Irish Whales

They were known as such because of their athletic prowess, physical size, voracious appetites, and their impact on a generation of sports fans.

The Irish Whales included; John Flanagan, Simon Gillis, James Mitchell, Pat McDonald, Paddy Ryan, Martin Sheridan, Matt McGrath and Con Walsh.

What Sheridan lacked in girth, he made up for with his appetite and athletic accomplishments, nine Olympic medals in all.

"[2] While it is not entirely clear when this moniker came into use, and was likely not used in the face of any of these giant men, it seems to have first appeared in print in 1937 in John Kieran's New York Times column, "Sports of the Times", written by John Drebinger (who was substituting for Kieran).

Another tale of the Irish Whales' voracious appetites came from Arthur Daly's typewriter twenty-two years later.

The Irish American A.C. was competing in Baltimore when (Simon) Gillis placed an order for a post-meet snack with the head waiter at a local restaurant.

He turned pale as he watched three whales devour 27 dozen oysters and six huge T-bone steaks.

Irish Whales : John Flanagan and Martin Sheridan of the Irish American Athletic Club , with fellow Irishman James Mitchell of the New York Athletic Club at the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis, Missouri.
Simon Gillis in 1912.
Paddy Ryan at the 1920 Games.
Irish Whales: Pat McDonald and Matt McGrath of the Irish American Athletic Club , posing for a 1912 U.S. Olympic team photo.