5 Super Athletes With Ties To Essex-Chester-Deep River

Sports have a way of teaching invaluable life lessons — building character, fostering teamwork and strengthening the bonds within a community. In the Essex-Chester-Deep River area, these values have shaped some truly remarkable athletes from different eras, whose accomplishments continue to inspire.

Patch has teamed up with T-Mobile to spotlight five standout athletes whose achievements have left a lasting mark on our community. While this list is just a snapshot, there are countless others who have helped shape the rich sports culture in our area.

1. Paul Hopkins (Baseball)

Chester native Paul Hopkins made history in his major league debut on September 29, 1927, pitching for the Washington Senators against Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees. Ruth's 59th home run off Hopkins solidified his place in baseball lore. Hopkins faced six future Hall of Famers during his brief MLB career, including Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx. After his playing days, Hopkins returned to Deep River, becoming a respected community figure and local baseball hero until his passing in 2004.

2. Margaret Bennett (Figure Skating)

Margaret Bennett was a figure skater who hailed from Minneapolis, but eventually called Chester her home. She represented the United States at the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, competing in figure skating singles. A two-time U.S. Championships medalist, Bennett transitioned to ice shows after her competitive career. She later settled in Chester, where she worked as a hospital administrator before her passing.

3. Brian Dayett (Baseball)

Brian Dayett, born in New London and raised in Deep River, played five seasons in Major League Baseball with the Yankees and Cubs before joining Japan’s Nippon-Ham Fighters. Known for his power hitting, Dayett earned Southern League MVP honors during his minor league career. Deep River honored him by naming the town’s Little League program after him in 2011.

4. Natalie Matarazzo (Obstacle Course Runner)

Natalie Matarazzo turned personal tragedy into triumph after a 2020 car accident left her with a spinal cord injury. She has since become an advocate for adaptive sports and was named the 2023 Featured Adaptive Athlete at the Gaylord Gauntlet 5K. The event, held annually at Gaylord Hospital, features 24 challenging obstacles, including rocks, walls, mud, rope swings and a water slide, and raises funds for the state’s largest adaptive sports program.

5. Liam Corrigan (Rowing)

Liam Corrigan, a native of nearby Old Lyme, is an Olympian-level rower. He achieved Olympic glory at the 2024 Paris Games, winning gold in the coxless men’s four. Previously, he represented the United States in the 2020 Olympics and competed in the renowned Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race.

This content is brought to our community in partnership with T-Mobile.