One Strike and You're In!

A Giants' baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks took place on Irish Heritage Night at AT&T Park on August 21st 2006. The event had the usual compliment of Irish Dancers from the Whelan Academy of Irish Dance, the hat give-aways, and other entertainment. A new addition to this year's repertoire was an unusual twist on the ceremonial first pitch. The GAA's North American PRO Eamonn Gormley did the honors, but with a new approach to this long-standing baseball tradition. He used a sliothar instead of a baseball, and instead of throwing it in the usual pitch, he used a hurley to puck the ball in to the waiting hand of catcher Gene Glynn!

This was after a short display of All-Ireland championship hurling on the big screen accompanied by an explanation of what hurling is for the assembled crowds.

Mr Gormley was quoted as saying that this would be the first of many such GAA tie-ins with the San Francisco Giants as a means of getting gaelic games in front of a bigger audience.

The Giants went on to win the game 6-0. Irish Heritage Night takes place twice a year at AT&T Park. See the Giants' website for details throughout the baseball season.