Larry Lucchino was a baseball executive whose tenures as president of the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and San Diego Padres helped create two new “retro” stadiums and turned the Red Sox into a modern dynasty.
- Died: April 2, 2024 (Who else died on April 2?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 78.
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Larry Lucchino’s legacy
When Lucchino attended Princeton University, he played baseball with the Princeton Tigers. His love of the game would follow him the rest of his life. He earned his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School and practiced law in Washington D.C. Through his work at Williams & Connolly, he ended up on the board of directors of the Washington Redskins.
In 1988, Lucchino became president of the Baltimore Orioles. In that capacity, he spearheaded the construction of a new stadium, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, and in doing so helped kickstart a trend of “retro” urban stadiums throughout Major League Baseball. Camden Yards was widely praised as one of the best stadiums in the major leagues. When he went to San Diego to become president of the Padres in 1995, he led a similar effort there, resulting in Petco Park. He also helped rebuild the team, with two playoff appearances during his tenure.
In 2002, he became president of the Boston Red Sox, a position he held until 2015 and in which he made perhaps his most significant contribution to sports. There, he helped revitalize Fenway Park and once again make it one of the top stadiums in the country. He also helped build the team into a four-time World Series winner and one of the most dominant teams of the era.
Lucchino is in the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame, San Diego Padres Hall of Fame, Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, among others. He also has five World Series Rings (four with the Red Sox and one with the Orioles) and a Super Bowl Ring (with the 1982 Redskins).
Tributes to Larry Lucchino
Full obituary: The Boston Globe
