Tom Yawkey

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Thomas Austin Yawkey, born Thomas Austin (February 21, 1903 - July 9, 1976), was an American industrialist and Major League Baseball executive. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Yawkey became president of the Boston Red Sox in 1933, and was the sole owner of the team for 44 seasons, longer than anyone in baseball history.

1 Successes with the Red Sox
2 Charges of racism
3 Legacy
4 References
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Successes with the Red Sox

He purchased a struggling team after the infamous Babe Ruth transaction, dedicating his time and finances for the rest of his life to building winning teams. His teams' best seasons occurred in 1946, 1967 and 1975 when the Red Sox captured the American League pennant, and then went on to lose each World Series in seven games against the St. Louis Cardinals (1946, 1967) and Cincinnati Reds (1975).

[edit] Charges of racism

Yawkey has been accused of being a racist for his apparent reluctance to employ African American players with the Red Sox^[1], including passing on signing Willie Mays^[2] and Jackie Robinson^[3]. It was not until 1959 that the Red Sox became the last Major League team to field an African American player (Pumpsie Green), 12 years after Robinson's rookie season with the Brooklyn Dodgers (and almost three years after Robinson's retirement in 1956).

[edit] Legacy

Yawkey was a generous and popular man and proved a strong voice in major league councils. He also served as American League vice president between 1956 and 1973. He died in Boston at 73 years of age; his wife, Jean R. Yawkey, became president of the club following his death.

Tom Yawkey was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980.

[edit] References

^ Bryant, Howard. Shut Out: Race and Baseball in Boston, New York: Routledge, 2002
^ Halberstam, David. Summer of '49, New York: William Morrow and Company, 1989
^ Shaughnessy, Dan. The Curse of the Bambino, New York: Penguin Books, 1991