Joe Cleary

Joseph Christopher Cleary (December 3, 1918 - June 3, 2004) was a Major League Baseball pitcher during part of the 1945 season. The right-hander was born in Cork, and he was the last native of Ireland to appear in a major league game.

Cleary pitched one game in relief for the original Washington Senators on August 4, 1945. In the 4th inning of game 2 of a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox, he gave up 8 baserunners (5 hits and 3 walks) and 7 earned runs in just 1/3 of an inning. World War II amputee Bert Shepard came in to relieve and pitched the final 5 1/3 innings, giving up just one run.

In Cleary's short MLB career he had a 0-0 record with 1 strikeout and an ERA of 189.00.

He passed away at the age of 85 in Yonkers, New York.

[edit] Trivia

In the same game and inning in which Cleary pitched, Red Sox outfielder Tom McBride tied a major league record with 6 runs batted in.
Cleary's nickname was "Fire."