The Leader

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One Saturday afternoon after St. Patrick's Day, two teams met in Glendale's Kletzsch Park to kick off this year's hurling season. Friends, families and non-active team members stood to the side, huddled against the cool pre-spring chill. With sudsy bottles of Guinness and Harp's Lager clutched in their gloved hands, they squinted against the glaring sun. A sharp crack broke the silence and a "sliotar" arced high against the blue, cloudless sky and two teams of men waved their hurleys in chase. This particular weekend was even more special for the Milwaukee hurlers: a "professional" team from Dublin, Ireland had come across the pond to take our boys on in a friendly pre-season exhibition game.

"Hurling is kind of like field hockey, lacrosse and soccer combined," said Karen Fink, administrative coordinator for the Milwaukee Hurling Club. "The 'sliotar' is the ball used in the game; it's about the same size as a baseball but with the seams on the outside. The hurlers use their hurley (the underfed grandfather of the cricket bat and golf club) to hit the sliotar off the ground into their hand, run three or four paces, and strike it into the goal for three points, or right over the goal for one point."

With a bit of practice, a hurler could run the entire length of the field with the sliotar balanced on the broad end of their hurley.

Hurling originated in ancient Ireland as a game held by Celtic kings to train their warriors in proper battle techniques. It became Ireland's national sport in the early 1800s and is now taken up by their children much like ours will play baseball, soccer or football. Hurling came to the United States via Milwaukee only 11 years ago when some Wisconsinites visiting Ireland were inspired to learn how to play by the spectacle and excitement they saw on the field. The Milwaukee Hurling Club is the largest hurling organization in the United States with eight men's teams, a women's league known as Camogie and a youth league. Interest in hurling has since spread across the country.

As the game progressed from the first half to the second, it became abundantly clear the Dublin team had Milwaukee beat. Todd, a senior member with the Milwaukee club standing by the sidelines pointed out the differences between the American and Irish teams' techniques.

"We're more used to holding these things (hurleys) like we would a baseball bat," he said. "They've got theirs gripped in a kind of cross-hand, which gives them a lot more versatility and can go at the ball from different angles."

The Milwaukee team was able to score a few goals over Dublin, but it was more luck and the opponent's generosity that pulled them from the gutter. After scoring a goal, one green-garbed Dublin player hoisted his hurley high into the sky and belted a mighty roar to the spectators, much to their delight.

Even more amazing than the players' abilities was the unbelievable lack of injuries throughout the game. American and Irish players alike slipped and slid across the muddy field.

"We get stitches and broken bones just about every game," the club nurse said. "I'm just more concerned about twisted ankles with all the snow on the grass."

Helmets are required in the American leagues for obvious reasons, though oddly enough, four players on the Dublin team played the entire game completely exposed. A couple of years ago, one Milwaukee player was killed when struck by a mis-swung hurley.

"At least it's not a shutout," one woman said as the hurlers wrapped up their game.

"Nah," Todd said. "Just a good ol' fashioned ass kicking!"

Visit the Milwaukee Hurling Club online at www.hurling.net

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