“I’ll take 19th Century Baseball for $200 Alex.”
“This Hall of Fame outfielder cracked the first hit in the National League, was nicknamed “Orator Jim” and built a house in Bridgeport Connecticut that’s still standing.”
If Jeopardy wants to use that one, they better hurry. Developers in Bridgeport have a bulldozer aimed at the property O’Rourke built in 1891. The Victorian house sits by itself on a patch of land on Steel Point Peninsula. Located on the east side of Bridgeport, the area is set for mixed-use development.
In an excellent article in this past Friday’s Washington Post, Les Carpenter details the story. A year after he hit .360 in the Players League, O’Rourke built the house. He lived there until he died in 1919.
Bernard Crowley, a long time SABR member and author of O’Rourke’s biography (SABR, Baseball’s First Stars), is working with Michael Bielawa to save the house. The two citizens of Bridgeport formed The First Hit, a non-profit organization “dedicated to preserving the memory of James H. O’Rourke, Bridgeport’s only Baseball Hall Of Fame member.” The website has information on the cause and contains Crowley’s excellent bio on O’Rourke.
O’Rourke was an excellent player with a 134 Adjusted OPS. He played for nine pennant winners, including the Giants in 1888 and 1889. In addition to his 2643 ML hits (this includes four seasons in the N.A.), he collected 1158 with Bridgeport of the Connecticut League for a total of 3801.
Thank you for mentioning my great grandfather. We will always be very proud of his legacy.
Posted by: cwc | April 25, 2006 at 08:32 AM
I just want to put out there that through the whole Barry steroid saga nobody has mentioned that the governor of Shallowfornia, Arnold, would be no one if he hadnt used steroids. They want to break Barry's balls about unproved abuse while the head of the state of Shallowfornia sits in his office as an admitted steroid and cocaine abuser. With out the "juice" he wouldnt have been a famous body builder. If he wasnt a known body builder then he wouldnt have been in the movies. If not for the fame of the movies then no governor job. What he be? An immigrant with a bad accent after 30+ years in country. But I guess thats not a big deal to Americans because Arnold is a "nice guy". I support Barry ad being the best ball player of my time and dare say of all time. He faced pitchers who were on the "juice" and sent them yard. Steroids is and has been a part of sports for sometime and I dont care. I like to be entertained by sports and 70 hr seasons and 300 pound line man that can out run people half their size do just that. So I say good luck to Mr. Bonds and the oppinions of all the people who have never hit a single major league hr matter not.
Posted by: Larry Parks | May 09, 2006 at 01:09 PM