List of people from Bridgeport, Connecticut
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
People associated with Bridgeport, Connecticut who achieved great public distinction, listed in the category for which they are best known:
Contents |
[edit] Military
- William Hincks, Medal of Honor recipient
- John Mackenzie, Medal of Honor recipient
- Henry A. Mucci, led the raid that rescued survivors of the Bataan Death March in World War II
[edit] Government service
- Robert De Forest, Mayor, Congressman
- Robert A. Hurley (1895-1968), Connecticut Governor (first Roman Catholic to hold that office in Connecticut)[1]
- Samuel Simmons, Congressman
- James Coughlin Shannon, (1896-1980) Connecticut Governor[2]
- Christopher Shays, Fourth District Congressman
[edit] Entertainers, artists, writers
- P.T. Barnum, circus owner, entrepreneur and mayor of Bridgeport
- Art Baron, jazz trombonist
- Richard Belzer, actor and comedian who once worked as a reporter for The Connecticut Post
- Al Capp, cartoonist famous for comic strip of Li'l Abner[3]
- Adrianna Caselotti, the voice of Snow White
- Joseph Celli, oboist
- Bob Crane, actor made famous by his lead role in Hogan's Heroes was a radio host WICC-AM in Bridgeport from 1950 to 1955.
- Vernon Dalhart, singer, songwriter
- Brian Dennehy, actor
- "Superman" Jay Harrison, his brother, "Shockin'" Shaun Harrison, and cousin Jacques "Jock" Harrison, all from Bridgeport, formed Skinny Boys, a popular, early Rap group in the 1980s, and the first in the state.
- Johnny Ice, professional wrestler
- Arline Judge, actress
- Walt Kelly, cartoonist
- Jin Hi Kim, geomungo player and composer
- John Mayer, singer-songwriter born in Bridgeport, and largely grew up in neighboring Fairfield
- Robert Mitchum, actor
- Tony Musante, actor
- Kevin Nealon, comedian and actor
- John Ratzenberger, entertainer
- Tom Thumb, circus midget
- Vinnie Vincent, guitarist (KISS)
- Deborah Walley, actress
- Michael Jai White, actor
[edit] Inventors and scientists
- Louis Latimer, Inventer
- Charles F. Ritchel, inventor
- Gustave Whitehead, inventor
[edit] Business people
- Fred DeLuca, Subway founder who grew up in Bridgeport[4]
- Edwin H. Land, scientist and Polaroid Corporation founder
[edit] Other
- Edward Cardinal Egan, former Roman Catholic bishop of Bridgeport, now heads the Archdiocese of New York
- Alfred Fones, dental hygienist pioneer
- Roy Neuberger, art collector and donor
- Chris Gill, sailor and publisher
- Joseph Celli, oboist
- Jin Hi Kim, Korean-born komungo player and composer
- Alicia Calaway, T.V Reality Show star. Appeared on Survivor: Australian Outback, and also, Survivor: All-Stars
[edit] Athletes
[edit] Baseball players
These baseball players were born in or lived in the city:[5]
- Howard Francis Baker, Major League baseball player with Chicago White Sox, New York Giants and Cleveland
- Cornelius "Neal" Ball, credited with the first unassisted triple play in the major leagues
- George Bryant, MLB player, played for Detroit Wolverines
- George James Curry, Major League baseball player born in the city also known as Soldier Boy
- George "Kiddo" Davis, who in the 1933 World Series against the Washington Nationals, had 7 hits in 19 at bats, and batted .368, helping the New York Giants win the championship
- Rob Dibble, or Robert Keith Dibble (Nasty Boy or Officer) graduated from Florida Southern College drafted by Cincinnati Reds in the first round as the 20th pick of 1983 draft, pitched for Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers for seven seasons total
- Angel Echevarria, or Angel Santos Echevarria graduated from Rutgers University drafted by Colorado Rockies in seventeenth round of 1992 draft, played in National League for Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, and Chicago Cubs for a total of seven seasons. Echevarria also signed with the hometown Bluefish at the beginning of the 2006 season.
- Ray Keating, or Raymond Herbert Keating nicknamed Ray graduated from Niagara University pitching for the New York Highlanders, New York Yankees, and Boston Braves in the MLB
- Kurt Kepshire, or Kurt David Kepshire graduated from the University of New Haven, drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in twenty-fifth round of 1979 draft pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals for three seasons
- Billy Lush, or William Lucas Lush a major-league baseball player for seven seasons playing for Washington Senators, Boston Beaneaters, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Naps
- Ernie Lush, or Ernest Benjamin Lush a major-league baseball player Bridgeport native graduating from Niagara University and Villanova University played a single year in the MLB with the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League
- Charles Nagy, MLB pitcher, drafted in 1988 in the first round, as the seventeenth pick, pitched 13 seasons for Cleveland Indians and one for the San Diego Padres for a total of 14 in the MLB. Nagy grew up in the neighboring town of Fairfield, Connecticut.
