Henry Lucas (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Henry Victor Lucas was a baseball executive in the late 19th century.
He was one of seven children of James H. Lucas who each of whom inherited a million dollars at his death in 1873. In 1884, the 26-year-old Henry Lucas became president of the Union Association
, though he clearly stacked the league in favor of his St. Louis Maroons. When the league folded at the end of 1884, Lucas arranged for his team to enter the National League
at a cost of $2,500.
The team struggled in the NL and Lucas's brief baseball involvement ended when the Maroons folded after the 1886 season. Writer David Nemec said that "during the next few years he turned up at a ballpark or otherwise hinted that he might like to return to the game" but he had to settle instead for employment as a railway clerk with the Vandalia Railroad
.
He died in 1910 of heart disease at the age of 52.
He was one of seven children of James H. Lucas who each of whom inherited a million dollars at his death in 1873. In 1884, the 26-year-old Henry Lucas became president of the Union Association
Union Association
The Union Association was a league in Major League Baseball which lasted for only one season in 1884. St. Louis won the pennant and joined the National League the following season...
, though he clearly stacked the league in favor of his St. Louis Maroons. When the league folded at the end of 1884, Lucas arranged for his team to enter the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
at a cost of $2,500.
The team struggled in the NL and Lucas's brief baseball involvement ended when the Maroons folded after the 1886 season. Writer David Nemec said that "during the next few years he turned up at a ballpark or otherwise hinted that he might like to return to the game" but he had to settle instead for employment as a railway clerk with the Vandalia Railroad
Vandalia Railroad (1983)
The Vandalia Railroad is a shortline railroad subsidiary of Pioneer Railcorp, providing local service from a CSX Transportation connection in Vandalia, Illinois. The line part of the original main line of the Illinois Central Railroad, completed in the 1850s between Cairo and Galena...
.
He died in 1910 of heart disease at the age of 52.
Sources
- The Beer and Whisky League by David Nemec
- baseball-reference.com