John Henry(VII)
- Executive
John W. Henry became a multi-millionaire in commodities trading, but is
best known for his ventures into ownership of Major League Baseball
franchises. Henry originally owned a minor league franchise in the late
1980s, but broke into MLB by purchasing a share of ownership of the New
York Yankees in 1991. In 1999, Henry became the sole owner of the
Florida Marlins, a team which he owned for three years before selling
off to Jeffrey Loria, who in 2002 was divesting himself of ownership of
the Montreal Expos (now known as the Washington Nationals).
In 2002, Henry put together a team headed up by himself and California
media magnate Tom Werner, and several minor partners which included
former Senator George Mitchell (D-Maine), to attempt to purchase the
Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox were at the time owned by the JRY
Corporation, the continuation of ownership by the Yawkey family since
1933, when Thomas Yawkey purchased the Red Sox. John Harrington was the
trustee of the JRY Corporation at the time and served as the top
figurehead for the Red Sox organization. In a business deal which
seemed to be rigged by MLB Commissioner Allan H. "Bud" Selig, Henry and
his group outbid concessions magnate Joe O'Donnell, Cablevision head
Charles Dolan and other groups and purchased the Red Sox for just under
$700 million. The ownership group took command of the Red Sox just
prior to the 2003 season.
Under Henry's leadership, the Red Sox have turned into a very
fan-friendly baseball organization, with the clear intent on catering
as much as possible to one of the most rabid baseball fan bases in the
nation. Much of this reaching out to the fans might be in the form of
appeasement in return for very high ticket prices, but the Red Sox do
come off these days as a very likeable organization. Werner has led a
television revolution with his development of NESN, the cable TV
station of the Red Sox. Henry brought in Larry Lucchino to run the
day-to-day operations, and Lucchino has responded with numerous
renovation projects on Fenway Park, lavish ceremonies when needed, and
good baseball people to keep the talent level at its peak.
Henry's management team reached the apex of the sport in October of
2004. The Red Sox became the first team in MLB history to win a playoff
series after having trailed 3 games to none at one point, turning the
tables on the New York Yankees in seven games to reach the 2004 World
Series. And in that World Series, the Red Sox won their first world
championship since 1918 with a four-game sweep over the Cardinals. The
World Series win cemented Henry's legacy in Boston sports lore, and
validated his ownership group's great work in such a short amount of
time. Henry and the Red Sox won a second World Series championship in
2007, defeating the Colorado Rockies in a four-game sweep. The Red Sox
are the only MLB franchise to win multiple World Series titles in the
new millennium.
Henry is often seen in the company of New England Patriots owner Robert
Kraft, who himself is the preeminent owner in the NFL. It is believed
that Henry used the Patriots as a model for rebuilding the Red Sox, and
the two men remain good friends to the present day.
best known for his ventures into ownership of Major League Baseball
franchises. Henry originally owned a minor league franchise in the late
1980s, but broke into MLB by purchasing a share of ownership of the New
York Yankees in 1991. In 1999, Henry became the sole owner of the
Florida Marlins, a team which he owned for three years before selling
off to Jeffrey Loria, who in 2002 was divesting himself of ownership of
the Montreal Expos (now known as the Washington Nationals).
In 2002, Henry put together a team headed up by himself and California
media magnate Tom Werner, and several minor partners which included
former Senator George Mitchell (D-Maine), to attempt to purchase the
Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox were at the time owned by the JRY
Corporation, the continuation of ownership by the Yawkey family since
1933, when Thomas Yawkey purchased the Red Sox. John Harrington was the
trustee of the JRY Corporation at the time and served as the top
figurehead for the Red Sox organization. In a business deal which
seemed to be rigged by MLB Commissioner Allan H. "Bud" Selig, Henry and
his group outbid concessions magnate Joe O'Donnell, Cablevision head
Charles Dolan and other groups and purchased the Red Sox for just under
$700 million. The ownership group took command of the Red Sox just
prior to the 2003 season.
Under Henry's leadership, the Red Sox have turned into a very
fan-friendly baseball organization, with the clear intent on catering
as much as possible to one of the most rabid baseball fan bases in the
nation. Much of this reaching out to the fans might be in the form of
appeasement in return for very high ticket prices, but the Red Sox do
come off these days as a very likeable organization. Werner has led a
television revolution with his development of NESN, the cable TV
station of the Red Sox. Henry brought in Larry Lucchino to run the
day-to-day operations, and Lucchino has responded with numerous
renovation projects on Fenway Park, lavish ceremonies when needed, and
good baseball people to keep the talent level at its peak.
Henry's management team reached the apex of the sport in October of
2004. The Red Sox became the first team in MLB history to win a playoff
series after having trailed 3 games to none at one point, turning the
tables on the New York Yankees in seven games to reach the 2004 World
Series. And in that World Series, the Red Sox won their first world
championship since 1918 with a four-game sweep over the Cardinals. The
World Series win cemented Henry's legacy in Boston sports lore, and
validated his ownership group's great work in such a short amount of
time. Henry and the Red Sox won a second World Series championship in
2007, defeating the Colorado Rockies in a four-game sweep. The Red Sox
are the only MLB franchise to win multiple World Series titles in the
new millennium.
Henry is often seen in the company of New England Patriots owner Robert
Kraft, who himself is the preeminent owner in the NFL. It is believed
that Henry used the Patriots as a model for rebuilding the Red Sox, and
the two men remain good friends to the present day.