Special From the Irish Echo (Rob Walsh)
Bronx, NY - I went up to Fordham University's beautiful Rose Hill campus on Easter Weekend to watch one of the longest standing college baseball rivalries between Fordham Rams and Manhattan College Jaspers.
It dates back to 1870 and games have been played all across the Bronx, including Yankee Stadium. This rivalry is known as the "Battle of the Bronx."
While sitting in the stands, I heard a young boy ask his father "What is a Jasper?"
I wanted to turn around and tell him all that knew about this unique college mascot nickname. The Jaspers comes from one of the college's most memorable leaders, Brother Jasper of Mary, F.S.C.
A native of Ireland, Brother Jasper of Mary came to Manhattan College in 1861 and brought the then little-known sport of baseball to the college as the team's first athletic director and baseball coach.
During a warm and humid game against the Metropolitans, a semi-pro baseball team, Brother Jasper noticed the students becoming restless.
As his team came to bat in the seventh inning, Brother Jasper called time and had the students stand up and stretch.
Pleased with the results, Brother Jasper continued this practice wherever they played.
The college went on to annually play exhibition games against the New York Giants in the late 1880s and into the 1890s at the old Polo Grounds.
And the practice of the "seventh inning stretch" became a time-honored custom in major league baseball.
The Manhattan Jaspers, one of the oldest baseball program in the country, is today led by Coach
Mike Cole.
For the entire article please CLICK
HERE
