Harvey School Baseball Team Honors Coach Lopez

BEDFORD, NY — Members of the Harvey School’s varsity baseball team made the hour drive to Bridgeport Friday night, May 19, to join in the honoring of their coach on “Luis Lopez Night” at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard, the home of the Bridgeport Bluefish, a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball

Lopez, Harvey’s assistant varsity baseball coach for the last two seasons, was invited back by his former team for the unveiling of his retired uniform number #19 posted on the stadium’s outfield wall. A former major league player with the Toronto Blue Jays and Montreal Expos, Lopez retired from professional baseball in 2014, spending the last seven years of his 20-year playing career as a Bluefish. He holds all-time Bluefish records in games played, at bats, hits, extra-base hits, walks, doubles and runs batted in.

Harvey’s head coach Mike Rubenfeld, several of his players and their parents were in attendance to see Lopez’ mother and his wife unveil his retired number on the wall and to see him throw the ceremonial first pitch.

Coach Rubenfeld said the group from Harvey wanted to be there to support coach Lopez. “We are proud of his accomplishments and happy that we could be there with him on his special night in Bridgeport,” said coach Rubenfeld. “Luis has given so much to the game of baseball and we are proud and lucky to have him a part of the Harvey community,” he added.

A star player at Coastal Carolina University and member of the school’s Baseball Hall of Fame, Lopez began his professional career in 1995 after signing as an undrafted player in the Montreal Expos organization. The Brooklyn native played at every level of the minor leagues, from independent rookie league ball in Ogden, Utah, to single-A in several small towns and cities, to AAA in Edmonton, Alberta, in Canada. In addition to playing 52 games in his major-league career, Lopez has also played professionally in Japan and Mexico.

Lopez, who serves as coach Rubenfeld’s special instructional assistant, will don his Bluefish uniform one more time this summer when the Bridgeport team hosts a special seven-inning exhibition ‘20th Anniversary Legends Game’ Saturday, August 5. The game will feature former Bluefish players versus former MLB players who have spent time with the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees or the New York Mets. The Bluefish legends will suit up against former major leaguers Dwight Gooden, Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, Jeff Nelson, Bill “Spaceman” Lee, Keith Foulke and Carlos Baerga.

Photo caption: Former major leaguer Luis Lopez, instructional assistant to Harvey's varsity baseball team, goes into the stands at Bridgeport's Bluefish Stadium Friday. May 19, to visit with head coach Mike Rubenfeld (left) and several of the team's players who attended the minor league team's ceremony honoring Lopez as the team's all-time leader in games played, at bats, extra-base hits, total hits, walks, doubles and runs batted in. Photo credit: The Harvey School.