Dear Friends,
Larry Lucchino passed away this morning at 1 AM. This man was a giant whose impact on baseball, city stadiums, and the Red Sox role with philanthropy, was immense. I am sure you will all be reading the plaudits and obituaries that will be available shortly. But in PMC world, there are few, if any, whose role allowed for such an oversized impact. Larry spoke at PMC Opening Ceremonies in 1995 (when he was with the San Diego Padres) and recognized the PMC’s potential immediately. When the Henry, Werner, Lucchino troika bought the team in 2002, Larry arranged for me to meet with John and Tom. My pitch was essentially: “The PMC is doing $15 million without you… imagine what we could raise with you.” Larry secured the sponsorship.
In 2003, the PMC signed a 3-year, $2.1 million sponsorship deal with the Red Sox. It was transformative – not just the money – but it being the first time – ever – a crown jewel sports franchise in the USA underwrote a bike event. Not a hospital, a bike event! Larry made that happen and the rest is history. He was smart, tough, fun, and deeply heartfelt. He had every reason to be, as a cancer survivor treated at Dana-Farber by PMC’s own Lee Nadler (who introduced the two of us). Larry always understood his obligation, and opportunity, to forward cancer research and treatment, given his Red Sox position and, soon thereafter, the Chairman of the Jimmy Fund as well as the co-chair of an earlier capital campaign (with current DFCI Chairman Josh Bekenstein). We were all the beneficiaries: from the Red Sox championships to a future filled with increasing hope for anybody receiving a cancer diagnosis. Larry was at the forefront of that battle as well. He will be terribly missed.
Billy Starr
Founder & Executive Director
