WORCESTER, Mass. — Larry Lucchino, the chairman of the Worcester Red Sox, has died at the age of 78. The team has confirmed he passed away peacefully early Tuesday morning. 

He had suffered from cancer, and survived three previous cancer scares.

Lucchino's family released a statement through the Red Sox reading in part, “We are heartbroken to share that our beloved brother and uncle, Lawrence Lucchino, passed away on April 2 surrounded by his family. The Lucchino family wishes to thank his friends and caregivers who, over the past few months, have surrounded him with love, laughter, and happy memories."

Lucchino had served as the president and CEO of the Boston Red Sox from 2002-2015, with the Sox winning three World Series in that time, before joining a group to buy the then-Pawtucket Red Sox. As the team's chairman and principal owner, he was a key player in moving the AAA affiliate to Worcester following the 2020 baseball season.

He retained his ownership stake in the team after Diamond Baseball Holdings became the new majority owner of the WooSox last December.

“He really fell in love with New England,” said Charles Steinberg, president of the Worcester Red Sox. “He adored Boston. He adored Worcester. He adored Fenway Park. He adored Polar Park. And I think he adored the glory of bringing so many world championships to the Red Sox organization. I think he really loved winning.”

Lucchino also served as chairman of the Jimmy Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

“He loved competition, but he was just as passionate about philanthropy and his work at Dana-Farber, which saved his life four times,” Steinberg said. “…Those meant as much to him as any aspect of his life.”

Before joining the Red Sox organization, Lucchino served as president of the Baltimore Orioles from 1988-1993 and president and CEO of the San Diego Padres from 1995-2001.

As Padres owner John Moores’ right-hand man, Lucchino led the push for Petco Park — another downtown ballpark — allowing the team to leave aging Qualcomm Stadium, which they shared with the NFL’s Chargers. The Padres ended ended a 14-year playoff drought by winning the NL West in 1996, and then won the NL pennant in 1998.

Lucchino’s next stop was in Boston, helping to assemble the new ownership group led by John Henry and Tom Werner that bought the franchise in 2002. Their decision to update Fenway Park rather than replace it — bucking another trend — preserved one of baseball’s jewels, which will open its 113th season on April 9.

But an even bigger overhaul was taking place in the Red Sox front office, and on the field. After hiring as general manager the 28-year-old Theo Epstein — who started with the Orioles as an intern and followed Lucchino to the Padres — the Red Sox ended an 86-year championship drought, vanquishing the archrival New York Yankees, whom he dubbed “the Evil Empire” along the way. They won two more World Series in his tenure as president before an aborted attempt to retire in 2015.

Lucchino was said to be unique in his possession of five World Series rings — having collected another with the Orioles in 1983 — a Super Bowl ring from Washington in '83 and a Final Four watch. He was also active in helping Major League Baseball spread internationally, taking trips to China and Japan and as an early supporter of the World Baseball Classic.

Later in life, Lucchino’s passion for bringing baseball to Worcester marked yet another chapter in his versatile career. In interviews, he said he was gratified to see how well the city had embraced the WooSox and baseball in general. 

Worcester native Rich Gedman, a former Red Sox player and current hitting coach for the WooSox, will always remember Lucchino’s dedication to bring Worcester a team. 

“His ability to find a way to make things work, coming here, taking a city that wanted to find a way to have baseball, finding people in the community to make this beautiful ballpark, that was his niche, right?” Gedman said. “He had this way of bringing people together and certainly put things together that made a lot of memories for a lot of people.”

In February, Lucchino spoke at a press conference announcing a community partnership between the Worcester Red Sox and the Worcester Bravehearts.

"This is good not only for the WooSox and the Bravehearts, it's good for the community," said Lucchino at the February 29 press event. "That's why we're so excited for it. Unified community baseball is what Worcester should be all about."

The Worcester Red Sox also announced last month Lucchino would be part of its inaugural hall of fame class.

“Larry’s career unfolded like a playbook of triumphs, marked by transformative moments that reshaped ballpark design, enhanced the fan experience, and engineered the ideal conditions for championships wherever his path led him, and especially in Boston,” said Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry. “Yet, perhaps his most enduring legacy lies in the remarkable people he helped assemble at the Red Sox, all of whom are a testament to his training, wisdom, and mentorship. Many of them continue to shape the organization today, carrying forward the same vigor, vitality, and cherished sayings that were hallmarks of Larry’s personality."

“To us, Larry was an exceptional person who combined a Hall of Fame life as a Major League Baseball executive with his passion for helping those people most in need,” Lucchino’s family said in a statement. “He brought the same passion, tenacity, and probing intelligence to all his endeavors, and his achievements speak for themselves.”

“Larry Lucchino was one of the most accomplished executives that our industry has ever had," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. "He was deeply driven, he understood baseball’s place in our communities, and he had a keen eye for executive talent.”