Lorinda de Roulet
| Lorinda de Roulet | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Lorinda Payson 1931/1932 (age 83–84) |
| Residence | Manhasset, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation |
President of the Patrina Foundation Former president of the New York Mets (1975-1980) |
| Known for | Philanthropy |
| Spouse(s) | Vincent de Roulet (deceased) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) |
Joan Whitney Payson (deceased) Charles Shipman Payson (deceased) |
Lorinda "Linda" de Roulet (born 1931/1932) is an American philanthropist. She is the former president of the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. She served in the role from 1975 through 1980. She succeeded her mother, Joan Whitney Payson, in the role upon her death, and served as president until her family sold the team to Doubleday & Company.
Biography
De Roulet is the daughter of Joan Payson, the first owner of the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB), and Charles Shipman Payson. She graduated from Green Vale School in Glen Head, New York, and Ethel Walker School in Simsbury, Connecticut. She attended Wellesley College for three years.[1]
In 1975, following the death of her mother, de Roulet was elected team president of the Mets and named to its board of directors.[2] She became the first woman to direct the day-to-day operations of an MLB franchise.[3] She succeeded M. Donald Grant as chairman of the board when he was forced out in 1978.[3] During her presidency, she had the wooden seats at Shea Stadium removed and replaced by plastic seats.[4]
Charles Payson sold the franchise to Doubleday & Company in 1980. At the time of the sale, de Roulet was succeeded as president by Fred Wilpon.[5] De Roulet remains a fan of the team, attending games after the sale.[6]
De Roulet founded the Patrina Foundation,[7] which supports education and social services for women.[8] She serves on the board of governors of New York Hospital and North Shore University Hospital, on which she is vice chairman of the board of trustees.[7] She has sold artwork collected by her mother, including paintings by Picasso, donating the proceeds to charity.[7]
Though christened "Lorinda", she prefers to be referred to as "Linda".[1] De Roulet lives in Manhasset, New York.[8] She married Vincent de Roulet in 1951.[9] Her husband owned a printing business, and died in 1974.[7] The couple had three children, daughters Whitney and Bebe, and son Daniel, who worked in the Mets' front office during de Roulet's presidency.[3]
References
- 1 2 St. Petersburg Times - Google News Archive Search
- ↑ St. Joseph News-Press - Google News Archive Search
- 1 2 3 The Madison Courier - Google News Archive Search
- ↑ Price, Bill (2008-09-20). "Shea and Mets come alive in 1980s - Page 3 - New York Daily News". Articles.nydailynews.com. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
- ↑ Durso, Joseph (1980-01-26). "Mets' New Owners Pledge Resurgence - Wilpon Is President - No Game Plan New Owners of Mets Pledge Resurgence Rooting for Them - Article - NYTimes.com". Select.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-07-11. (subscription required)
- ↑ Star-News - Google News Archive Search
- 1 2 3 4 RITA REIFPublished: September 08, 1989 (1989-09-08). "A Rose-Period Picasso Is to Be Auctioned - New York Times". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
- 1 2 "Alexandra Bullock, Matthew Olsen". The New York Times. August 15, 2009. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
- ↑ Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES.Arthur Stettner (June 15, 1951). "VINCENT DE ROULET WEDS MISS PAYSON - Bride, Escorted by Father, is Attended by 7 at Ceremony in St. Mary's, Manhasset De Fries-Hubbell Ulmann-Solomon". The New York Times. Retrieved July 11, 2012. (subscription required)