James Henry O'Rourke, known as 'Orator Jim,' was the Bridgeport-born son of Irish immigrants who became a professional baseball player, scholar, and civil rights activist. He had the first base hit in National League history on April 22, 1876, and played for eight different major league teams over 23 seasons. While playing for the New York Giants, the team paid for him to attend Yale Law School, where he received his law degree in 1887. Known for his command of language, he used his eloquence to entertain teammates and confound opponents. In 1895, he helped organize the Connecticut State League, and he owned, managed, and caught for several local teams, hiring Harry Herbert, Bridgeport's first African-American resident, to play professional baseball. In 1898, he built the minor league stadium Newfield Park on his family's farmland in the city's East End, and the site remains in use as a city park. At age 54, he caught a complete game for the New York Giants, and he played his final professional game in New Haven at age 62. His brother and son also played major league baseball, and James H. O'Rourke was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.