(Boston) Larry Lucchino, pioneer of the comeback of retro-style baseball stadiums and mastermind of the transformation of the Boston Red Sox from perennial losers to World Series champions, has died at the age of 78.
Lucchino was suffering from cancer. The Worcester Red Sox, AAA farm club and last project of his career punctuated by stops in three MLB franchises and another in the NFL, confirmed his death Tuesday.
The Pittsburgh native studied law at Yale University before finding work with the office of Washington lawyer Edward Bennett Williams. Soon, Lucchino was assigned to his sports teams, the Washington Redskins and the Baltimore Orioles.
Lucchino worked his way up to become president of the Orioles. It was under his leadership that the team replaced Memorial Stadium with its retro stadium downtown, putting an end to the cavernous stadium fashion all built to the same profile and surrounded by parking lots. Camden Yards became the benchmark, paving the way at all stages thereafter.
He found himself in the same situation with the San Diego Padres when they moved to Petco Park while he was their president and CEO.
Lucchino’s next stop was with the Red Sox, joining new owners John Henry and Tom Werner in 2002. Their decision to revamp Fenway Park instead of replacing it –– thus ending another trend – allowed us to preserve one of the jewels of baseball, where a 113e MLB season starting April 9.
Greater reform was carried out in the Red Sox offices and on the field. With the hiring of a 28-year-old general manager in Theo Epstein, who launched his career as an Orioles intern before following Lucchino to San Diego, the Red Sox ended their historic 86-year championship drought in 2004, before getting his hands on a second World Series three years later.