By Tiffany Williams –
Red Sox Nation is in mourning as they remember Red Sox Hall of Famer and former President/CEO Larry Lucchino, who passed away early Tuesday morning at the age of 78. The news of Lucchino’s passing came just a few hours before the home opener of the Worcester Red Sox, a team that Lucchino chaired.
Lucchino had previously battled three different types of cancer, but the cause of his death has not yet been revealed. He was treated at the Dana-Farber Institute in the mid-1980s for non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and he also underwent treatment for prostate cancer in 1999 and kidney cancer in 2019.
Born in Pittsburgh on September 6, 1945, Lucchino was the son of Dominic, a bar owner who became a state court employee, and Rose, a secretary and accounting clerk. He graduated from Allderdice High School, where he was a second baseman on the team that won Pittsburgh’s high school baseball championship. He was also a member of the 1965 Princeton basketball team that reached the Final Four before receiving his J.D. from Yale Law School.
During his time at Yale, Lucchino was a classmate of Hillary Clinton, and both served as congressional staffers on the House committee that investigated the Watergate scandal.
After becoming a lawyer in Washington D.C., Lucchino worked at Williams & Connolly, a prominent law firm that had an ownership stake in both the Washington Redskins and the Baltimore Orioles. During his time at the firm, Lucchino played a key role on the board of directors for the Redskins, serving in this capacity from 1979 to 1985. He was intimately involved in many of the team’s most important decisions, including those related to player contracts, marketing strategy, and stadium development.
One of Lucchino’s most significant contributions to the Redskins’ success was during the team’s Super Bowl win in 1982. His colleagues and the wider sports community widely recognized and praised his contributions to the team’s success.
In 1988, Lucchino became the president of the Baltimore Orioles, and in 2002, he joined the Red Sox after spending seven years with the Padres. He retired from the club in 2015 after helping lead the franchise to championships in 2004, 2007, and 2013.
Red Sox President & CEO Sam Kennedy said, “There are so many of us who were given our start in baseball by Larry. He instilled in us, and so many others, a work ethic, passion, competitive fire that we will carry forever. His legacy is one that all of us who were taught by him feel a deep responsibility to uphold. When those he mentored moved on from the Red Sox, he would always say ‘we’ll leave a light on for you.’ The lights will always be on for you at Fenway Park, Larry. May you rest in peace.”
Lucchino’s family said, “To us, Larry was an exceptional person who combined a Hall of Fame life as a Major League Baseball executive with his passion for helping those people most in need. His contributions to building Baltimore’s Orioles Park at Camden Yards, San Diego’s Petco Park, and Polar Park for the Worcester Red Sox were exemplary accomplishments. Equally important to Larry was the establishment of a first-of-its-kind in professional sports “San Diego Padres Scholars” college scholarship program, co-founding the Boston Red Sox Foundation, and being Chairman of the Jimmy Fund, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s grassroots effort to help save lives and give hope to cancer patients everywhere. He brought the same passion, tenacity, and probing intelligence to all his endeavors, and his achievements speak for themselves.”
Lucchino’s legacy will always be remembered in Worcester, where he led the construction of Polar Park, a $90 million, 9,500-seat venue that serves as the home for the WooSox, the Red Sox’ Triple-A farm team. Worcester Mayor Joe Petty said, “He not only brought happiness to baseball fans across the country but optimism and hope to community members as co-founder of the Boston Red Sox Foundation and Chairman of the Jimmy Fund. He will be greatly missed by the Worcester community and forever remembered for his contribution to our city.”
“I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Larry Lucchino. He led an extraordinary life with remarkable accomplishments including leading the construction of Camden Yards, Petco Park, and our own Polar Park, which brought Triple-A baseball to Worcester and helped enhance an already thriving Canal District as a premiere destination in the state. He not only brought happiness to baseball fans across the country but optimism and hope to community members as co-founder of the Boston Red Sox Foundation and Chairman of the Jimmy Fund. He will be greatly missed by the Worcester community and forever remembered for his contribution to our city.”
President/ Founder of 508 Forever Young Inc and NewsTalk New England Board Member, Woodrow Adams Jr. said, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to have met Larry Lucchino and will keep his family in my prayers during this difficult time.”
Jose Antonio Rivera, Boxing Champion, President/CEO of Rivera Promotions Entertainment and NTNE Board Member, said “My condolences goes out to the Worcester Red Sox organization and to the friends and family of Larry Lucchino. I could not help but be struck by the timing of his passing, coming as it did on Opening Day for the team he helped bring to the City of Worcester. I have no doubt he was cheering on the WooSox from first pitch to last, and I know he will forever be with them. Worcester is a better place for Mr. Lucchino’s vision, and for the hard work of all those involved in building Polar Park. It truly is a field of dreams that will build memories for families and their children for generations to come. Mr. Lucchino is forever linked to baseball and he will forever be linked to Worcester and never forgotten.”
Lucchino is the only person to have a Super Bowl ring, a World Series ring, and an NCAA Final Four watch.