WORCESTER – Larry Lucchino, chairman of the Worcester Red Sox, a former president and CEO of the Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, and Baltimore Orioles, passed away Tuesday morning at the age of 78.
The Lucchino family issued the following statement:
“We are heartbroken to share that our beloved brother and uncle, Lawrence Lucchino, passed away on April 2 surrounded by his family The Lucchino family wishes to thank his friends and caregivers who, over the past few months, have surrounded him with love, laughter, and happy memories.
Lucchino was inducted as an inaugural member of the Worcester Red Sox hall of fame in March. He was also inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in May 2012, the National Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame and the Taylor Allderdice High School Hall of Fame in November 2013, the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in May 2016, and the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame in July 2022.
The Boston Red Sox issued the following statement:
“We are heartbroken to share that our beloved brother and uncle, Lawrence Lucchino, passed away on April 2 surrounded by his family. The Lucchino family wishes to thank his friends and caregivers who, over the past few months, have surrounded him with love, laughter, and happy memories.
“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. Taking charge of building Baltimore’s Orioles Park at Camden Yards, San Diego’s Petco Park, and Polar Park for the Worcester Red Sox, as well as his role in the Boston Red Sox’s “reversing the curse” by winning the 2004 World Series, 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.”
Credited with a visionary approach to building ballparks, he was the driving force behind Polar Park and San Diego’s Petco Park. The Boston Red Sox and others say his vision for Oriole Park at Camden Yards, in Baltimore, was influential in the current era of ballpark architecture and design, which played a role in the resurgence of the game since the early 1990s.
“Larry Lucchino was one of the most accomplished executives that our industry has ever had.” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. “He was deeply driven, he understood baseball’s place in our communities, and he had a keen eye for executive talent.
Throughout his career, Lucchino earned five World Series rings (Orioles, 1983; Red Sox, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2018), a Super Bowl ring (Redskins, 1983), and a Final Four watch (Princeton, 1965).
Lucchino earned a law degree from Yale Law School and during his law career worked on the House Judiciary Committee, aiding its investigation into the Watergate scandal. He later became general counsel to the Washington Redskins and a member of its Board of Directors from 1979-1985.
Lucchino entered baseball as the vice president and general counsel of the Baltimore Orioles, and served as tema president and co-owner from 1989 until the team was sold in 1993. In December 1994 he was a partner in the purchase of the San Diego Padres, where he served as president and CEO through 2001.
After joining the Boston Red Sox in 2002 as team president and CEO, the team won three World Series. He remained in that role until 2015.
In 2015, Lucchino was a partner in the purchase of the Pawtucket Red Sox, moving the team to Worcester after the 2020 season. The Worcester Red Sox were sold in December 2023, but Lucchino remained chairman of the team.
Lucchino is survived by his brother the Honorable Frank J. Lucchino (Bobbie), a nephew F.J. Lucchino (Jane) and a niece Jennifer Lucchino (Freddie Croce), of Pittsburgh, PA, as well as a younger nephew David L. Lucchino (Carrie Beth), who lives in Boston, MA. He also is survived by seven grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Larry Lucchino Family Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284, or online.
Image credit: “Larry Lucchino” by Victoria Welch is licensed under CC BY 2.0
