IRISH AMERICAN ARCHIVES SOCIETY and BASEBALL HERITAGE MUSEUM
PRESS RELEASE
September 30, 2015Boxing and Baseball Program at League Park on October 10, 2015Cleveland, OH. A celebration of boxing and baseball that features vintage fight film will take place on Saturday, October 10, 11 am at historic League Park at E. 66th and Lexington Avenue in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood. This free, public program is co-sponsored by the Irish American Archives Society and the Baseball Heritage MuseumIrish American Archives Society has joined forces with the Baseball Heritage Museum, which is located at the recently renovated League Park, to take a look at Cleveland’s two world champions, who shared the field at Cleveland’s League Park in fall 1921. On September 17, 1921, boxer Johnny Kilbane defeated hard-hitting challenger Danny Frush at League Park, successfully defending the world championship featherweight title that he had held since 1912. The Cleveland Indians were also defending world champions in September 1921, also playing at League Park—although their 1921 title push would fall short as they finished second in the American League to the New York Yankees that fall.Rare vintage film footage of Johnny KIlbane’s fight has recently been restored and will headline the program, “Two World Champions: Boxing and Baseball at League Park,” which will be held Saturday, October 10, 11 am at the renovated League Park at E. 66th and Lexington, in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood. Johnny Kilbane’s great grandson, Kevin O’Toole, will show vintage film footage and talk about the thrilling Danny Frush fight, while Morris Eckhouse, Administrator of the Baseball Heritage Museum, will share highlights of the storied history of Cleveland Indians baseball at League Park.Tours of League Park will be offered before the program at 10:30 am and after the program at 12:30 pm. A reception after the program will honor young people who participated in drawing classes conducted this fall by portrait artist Joe Gazzo, Director of Education for the Baseball Heritage Museum, at the Baseball Heritage Museum and at the Walz Branch of the Cleveland Public Library.The October 10th program is free and open to the public. Free parking is available on and across the street, at E. 66th and Lexington Avenue.The Irish American Archives Society was founded in 1994 to promote the history of the Irish in Cleveland and in 2014 dedicated “Fighting Heart” by Rowan Gillespie, a sculpture commemorating Johnny Kilbane at West 75th Street and Fr. Frascati Boulevard in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood.The Baseball Heritage Museum moved into League Park in 2014 after previously being housed, from 2006-2014, in the 5th Street Arcade and, from 1997-2006, on E. 4th Street. The mission of the museum is to preserve and present the history of diversity in baseball.#####
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