Bill Lucas (baseball)
Bill Lucas | |||||||
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MLB) with the Atlanta Braves from mid-September 1976 until his death in early May 1979. A member of the Braves' organization for 23 years, he was inducted into the Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame in 2006.
BiographyLucas was born in Denver Bears of the Pacific Coast League in 1963, and finished his minor league career with the Austin Senators of the Double-A Texas League in 1964.[1] Overall, Lucas played professionally for six seasons, batting .273 in 655 games.[1]
Lucas joined the Braves' front office in 1965, working in sales and promotions during the team's relocation to National League West Division, 30+1⁄2 games behind the division leader. Owner Ted Turner gave Lucas, whose official title was vice president of player personnel, all the duties of a general manager, while Turner kept the official title himself.[2]
With players like Dale Murphy coming up through Lucas' minor league system, and the selection of Bob Horner as the top pick in the 1978 MLB draft, the Braves began assembling the team that would win the 1982 division title. The job of rebuilding the Braves was compounded by Turner's tempestuous behavior. On May 11, 1977, the owner appointed himself the Braves' Hall of Famer, during contentious contract negotiations.[3]
On the evening of May 1, 1979, with the Braves on the road facing the cerebral hemorrhage. He died three days later without regaining consciousness at age 43.[4] At his passing, he was still the highest-ranking black executive in professional baseball.[4] Said Murphy at Lucas' funeral, "Bill's dream was for this organization to become a success. It is our sacred honor to be chosen to fulfill his dream."[3]
Lucas' widow, Rubye, later served on the board of directors of the Turner Broadcasting System and as president of the William D. Lucas Fund, which helps send young baseball players to college.[3] Lucas' sister, Barbara, was the former wife of Hall of Fame inductee Hank Aaron; the two were married from 1953 to 1971.[5] References
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