The Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame, housed at venerable Foley’s NY Pub & Restaurant in Manhattan, announced the nominees for its 2017 class, and the Mets are well represented among the potential inductees.
In the Current & Former Players category, all-time Mets great lefty Al Leiter, who starred on the mound at Shea from 1998-2004, is listed alongside 11-year MLB veteran Eric Byrnes and power hitting first baseman Adam Dunn.
In the Hall of Famers/Legends section, the team’s first manager, Casey Stengel (1962-65) is listed, with the early-20th century O’Neill brothers and deadball star Roger Bresnahan.
Longtime Mets executive Joe McDonald (1965-80), who ascended to the team’s general manager position, is in the Executives category with Orioles groundskeeper Nicole McFayden and early White Sox owner Charles Comiskey.
And, though known more for his work with the Phillies these days, broadcaster Tom McCarthy was once the mets play-by-play guy and is listed with the Cards’ duo of John Rooney and Mike Shannon and Cubs announcer Pat Hughes.
For the full list of nominees and more on the IABHOF, visit http://www.irishbaseballhall.com.