Legendary College Baseball Coach Frank Vieira Dies At 91

NEW HAVEN, CT — Frank "Porky" Vieira, one of the most successful coaches in the history of collegiate athletics who amassed more than 1,100 victories in 44 seasons as head baseball coach at the University of New Haven, passed away Friday. He was 91.

The university's athletic department announced Vieira's death on its website, referring to him as "a towering figure in collegiate athletics and the heart and soul of University of New Haven baseball."

Nicknamed "Porky" due to his Portuguese ancestry and standing just 5-foot-6, Vieira was not "a towering figure" in the literal sense, but rather in the incredible talent he displayed in multiple sports, excelling on the diamond and hardcourt before launching his lengthy tenure in the Chargers' dugout.

At Bridgeport Central High School, he excelled in three sports - baseball, basketball and track - but shone most brightly on the court, where he was a 2-time All-State selection and made the All-New England team in 1951. He continued that success at Quinnipiac College, ranking second in the nation in scoring in 1954 and 1957. He averaged 32.8 points per game in his college career, second all-time among Division II players.

Following his playing days, he came to New Haven College in 1961 as an assistant basketball coach. A year later, he formed the first Chargers' baseball team, eventually sending 10 players to the major leagues, including 1987 National League Cy Young Award winner Steve Bedrosian.

From 1963 to 2004, his teams compiled 42 consecutive winning seasons, made 17 appearances in the College World Series, and finished as national runners-up in 1980 and 1989. He retired with a 1,127-324-6 record; 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 received countless accolades over the course of his distinguished tenure. The Chargers' baseball field was named in his honor in 1986, he was elected to the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021, and the inaugural Frank Vieira Endowed Scholarship was awarded last September. He was featured in a Sports Illustrated article in 1990, and received the prestigious Gold Key Award, one of the state's highest athletic honors, from the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance in 1978.

Dave Wallace, a former New Haven pitcher who was pitching coach with the World Series champion Boston Red Sox in 2004 and will receive the Gold Key this October, told Patch, "If you could play for Porky, then you could truly handle most anything. He absolutely made you compete."

Vieira made one of his last public appearances at the Gold Key Dinner last October, supporting his longtime friend, legendary sportscaster George Grande.

"I call him my angel because he is so giving," Vieira said of Grande. "When I was going through my hard times, he was calling me every day. I've known him since he was a kid, but I really classify him as a friend. I know the Lord must have sent him down to be my friend."

Grande told Patch, "Other than my mother and father, Coach V was the most impactful person in my life. From the first time I met him to the last day I held his hand. He taught us all how to "play the game the right way." That wasn’t just about baseball or sports in general; it was about how to live your life. He touched thousands with that message, and he taught us all to never give up and keep fighting, just like he did at the end of his time here. In this day and age of GOAT, it would be hard to find someone who has had a more impactful effect on Connecticut athletics. As an athlete, coach, mentor and leader, his impact has been immense. While the numbers are only a small part of it, they are undeniable. He taught us all how to win on the field and in life."

Raphael Cerrato, a member of the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame and now head coach at the University of Rhode Island, had the unenviable task of filling Vieira's shoes as the Chargers' new head coach upon the latter's retirement.

"I remember getting a phone call in the early summer of 2005 from a Connecticut number," he told Patch. "I was currently the top assistant at Brown University. I did not recognize the number, but I answered anyway. To my shock, he said it was Coach Vieira from UNH. Growing up in Connecticut, he was such a legend; I couldn't believe he was calling me. He said he was planning on retiring in the next year, and they were looking for his replacement. My name had come up a few times when he was asking around for the candidates. He asked if I was interested in coming down for an interview, and of course I said absolutely.

"The job was to be his associate head coach for one season and then hopefully take over for the fall of 2006. I was grateful to be offered the job and quickly accepted. I knew I could never be Coach V and it would be almost impossible to have the success he had, but I was confident of my ability to lead a college program and I knew that Coach V was going to support me. His support was even more than I imagined. He was an amazing mentor and friend during my time at UNH. He always had my back and I loved the man.

"There will never be another man and coach like V. He was so unique, and I feel grateful to have been able to spend so much time with him. I will miss him."

A memorial service will take place this summer at Frank Vieira Field.