Bridgeport Bluefish

Atlantic League (1998-2017)

Background

The Bridgeport Bluefish were enjoyed a 20-year run in the Atlantic League, the top independent pro baseball league in the United States, between 1998 and 2017. The arrival of the Bluefish in 1998 and the concurrent opening of the $19 million Ballpark at Harbor Yard on an abandoned industrial brownfield was a center piece of public/private efforts to revitalize downtown Bridgeport in the late 1990’s.

The Bluefish were a box office hit in their early years, drawing over 300,000 fans per summer to Harbor Yard in 1998 and 1999. The ‘Fish were also consistently strong on the field, appearing in the Atlantic League championship series three times in the league’s first five season. They won their first and only title in 1999, defeating the Somerset Patriots three games to one in a best-of-five series.

On June 17, 2012 the Bluefish became the first Atlantic League club to earn 1,000 victories with a 2-1 win over the York (PA) Revolution.³Borges, David. “Minor Leagues: Bluefish will leave lots of memories.” The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT). August 12, 2017

Name Players

The Atlantic League was known as a second/last chance league for ex-Major Leaguers or “Quadruple A” players who couldn’t translate minor league potential to a Major League job. Over the years the Bluefish signed a handful of former Major League stars for late career encores at Harbor Yard, including:

• Former All-Star infielder and two-time World Series champion Mariano Duncan (Bluefish ’99)
• Two-time All-Star second baseman Jose Offerman (Bridgeport ’03)
• Former New York Mets All-Star infielder Edgardo Alfonzo (Bridgeport ’06)
• Ex-National League All-Star and 2001 World Series champion Junior Spivey (Bluefish ’07)
• 2000 National League saves leader Antonio Alfonseca (Bluefish ’10-’11)
• Two-time American League All-Star third baseman Shea Hillenbrand (Bluefish ’12)

Alone among these players, Jose Offerman used his time in Bridgeport to as a springboard back to the Major Leagues. After hitting .295 in 98 games for the ‘Fish in 2003, Offerman spent all of 2004 and 2005 back in the big leagues.

But Offerman was also involved in the ugliest incident in Bluefish history. By 2007, Offerman was back in the Atlantic League with the rival Long Island Ducks. During a Bluefish-Ducks game at Harbor Yard on August 14, 2007, Bridgeport pitcher Matt Beech struck Offerman in the calf with a pitch. Offerman charged the mound, brandishing his bat at Beech and Bluefish catcher John Nathans and touching off a bench-clearing brawl. Offerman broke Beech’s finger and Nathans suffered a career-ending concussion. The assault cost Offerman two years of probation and, years later, a $940,000 civil judgment in favor of Nathans in 2014.

Another entry in the lowlights file: outfield Alex Cole (Bluefish ’99-’01). The former Indians, Rockies & Twins speedster was arrested at Harbor Yard prior to a game in August 2001 on federal drug charges. He later was sentenced to 18 months in prison and never played baseball again.

Overfished

While early rivals like the Long Island Ducks and Somerset Patriots remained reliable box office attractions into their second decades, the novelty eventually wore off in Bridgeport. Original lead owner Mickey Herbert sold the team to his partners after the team’s eight season in 2005, citing $4.5 million in losses.⁴Puleo, Tom. “Bridgeport Has Moment In The Sun.” The Courant (Hartford, CT). March 26, 2006

In 2008 the last of the team’s original founders, husband and wife Jack McGregor and Mary-Jane Foster, left the scene. They handed the team over to Long Island Ducks owner and Atlantic League founder Frank Boulton, who propped up the ‘Fish for their final decade. By 2011, Bridgeport’s attendance had dropped by half from it’s late 1990’s peak and the team routinely finished at the bottom of league attendance charts.

In August 2017, Bridgeport city officials declined to renew the Bluefish’s lease at Harbor Yard. Instead they announced plans to redevelop the 19-year old ballpark into a concert amphitheater. The Bluefish folded after 20 seasons of play. As of this writing the amphitheatre has yet to open due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The demise of the Bluefish left the Somerset Patriots as the last of the original six Atlantic League franchises still in business.

Bridgeport Bluefish Shop

Bridgeport Baseball (Images of Baseball)
by Michael J. Bielawa

Bridgeport Bluefish Video

September 17, 2017 WTNH Channel 8 news feature on the final game of the Bridgeport Bluefish.

Downloads

7-20-2001 Bluefish vs. Nashua Pride Fish Facts Game Notes

Links

Atlantic League Media Guides

Atlantic League Programs

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