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A fund-raiser for a statue for James O'Rourke, a Bridgeport native who got the first hit in the National League and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, will be held Tuesday, June 22. The Blue Martini Lounge at the Holiday Inn, 1070 Main Street in Bridgeport, will host the event. Tickets are $20 and it runs from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Proceeds from this event go toward raising the life-sized bronze O'Rourke statue that will stand at the entrance to the Ballpark at HarborYard. This statue embodies the dreams and accomplishments of an immigrant family, the value of education and a lifetime dedicated to athletics. Future events will focus on starting a James O'Rourke scholarship fund for Bridgeport students.
O'Rourke graduated from Yale Law School, and was an early force in the fight for civil rights. "Orator Jim", his baseball nickname, was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945. He played for 23 seasons in the Major Leagues beginning in 1872.
Tickets are available from the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, 10 Middle Street in Bridgeport and Take Time Café, 211 State St., also in Bridgeport. Contact 203-263-3734 for more information.
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