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Harry Weichsel Tennis Court Dedication

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In 1988 a Bridgeport Businessman was active among the upper East Main Street business community. At the time his new effort was to teach children of Bridgeport how to play a game that until then was inaccessible to them, tennis. So, he got some well meaning people to join him to raise money to teach more than 500 children tennis. He got donations of tennis racquets for the children. For a few years he and his instructors taught children all over Bridgeport from Newfield Park on the East End to Black Rock, to Central HS and wherever there were tennis courts. He then created a relationship with the Ct tennis open and every year he would take children to watch professionals play in New Haven and the kids competed admirably against other cities.

He was born in Germany to a Christian father and a Jewish Mother. But as Hitler started murdering Jews his mother had to leave his father and 8 year old Harry and his mom escaped in 1941, leaving the rest of his family behind. They were all murdered. His mother remarried here, and his parents worked in Bridgeport factories until she started a business going all through Bridgeport neighborhoods, Father Panik Village, and the West Side selling clothes and makeup out of a truck. Eventually they opened Fashion Showcase on East Main Street and passed it on to Harry who flourished. That’s when he decided to share of himself to the children of Bridgeport. Later in life he dedicated his time to speaking about his Holocaust experiences in the hopes of breaking the cycle of violence everywhere. This documentary My Friend Harry, tells you more about him. Here is the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A6r22xX0Dk&t=1s

In the end as he got too old to care for himself his family took him to a senior care facility in New Jersey but that didn’t sit well with Harry who wanted to return to his beloved Bridgeport. They brought him back and he was able to spend his last month’s here until he died last month.

Harry's friends will be asking the Park’s department to name the Glenwood Park Tennis Courts after him and dedicate it with a plaque. Please endorse this effort for a worthy Bridgeporter who loved his hometown and lived that way. Thank you for your time. Above is a picture of Harry in Wetter, Germany with the Mayor where he returned to spread peace and forgiveness.

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