Kathleen McGillicuddy Kelly’s grandson carries on the baseball tradition.

 

For eighteen year old Brian Mack Poupore, baseball is in this young man’s blood. Brian is the eldest son of Barry and Kathy Kelly Poupore and the only son carrying his family baseball heritage in his middle name, Mack. He is the great, great, grandson of Cornelius McGillicuddy, better known as Connie Mack. Although he is a few generations removed from The Grand Old Man of Baseball, he has grown up with a fond appreciation for his namesake.

 

Brian is very close to his grandmother, Kathleen McGillicuddy Kelly. She has shared memories of her Grandfather throughout Brian’s upbringing so it is fitting that this young man grew up with a love of baseball that will now carry him through his college years. Brian will become a Jayhawk in the fall of 2011 and he will be playing baseball for the “University of Kansas”. True to his bloodline, Brian is currently playing baseball this summer for an Arizona team in the “Connie Mack League.”

 

Brian Mack Poupore was born in Scottsdale, AZ, in 1993. The family moved to Charleston, SC where he learned and played the game at age five progressing from T-ball to Little League. When he was ten, the family moved back to Scottsdale, AZ where he joined Little League. When the season was over, he was asked to play on a club ball team. He wanted to play baseball anytime he had the chance.

 

Brian was an outstanding two-sport athlete at Notre Dame Preparatory High School in north Scottsdale, excelling in football and baseball. When college recruiters took notice, Brian was unclear as to which sport may open the door for college. Brian’s heart is in baseball and when the KU Jayhawk coaches asked him to play baseball, it was an easy decision for him, because KU was his first choice for colleges.

 

Brian’s Grandmother, Kathleen McGillicuddy Kelly got a chance to sit down with him and talk about his love of the game and his plans for the future. Capturing Brian for an interview is not an easy task. When he’s not at the gym working out, he is either at baseball practice or playing in the “Connie Mack” summer league baseball games.

 

Kathleen: “Can you believe how this has turned out? Here you are named after our Grandfather and now you’re going to be playing College baseball.”

 

Brian: “Yes, it’s amazing and hard to believe.”

 

Kathleen: “Why did you choose baseball over football for your college sports career?”

 

Brian: “I’ve been playing baseball my whole life. I love the game and it is my favorite sport.”

 

Kathleen: “Can I take credit for some of your baseball career? We did go to Cooperstown, NY when you were 12, and you played baseball at the “Cooperstown Dreams Park”. You stayed in dormitories on the campus and played baseball every

day for a week. You were playing with the Scottsdale Bulldogs and met boys from all over the country. Your team made it to the sweet 16 out of 80 teams.”

 

Brian: “Yes, Grandma. I remember it well, because I hit a three run homer and my brother Jack retrieved the ball as a souvenir. You took us to the Baseball Hall of Fame Museum to see memorabilia of our Grandfather and many famous baseball greats. While there, we were taken to the basement archives and I was allowed to hold one of Babe Ruth’s bats which was a huge thrill.”

 

Kathleen: “Do your current teammates of the Connie Mack League know that you are named after the man himself?”

 

Brian: “No.”

 

Kathleen: “What positions have you played and what is your favorite?”

 

Brian: “I have played every position since I started at age five. Centerfield is my favorite position.”

 

Kathleen: “Was it your batting skills or fielding that got you noticed by college scouts?”

 

Brian: “I believe it was both.”

 

Kathleen: “What is the strongest part of your game?”

 

Brian: “The ability to stay calm and collected in all aspects of the game.”

 

Kathleen: “What are some of the things you need to work on in order to compete on the next level?”

 

Brian: “Everything. It’s a whole new ballgame as a college freshman now and I need to work my way up. There is better talent and I need to earn my way.”

 

Kathleen: “Do you understand the influence that your great great grandfather had on the game?”

 

Brian: “I do and am learning more as I read books about him that you gave me.”

 

Kathleen: “Do you feel pressure by having the lineage to one of the most important men in the game or is that just history and you do your own thing? “

 

Brian: “It’s not the pressure. I want to use it as motivation to help me strive for excellence.

 

Kathleen: “What do you enjoy most about the game of baseball?”

 

Brian: “I love baseball in general and everything that comes with it. I also enjoy the camaraderie with my teammates.” Kathleen: “What do you enjoy the least?”

 

Brian: “Nothing”

 

Kathleen: “Are you nervous about playing in College?”

 

Brian: “I am more excited than anything and can hardly wait.”

 

Kathleen: “Would you like to play professionally or just see if it happens?”

 

Brian: “I would love to play, but am not counting on it as a career. It would be great if it did happen.”

 

Kathleen: “Moving from Arizona to Kansas is going to be a big change. How will you handle it?”

 

Brian: “As hard as it is to leave everything behind in Arizona, I feel I‘m ready to take the next step in growing up by moving on.”

 

Kathleen: “What will be your major in college and how will you balance baseball with academics?”

 

Brian: “Biology. By studying, and playing baseball, with good time management. In doing so, I plan to succeed in both aspects.”

 

We look forward to Kathleen updating us on Brian’s baseball career as it progresses through the years at the University of Kansas. Maybe, just maybe, someday, he’ll play for a major league team. But for now, in Kathleen’s eyes, he’ll always be in the big leagues.

 

Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society guest contributors:

Karen Siobhan Kelly, great granddaughter of Connie Mack, Kathleen McGillicuddy Kelly, granddaughter of Connie Mack