- Phillip Nastu, or simply Phil graduated from the University of Bridgeport, and was signed by the San Francisco Giants to pitch as a free agent in 1976 for a total of three seasons
- Tricky Nichols, or Frederick C. Nichols pitched in the MLB for the Boston Red Caps, St. Louis Brown Stockings, Providence Grays, Worcester Ruby Legs and Baltimore Orioles for five years total in the MLB
- John W. O' Rourke, was an outfielder in the MLB for two years on the Boston Red Caps, and also played first base with the New York Metropolitans especially centerfield for three years total in the MLB
- Jim O'Rourke, (James Henry O'Rourke) the first player to be credited with a hit and single in a professional baseball game
- Queenie O' Rourke, or James Stephen O' Rourke, a Bridgeport native who graduated from College of Holy Cross and Yale University played a year for the New York Highlanders baseball team.
- John Paul Papa, graduated from the University of Bridgeport pitching two years in the MLB for the Baltimore Orioles
- Mike Pasquella, or Michael John Pasquella (Toney) graduated from Villanova University played for major-league baseball teams Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals
- John 'Pretzel' Pezzullo, pitched two years i the MLB for the Philadelphia Phillies
- Ed Rowen, played rightfield, catcher, shortstop, and third base for the Boston Red Caps, and played catcher, outfield, second base, and third base for the Philadelphia Athletics over three years in the MLB
- Dan Shannon, or Daniel Webster Shannon played second base for the Louisville Colonels, second base for the Philadelphia Quakers, second base and shortstop for the New York Giants, as well as second base and shortstop for the Washington Senators over three years in the MLB
- Johnny Tillman, or John Lawrence Tillman (Ducky) pitched for the St. Louis Browns in American League
- Edward David Wojna, or simply Ed Wojna graduated from Indian River Junior College drafted in the 1980 draft in the fifth round as the 76th pick pitching three years for the San Diego Padres and one year for the Cleveland Indians
[edit] Basketball players
- John Bagley, went to Warren Harding High in bridgeport, graduating from Boston College, drafted into the NBA in 1982 in the 1st round and 12th pick into the round by the Cleveland Cavaaliersplaying for eleven seasons in the NBA
- Manute Bol, professional basketball player drafted to NBA in 1983 in round five and 1985 in round two, playing nine years in NBA. A Dinka tribesman from Sudan, Bol played College Basketball at the University of Bridgeport for one year before getting drafted in the NBA.
- Jack Kvancz, Basketball player
- Wes Matthews, went to Harding High in Bridgeport, graduating from Wisconsin College, played in NBA for Washington Bullets, Atlanta Hawks twice in career, Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio, and Los Angeles Lakers drafted to NBA in 1980 in the first round
- Frank Oleynick, native of Bridgeport nicknamed "Magic" went to Notre Dame for high school in Bridgeport, played two years for NBA in Seattle after graduating from Seattle University drafted in 1975 draft in round one
[edit] Other athletes
- Joseph Booth, Pro Soccer Hall of Famer
- Victor K. Ross, Lacrosse Hall of Famer; graduate of Bridgeport High School, Syracuse University, and Syracuse Law School
- Sidney Wood, tennis player who won at Wimbledon in 1931 and made it to the Davis Cup finals in 1934.
[edit] See also
- List of people from Greenwich, Connecticut
- List of people from Norwalk, Connecticut
- List of people from Ridgefield, Connecticut
- List of people from Redding, Connecticut
- List of people from Stamford, Connecticut
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ [1] "Robert A. Hurley" Web page at Bridgeport Central High School Web site, accessed August 13, 2006
- ^ [2] "James Coughlin Shannon" Web page at Bridgeport Central High School Web site, accessed August 13, 2006
- ^ [3] "Al Capp" Web page at Web site of Bridgeport Central High School, accessed August 13, 2006
- ^ [4]"Fred DeLuca" Web page at Bridgeport Central High School Web site, accessed August 13, 2006
- ^ [5] The apparent source for many of these items is the "Major League Baseball Players born or raised in Bridgeport" page at the "Central High School" Web site, accessed August 13, 2006
