Fordham Rams baseball
Encyclopedia
The Fordham Rams
baseball
team of Fordham University
in New York City
has been existence since its first game played against St. Francis Xavier College, the first collegiate baseball
game played with nine-man teams. The team's 4,010 wins as of the 2009 season are the most of any NCAA Division I baseball team.
game under modern nine-man-team rules (Knickerbocker Rules
, or "The New York Game") on November 3, 1859.
There have been 56 major leaguers
who have played for Fordham, including All-Star
pitcher Pete Harnisch
and Baseball Hall of Famer Frankie Frisch
. Frisch, a star athlete in four different sports at Fordham, was known as the "Fordham Flash". Steve Bellán
, a Cuban who attended what was then St. John's College from 1863 to 1868, played in the major leagues, primarily as a third baseman, and was the first Latin American in professional baseball. Gil McDougald
, who played for the New York Yankees
, was a coach on the team. Announcer Vin Scully
, who played outfield at Fordham before achieving greater fame in the broadcast booth, hit one home run in his Fordham career, which included a game against George H.W. Bush who was playing for Yale University
.
In honor of the 150th anniversary of the team's first game, Fordham played Williams College
, which was also celebrating its sesquicentennial of baseball play. University President Joseph M. McShane, who had conceived of the anniversary game, threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the game. Williams had lost to Amherst College
July 1, 1859 and considered the first college baseball game under the now defunct Massachusetts rules
, losing 73-32.
, a multisport facility, is named after Jack Coffey, former athletic director
and baseball coach at the University. He amassed 817 wins as a baseball coach. Coffey is the only player to play with both Ty Cobb
and Babe Ruth
in the same season (1918 Detroit Tigers
and Boston Red Sox
). The baseball portion of the field was renamed "Houlihan Park" after renovations completed in 2005.
Fordham Rams
The 22 Fordham University varsity sports teams are known as the Fordham Rams. Their colors are maroon and white. The Fordham Rams are members of NCAA Division I and compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference for all sports except football. In football, the Rams play in the Patriot League of NCAA...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team of Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
has been existence since its first game played against St. Francis Xavier College, the first collegiate baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
game played with nine-man teams. The team's 4,010 wins as of the 2009 season are the most of any NCAA Division I baseball team.
History
Founded in the late 1850s, the Fordham Rose Hill Baseball Club of St. John's College (the precursor to Fordham University, and of no connection at all to St. John's University) played against St. Francis Xavier College in the first ever college baseballCollege baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
game under modern nine-man-team rules (Knickerbocker Rules
Knickerbocker Rules
The Knickerbocker Rules are a set of baseball rules formalized by Alexander Cartwright in 1845. They are considered to be the basis for the rules of the modern game.-The rules:...
, or "The New York Game") on November 3, 1859.
There have been 56 major leaguers
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who have played for Fordham, including All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
pitcher Pete Harnisch
Pete Harnisch
Peter Thomas Harnisch is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher.-Baltimore Orioles:Harnisch studied accounting, and was a star pitcher at Fordham University, compiling a 21-3 college record, 2.29 earned run average and 213 strikeouts in 204 innings pitched...
and Baseball Hall of Famer Frankie Frisch
Frankie Frisch
Francis “Frankie” Frisch , nicknamed the "Fordham Flash" or "The Old Flash", was a German American Major League Baseball player of the early twentieth century....
. Frisch, a star athlete in four different sports at Fordham, was known as the "Fordham Flash". Steve Bellán
Steve Bellán
Estevan Enrique "Steve" Bellán , also known as Esteban, was a Cuban professional baseball player who played as a third baseman for six seasons in the United States , three in the National Association of Base Ball Players from 1868 to , and three in the National Association of Professional Base...
, a Cuban who attended what was then St. John's College from 1863 to 1868, played in the major leagues, primarily as a third baseman, and was the first Latin American in professional baseball. Gil McDougald
Gil McDougald
Gilbert James McDougald was an American infielder who spent all ten seasons of his Major League Baseball career with the New York Yankees from 1951 to 1960. He was a member of eight American League pennant winners and five World Series Champions. He was also the AL Rookie of the Year in 1951 and...
, who played for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, was a coach on the team. Announcer Vin Scully
Vin Scully
Vincent Edward Scully is an American sportscaster, known primarily as the play-by-play voice of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team on Prime Ticket, KCAL-TV and KABC radio...
, who played outfield at Fordham before achieving greater fame in the broadcast booth, hit one home run in his Fordham career, which included a game against George H.W. Bush who was playing for Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
.
In honor of the 150th anniversary of the team's first game, Fordham played Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
, which was also celebrating its sesquicentennial of baseball play. University President Joseph M. McShane, who had conceived of the anniversary game, threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the game. Williams had lost to Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
July 1, 1859 and considered the first college baseball game under the now defunct Massachusetts rules
The Massachusetts Game
The Massachusetts Game was a type of amateur club baseball popular in 19th century New England. It was an organized and codified version of local games called "base" or "round ball", and related to town ball and rounders. The Massachusetts Game is remembered as a rival of the New York Game of...
, losing 73-32.
Home field
The team plays home games at Jim Houlihan Park at Jack Coffey Field. Jack Coffey FieldCoffey Field
Jack Coffey Field is a 7,000-seat multi-purpose stadium in The Bronx, New York. It is home to the Fordham University Rams football team. The facility opened in 1930. The field is named for former Fordham baseball coach Jack Coffey. The facility also includes Houlihan Park, home of the Fordham...
, a multisport facility, is named after Jack Coffey, former athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
and baseball coach at the University. He amassed 817 wins as a baseball coach. Coffey is the only player to play with both Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
and Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
in the same season (1918 Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
and Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
). The baseball portion of the field was renamed "Houlihan Park" after renovations completed in 2005.