Bridgeport Orators (baseball)
| Bridgeport Orators | |
|---|---|
| |
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Class | Independent (1885–1888, 1895–1896) Class F (1897–1901) Class D (1902–1904) Class B (1905–1918) Class A (1919–1932) |
| League | Southern New England League (1885) Eastern League (1885–1887) Connecticut State League (1888, 1895) Naugatuck Valley League (1896) Connecticut State League (1897–1912) Eastern Association (1913–1914) Eastern League (1916–1932) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Team | New York Giants (1932) |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (3) |
|
| Division titles (2) |
|
| Wild card berths (1) | 1930 |
| Team data | |
| Name | Bridgeport Giants (1885–1888)) Bridgeport Victors (1895–1896) Bridgeport Soubrettes (1897) Bridgeport Orators (1898–1912) Bridgeport Crossmen (1913–1914) Bridgeport Hustlers (1916) Bridgeport Americans (1917–1923) Bridgeport Bears (1924–1932) |
| Ballpark | Barnum Grounds (1885–1888, 1895–1897) Newfield Park (1898–1914, 1916–1932) |
The Bridgeport Orators were an early minor league baseball team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The Bridgeport "Orators" teams played from 1895 to 1912 as members of the Connecticut State League, with the 1896 Naugatuck Valley League season included, as the league remained intact but briefly changed names.
The team became known by the unique "Orators" nickname beginning in 1895, as that was the nickname of Bridgeport team owner and manager, Baseball Hall of Fame member Jim "The Orator" O'Rourke. O'Rourke also served simultaneously as the league president for numerous seasons.
Beginning with the 1895 Bridgeport Orators season, Bridgeport hosted a minor league team in every subsequent season through 1932, with the exception of the 1915 season that was interrupted by World War I. Aside from the Orators era, Bridgeport minor league teams played under various nicknames as members of the Southern New England League (1885), Eastern League (1885–1887), Connecticut State League (1888), Eastern Association (1913–1914) and Eastern League (1916–1932).
The early Bridgeport teams won three championships in 40 seasons of play, with Jim O'Rourke leading the Orators teams to Connecticut State League championships in the 1895, 1896 and 1904 seasons.
In 1903, Jim O'Rourke and his son Jimmy O'Rourke both played for the Bridgeport Orators and became the first known father and son to play together in a professional baseball game.
Baseball Hall of Fame member Ed Walsh managed the 1920 Bridgeport Bears and made the final professional appearances of his pitching career.
The early Bridgeport teams all hosted their home minor league games at the Barnum Grounds through 1897 on property owned by P.T. Barnum. In 1898, Bridgeport began play at Newfield Park, which was built by Jim O'Rourke on property that he owned. The site still hosts baseball today.
In their final season, the 1932 Bridgeport Bears were officially a minor league affiliate of the New York Giants.