Rain literally dampened the opening of the fifth annual Park City SportsFest in Bridgeport Saturday, and much later gusting winds threatened to blow over many of the SportsFest tents lining Main Street in front of the People's United Bank. But on the whole, the six-hour event delivered what it promised -- baseball in many forms.
Former major league pitchers Kurt Kepshire, Phil Nastu and Mike Porzio and former big league outfielder Angel Echevarria signed autographs (free) and chatted with youngsters and the young at heart. All four are products of local, or nearly local, diamonds: Kepshire developed his early pitching prowess at Bridgeport Central High School, and both Nastu and Echevarria were outstanding players at Bassick High School on the way up.
Porzio, who was raised in nearby Norwalk, graduated from Fairfield Prep but, for reasons unclear, was unable to make the Prep baseball team. Still, he went on to pitch well in the minor leagues and spent portions of three seasons with the Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies. He now owns a batting cage on Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield.
"It was good to be here for the youngsters, and to see some older fans as well," said Nastu, 55, a left-hander who pitched for the San Francisco Giants from 1978-1980. At his peak, he pitched a complete-game, five-hit, 8-1 victory over the Houston Astros, besting the Astros' ace, J.R. Richard. Kepshire, 50, a right-hander, contributed 10 wins to the St. Louis Cardinals' 1985 National League pennant-winners.
Directly across the street, on the bank's plaza, youngsters strained hard to throw strikes in a batting cage composed of balloons; it was called the Sports Arena. Several vendors dispensed hot dogs, soda and ice cream. Among the exhibits was the Bridgeport Library's tribute to the Park City's contribution to the Baseball Hall of Fame -- 19th century star "Orator" Jim O'Rourke. Historians Mike Bielawa and Bernie Crowley provided commentary at the booth.
On many occasions, fans who departed early from the Bridgeport Bluefish-Long Island Ducks Atlantic League game at Harbor Yard -- just a fungo hit or two away -- strolled by to sample the wares. SportsFest is sponsored by People's United Bank and organized by the Fairfield County Sports Commission.
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