Brother Jasper of Mary, FSC (July 1, 1829 – April 4, 1895) was an American baseball coach and administrator at Manhattan College.
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 1, 1829 County Kilkenny, Ireland |
| Died | April 9, 1895 (aged 65) New York, New York, U.S. |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1863–1894 | Manhattan |
Early life
editJasper was born Joseph Brennan on July 1, 1829, in County Kilkenny, Ireland. He moved to St. Louis and attended the Academy of the Christian Brothers. He became a member of the De La Salle Brothers on November 1, 1851, and took the name Brother Jasper of Mary.[1]
Manhattan College
editIn 1861, Jasper became prefect of students at Manhattan College. He was also the school's athletic director, resident student adviser, and chief disciplinarian.[1] He founded Manhattan's first band, orchestra, glee club and several literary clubs, and in 1863, started the school's first baseball team.[2][1] Manhattan College's athletic teams were called the Jaspers in honor of Brother Jasper. In 1926, the school formally adopted the nickname.[3] In 1882, during the seventh inning of a game against the New York Metropolitans, Jasper instructed restless students to stand and stretch until play resumed. Although it is not the only origin story for the seventh-inning stretch, former National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum curator Ted Spencer said that it was the one with the "most substance [and] is the one best documented".[4] Jasper died of "congestion of the lung" on April 9, 1895, and was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Queens.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Caldwell, Dave (March 19, 2014). "Manhattan College Basketball Team Nickname Stirs Mystery; Jaspers' Origins Explored as Team Prepares for NCAA Tournament". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ "Who is Brother Jasper?". Manhattan College. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
- ^ "Nickname for Manhattan". The New York Times. May 12, 1895.
- ^ "Baseball Ritual Has Local Roots". The New York Times. October 4, 1884.