Henry Killilea

Henry James Killilea

• School University of Michigan

• Born June 30, 1863 in Poygan, WI USA
• Died January 23, 1929 in Milwaukee, WI USA

Biographical Information

Henry Killilea was a major figure in the early days of the American League as owner of the Boston Americans and one of the movers behind the staging of the first modern World Series in 1903.

The son of Irish immigrants, born in Wisconsin, Killilea grew up to become one of the most prominent lawyers in Milwaukee, WI. He played football and baseball while doing his law studies at the University of Michigan. It is claimed that he rejected an offer to pitch professionally. He continued to be interested in sports while his career was taking off and he invested in the minor league Milwaukee Brewers of the Western League, owned by Ban Johnson; his younger brother Matthew Killilea served as the team's President. Johnson would prove to be a crucial business connection.

When Johnson decided to turn the Western League into a major league circuit, starting with a change of name to "American League", after the 1899 season, it was at Killilea's house in Milwaukee that he, Charles Comiskey and Connie Mack drafted the documents that laid the ground work for the enterprise. Comiskey immediately worked to place a team in Chicago, IL - which would become the Chicago White Sox. After selling his interest in the Brewers to a group in St. Louis, MO, he invested in the fledgling Boston club of the new circuit in 1902, buying Charles Somers' shares for $60,000. Still based in Milwaukee, he retained Jimmy Collins as manager and gave him free reins to put together a winning ball club, while he also invested in the refurbishment of the Huntington Avenue Grounds, the team's ballpark at the time. His investment quickly proved excellent, as the club turned a $60,000 profit in 1902, thanks to a third-place finish, and he rejected an offer to sell it for $100,000.

A peace agreement was hammered out with the rival National League before the 1903 season. That year, the Bostons won their first American League pennant, and Killilea came to an agreement with Pittsburgh Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss to hold a best-of-nine championship series between the pennant winners form the two leagues. The 1903 World Series proved to be a tremendous success, with the Boston Americans coming out on top over the favorite Pirates, five games to three. However, Killilea was the target of criticism for raising ticket prices for the series, and contrary to Dreyfuss, taking a big cut of the profits for himself, resulting in the winning Boston players receiving a smaller share than the losing Pirates. In any case, Killilea was ready to sell the team at a handsome profit, and did so just before the start of the 1904 season, to John Irving Taylor. The selling price was rumored to be $135,000 - more than twice what Killilea had paid only two years earlier. And that was in addition to the large operating profit made over those two years.

After selling his baseball team, he returned to his business interests in Milwaukee, working for the Milwaukee Railroad as its chief solicitor. behind the scenes, though, he served as legal counsel to the National Commission, the executive authority over Major League Baseball at the time. he also did work for the American Association and the Eastern League. He also counselled Ban Johnson until his retirement in 1927. In this role, he helped settle a number of disputes between Johnson and Comiskey. He urged Johnson to retire when he was prepared to take on Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis in a power struggle in 1927, judging rightly that Johnson's health was too poor for the fight and would lead to an untimely grave.

After Otto Borchert, owner of the minor league Milwaukee Brewers died in 1927, Killilea purchased his shares for $228,000 early in 1928, ensuring the club's survival. However, Killilea fell into ill health and died only a year later. His funeral was attended by most of the baseball dignitaries of the time, including Commissioner Landis, the presidents of both major leagues and of the American Association, showing how universally liked and respected he was around baseball circles. His daughter Florence Killilea inherited the Brewers.

Related Sites

• Henry Killilea at the SABR Bio Project