John Fitzpatrick '73

One can certainly call John Fitzpatrick’s athletic choices diverse. He was one of three brothers to play baseball for 2018 Fairfield Prep Athletic Hall of Famer Ed Rowe and usually got in shape for that by hitting the slopes in the winter.

For as competent as he was in baseball – playing third base and hitting .333 in 1973 – he had few equals in skiing. Although it had just gotten off the ground as a varsity sport in the early 1970s, Fitzpatrick did his best to make it successful. 

As a slalom racer, Fitzpatrick was Prep’s top skier all four seasons and consistently was its best finisher in team events. He was second in the state championships as a freshman, fourth as a sophomore and third as a senior. The only time he did not finish in the top five was in his junior season, when he fell during his first run but had the fastest run of the day on his second.

Fitzpatrick was named co-captain in his junior and senior years and finished both regular seasons undefeated.

After graduating from the University of Vermont in 1977, Fitzpatrick became a ski instructor but did race professionally for two years part-time. He raced with club leagues in the late 1980s and early 1990s, winning American Ski Racing Alliance (ASRA) championships four times. 

Fitzpatrick is currently a radiologist with a practice in Pennsylvania.