Result
Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
World Series 1903 | ||||
1903 | Lennons (Illinois) | 18 | Whytes (Indiana) | 1 |
Re-enactment 2003 | ||||
06.2003 | Lennons | 3 | Whytes | 12 |
Report
South Roscommon witnessed its first ever game of Baseball in June 2003, on the 100th Anniversary of the World Series of 1903 between the Lennons of Joliet, Illinois and the Whytes of Indiana. The Amateur World Series was won by the Lennons by a score of 18-1, a feat which was acknowledged by the baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York in 1963.
The re-enactment was played behind the Heritage Centre in Drum, Co. Roscommon, featuring family members of the original Whytes and Lennons teams, and didn’t go according to script, with the Whytes regaining some family pride with a 12-3 victory.
Tony Whyte was manager of both teams, and the large attendance were not put out by the Final score, enjoying the game and occasion, despite the Irish contingent not knowing the finer points of the rules like their American counterparts, who were large in numbers.
The Lennons were 1-0 up after the first innings, but the tactically superior Whytes were 9-1 up going into the fourth, but the Lennons were still hopeful of victory, and introduced two substitutesfrom the USA: Jonathan Burke from Boston and Brian Lennon from California. However, Mark Lennon’s impressive Home Run in the fourth was not enough as they were 12-3 down going into the closing stages, and failed to score in their final innings. [Ref: 1]
Teams
Lennons | Whytes |
Adrian Hughes Lennon | Adrian Millen |
James Lennon | Tom Seerey |
Eamon Lennon | Mark Whyte |
Adrian Lennon | Darra Egan |
Brian Lennon | Owen McManus |
David Lennon | Tony Whyte |
Mark Lennon | Edward Egan |
Alan Hughes Lennon | Seamus McManus |
Pascal Lennon | Scott Kahler |
Cathal Lennon | Romy Currid |
Robert Lennon | |
Sub: Jonathan Burke | |
Sub: Brian Lennon |
Officials
Chief Umpire | Ed Burke (USA) |
Commentator | Harold Lynan Webber |
Presenter of Medals | Fr. Ray Milton |
References
Newspapers
[1] Coyne, Declan (2003) “Historic Baseball Game didn’t go according to script as the Whyte’s out-run the Lennons!” Roscommon Champion. Friday, June 27, 2003. pg. 29
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Frank Kingston.
About this document
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American & World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 24 April 2020
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020
You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.