Brian Kenny recently sat down for a virtual interview with Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame Founder Shaun Clancy. The interview covered a range of topics, including Ireland, boxing, and, of course, baseball!
Kenny, who is a 2024 Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, reflected on the close ties his Irish-American family had with their Irish roots in Roscommon and Fermanagh.
“I’ve grown to love Irish music. It’s funny, I probably rebelled against it when I was younger, but now I put it on and I just love it. It feels like it’s in my bones.”
Kenny also discussed his role as the MC at the Cooperstown Hall of Fame induction ceremony. He described the awe-inspiring moments of being in the presence of baseball greats like Brooks Robinson, Tom Seaver, and Hank Aaron. Kenny acknowledged the responsibility of giving each legend the attention and energy they deserve, recognizing the challenges they face in handling the constant demands of fans. He expressed admiration for those who handle it with grace and humility, emphasizing the importance of maintaining perspective and appreciating the impact they have had on fans’ lives.
“I consider that the greatest honor…to be the MC at Cooperstown…to see them all together is still awe-inspiring and it is a thrill…I’ve been lucky enough to been in a couple situations where you’re in a room with 25 Hall of Famers and you don’t know which way to look…it boggles the mind the things that I’ve seen…to meet the all-time greats and see them…it’s difficult to be them…it’s a responsibility that some are better at than others in carrying…some of the guys that we mentioned…that never had a false moment…that’s difficult to give everybody that energy and the time…it’s endless kind of and it’s difficult and so many of these men handle it so well, it’s admirable.” – Brian Kenny
Kenny also shared his thrilling experience of working on the set of Rocky Balboa and meeting the legendary Sylvester Stallone. Kenny provided valuable insights on how a fighter should make their entrance and suggested ideas to enhance the film. To his surprise, Stallone appreciated his input and implemented his suggestions. Kenny fondly recalls the experience and still watches the movie, proudly pointing out his cameo appearance.
“I can still remember going up to him like there’s just certain nuances of how a fighter made his entrance and what the fans would be saying and what my role was…I said, ‘I hope you don’t, you know, I don’t want to be presumptuous here Sly, but this is probably how it’s done, how you’d make your entrance and this is how you could probably do it, look good on the film I think.’ And he said, ‘No, I have you here because, you know, I know you know what you’re doing, you’re helpful,’ and he actually did it.”
The interview is also available on the Irish Baseball Podcast.
