpitch League.

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Leinster Softball League Levels 4-7

Leinster Softball History 2012-Present

Softball Leinster was reformed in 2011 for the purposes of running the League from 2012 onwards, with the League dropping to three levels.(Softball Leinster 2011-Present)

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Leinster Softball Cups

Aside from the Leinster Softball League there has also been Leinster Softball Knockout (elimination) Cups, such as the Leinster Championship in the early 1990s and the 5:5 Pennant in the late 1990s. 

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Leinster Softball Teams

Dodder Dynamoes are the oldest (and original) Softball team in Ireland, dating right back to the 1980s and the Dublin Softball League prior to the founding of the Irish Softball Association.

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Provincial Softball

Leinster Softball League 1989-Present; Dublin Softball League 1982-1989; Leinster Softball Cups.

Galway Softball League 2021; Galway Softball Trophy 2014-2018

Munster Softball League 2010-2011

Ulster Softball League 2008-Present

Winter Softball

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Winter Softball

Irish National Fastpitch League

Gemstorm Winter Softball League 1998-2001

Softball Intervarsities 2001-2016

Dublin Indoor Softball Tournament 2008-2015; Winter Indoor Softball Tournament 2011-2017; Indoor Softball Tournaments 2011-2020

Softball Blitzes

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Softball Blitzes

Softball Blitz Finals 2006-Present

Longford Development Blitz 2001-2002

Budweiser Challenge Trophy 1989, Castleknock Invitational Blitz 2008-2013; Flyers Invitational Blitz 2010; Suspects Pink Blitz 1999-Present

Aughinish All-Ireland Challenge 1986-1988; Munsier Invitational Softball Tournament 2004-2005

Softball Ulster Start of Seasson Blitz 2018

Little League

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Little League

IBSF Little League 1996; Little League Ireland 2003-2005; Softball Ireland Little League 2006-Present

Irish Baseball Association 1961-1966; Tuam Cadet Baseball 1970; Donegal Baseball & Softball Association 1988; Baseball Ireland Cadet 2004-2009; 2021

Baseball USA

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Baseball USA

Irish-born Major League Baseball Players; Negro Baseball Leagues – Irish Connections

Irish-Born Minor League Baseball Players

Arizona Fall League

Ulster Buccaneers in the Men’s Senior Baseball League Amateur World Series 2017-present

WBSC World Baseball and Softball Confederation

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WBSC World Baseball and Softball Confederation

Ireland in the European Championships 1998-Present

British Baseball Federation National League 1991

Fastpitch: Women’s World and European Softball Championships, Coed Slowpitch National Teams: European Coed Slowpitch Softball Championships. Coed Slowpitch Club Teams: European Cup Coed Slowpitch, European Coed Slowpitch Softball Super Cup

National Pro Fastpitch 2019; UK Softball 1991

What is in the Website?

All-Time Results

All-Time Results of the Irish Baseball, Irish Softball, Irish Baseball players abroad and those who have immigrated to Ireland.

Irish Abroad

The All-Time record of Irish Players Abroad, playing at High Levels.

International Results

The All-Time Record of Irish Internationals in the Baseball and Softball

What people say

Hi Enda. I found your Eirball site and love it. Great reading. Happy to see I even made it there myself

The site you have is a goldmine of info.

― John Gunning – Irish Sumo Wrestler (represented Ireland at the World Championships) and writer for Japan Times, American Football International

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About Eirball

Eirball is an All-Time Archive of Irish Sports Results and the record of Irish International Teams and the Irish Abroad.

Address

endamulcahy@eirball.ie