Small, but mighty, tenacious, determined, Frank “Porky” Vieira was by comparison a mole hill who took on mountains, including the fabled Wilt Chamberlain, 5’6 versus 7’1. Face to waist in a basketball matchup in the Catskills, Vieira crawled through Wilt’s legs, snatched the ball for a layup.
“The crowd believed it was part of some act, but I thought Wilt was going to kill me,” Vieira recalled to Sports Illustrated back in the day.
Vieira passed away on Friday, according to an announcement by the University of New Haven where Vieira reached legendary status as baseball coach.
Vieira was a Portuguese kid from Bridgeport raised in The Hollow, attending Central High School.
Bridgeport has produced many outstanding athletes. Vieira might be the greatest.
Local sports historian Don Harrison chronicled Vieira in a book about Connecticut basketball legends.
Although standing just 5-foot-6, Vieira was a two-time All-State player at Bridgeport Central H.S., a guard who AVERAGED 32.8 ppg. across four seasons at then-tiny Quinnipiac College in the mid-1950s. He was so good, in fact, that he was selected to play in the annual East-West College All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden; alas, an injury incurred in a pre-game practice prevented him from suiting up.
Porky routinely scored 30 to 40 points a game in the semi-pro ranks, even against touring NBA teams, in the late 1950s and early ’60s. He connected on 30- to 35-foot set shots, hook shots from the dead corner, seemingly from anywhere.
Also an outstanding baseball player, Vieira went on to become the founding coach of the University of New Haven baseball program, winning more than 1,000 games and sending 50-plus players into the pros, including a Cy Young Award winner, Steve Bedrosian.
From University of New Haven
It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Coach Frank “Porky” Vieira, a towering figure in collegiate athletics and the heart and soul of University of New Haven baseball. Coach Vieira passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, leaving behind a legacy unmatched in the annals of the sport. Affectionately known as “Coach V,” Vieira led the New Haven baseball program for an extraordinary 44 seasons, retiring in 2006 with a staggering record of 1,127-324-6. He transformed a modest program into a national powerhouse, compiling 42 consecutive winning seasons from 1963 to 2004 and 44 winning seasons overall — a feat rarely seen at any level of sport. Under his guidance, the Chargers made 35 regional tournament appearances and reached the College World Series 17 times. Twice, in 1980 and 1989, they finished as national runners-up. His .776 career winning percentage ranked second among all NCAA Division II coaches at the time of his retirement and remains among the highest in college baseball history.
Vieira’s contributions went far beyond numbers. He was a teacher, a mentor, and a molder of men. More than 80 of his players went on to play professionally, including 10 who reached Major League Baseball. The NCAA record books, which mention “New Haven” nearly 50 times, and the 46 of his former student-athletes enshrined in the New Haven Athletics Hall of Fame, stand as enduring testaments to his leadership and legacy. His accolades were many — including multiple Coach of the Year honors and the prestigious “Gold Key” from the Connecticut Sports Writers Association —as well as being inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame, the New Haven Athletics Hall of Fame, and the Quinnipiac Athletics Hall of Fame, where he remains the men’s basketball program’s all-time leading scorer. Still, to Coach V, the real honor was seeing his players grow, succeed, and carry forward the values he instilled in them: discipline, dedication, and heart. Featured in publications such as Sports Illustrated, Coach Vieira was never one to seek the spotlight. He always said that a great coach is nothing without great players. Those who knew him understood that he was the constant, the compass, and the cornerstone of Charger baseball.
Coach Frank “Porky” Vieira was more than a coach. He was a legend, a pioneer, and a father figure to generations of student-athletes. His legacy lives on in every pitch thrown, every base run, and every young athlete who dares to dream.
He is survived by his family, his former players, his University of New Haven colleagues, and the countless lives he touched along the way. Rest easy, Coach V. Your innings may be over, but your impact will echo through the dugouts forever.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Frank “Porky” Vieira Scholarship Fund. There will be a memorial service held this summer at Frank Vieira Field at the University of New Haven. Details to follow.
