Background
The right-hander was born in Cork, and he was the last native of Ireland to appear in a major league game.
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Joe Cleary
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He also holds the major league record for the highest European Research Area of any pitcher who retired a batter. Cleary pitched one game in relief for the 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 World War II amputee Bert Shepard came in to relieve and pitched the final 51⁄3 innings, giving up just one run.
In Cleary"s short MLB career he had a 0–0 record with 1 strikeout and an European Research Area of 189.00. He died at the age of 85 in Yonkers, New New York
He raised 6 children in Bethesda, Maryland Timothy, Maureen, Therese, Richard, Eileen and Gail Cleary. 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 in one inning.
Cleary was relieved by Bert Shepard, who was also playing in his only major league game.
Shepard is notable as the only one-legged player in major league history. Cleary"s nickname was "Fire.".
