Bridgeport Bluefish
From Free net encyclopedia
| Bridgeport Bluefish | |
| [[Image:|left]] | |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Ballpark | The Ballpark at Harbor Yard |
| Based in | Bridgeport, Connecticut |
| Colors | navy blue and aqua |
| League | Atlantic League of Professional Baseball |
| Team Trainer | [[]] |
| General manager | [[]] |
| Owner | Get Hooked LLC |
The Bridgeport Bluefish is a professional baseball team in the independent Atlantic League, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut. (It is not part of the National Association, and is not affiliated with any Major League Baseball team.) The level of play is somewhere between AA and AAA Minor League baseball.
The team won their first league championship in 1999, and have won the most games in league history. Their stadium is called The Ballpark at Harbor Yard. The land under the stadium was purchased by the city of Bridgeport from Donald Trump for $1 and forgiveness of back taxes owed on the property. The Jenkins Valve plant was destroyed to make way for the stadium. The success of the Bluefish led to major redevelopment of the South End, including construction of the Arena at Harbor Yard and a multi-use parking garage. In many ways, the renaissance of Bridgeport was started by the Bluefish.
The team, and league, tend to attract life-long minor leaguers as well as the occasional major leaguer at the end of his career. Some of the marquee names who have sported Bluefish jerseys include Jose Offerman and Mariano Duncan. Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco and John Rocker have all played stints in the Atlantic League.
The original founders of the Bluefish were Mickey Herbert, Jack McGregor, Mary-Jane Foster, Bridgeport Waterfront Investors and Ken Paul. Herbert bought control prior to the 2000 season and anchored the team through a mayoral scandal and difficult financial circumstances. Prior to the 2006 season, the franchise was purchased by Get Hooked, LLC, a group of investors from Fairfield County (a group that includes McGregor and Foster). Charlie Dowd has served as General Manager since the team's inception.
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