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Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston
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Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston
Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston (July 17, 1867 – March 29, 1938) was an American civil engineer and businessman. He co-owned the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball with Jacob Ruppert from 1915 to 1923, turning them from one of the worst franchises in baseball into a World Series contender.
A civil engineer by trade, Huston worked for Cincinnati's waterworks before forming a company of volunteer engineers in the Spanish–American War. He was commissioned as a captain, earning him the nickname "Cap". He stayed in Cuba after the war as a private contractor, rebuilding infrastructure in Cuba and earning his personal fortune. Returning to the United States, Huston partnered with Ruppert to buy the Yankees in 1915. Together, they used their wealth to acquire talented players who improved the team, including Babe Ruth.
Huston returned to the military during World War I, and was promoted to major and then to lieutenant colonel. Following a dispute, Huston sold his interests in the Yankees to Ruppert in 1923. He purchased the Butler Island Plantation, which had fallen into disrepair, and rebuilt it as a dairy and lettuce farm. Huston resided at the plantation until his death in 1938.
Huston was born in Buffalo, New York, on July 17, 1867, to a schoolteacher from Kentucky and a civil engineer from Ireland. He was one of seven children, and was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he attended public schools. Huston's father named him after two engineers who he admired, and trained him to be an engineer. They worked together on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, and the Cincinnati Southern Railway. In 1890, he returned to Cincinnati and became the assistant chief engineer of the Cincinnati Waterworks, earning $135 per month ($5,225 in current dollar terms).
When the Spanish–American War began, Huston organized a company of engineers with expertise in waterworks and masonry for service in Cuba. His company earned the authorization of the United States Department of War, and was joined to the Second Regiment of the United States Volunteer Engineers under the command of Colonel Willard Young. Huston was commissioned as a captain, and was given charge of engineers during their training at Camp Meade. His company was integrated into the Second Army Corps and selected to go to Havana in December 1898. They took over maintenance of Havana's waterworks and also improved sanitation in leper colonies. Huston became an advisor to Leonard Wood, the military governor of Cuba.
In 1901, Huston resigned from the Army. He stayed in Havana, working as a private contractor, and made a personal fortune through government contracts. Huston worked with a company that was based in New York City, so he relocated his family there and visited frequently. He formed a partnership with Norman Davis, and they built highways, railroads, and buildings. In 1911, they were given the charge of dredging Cuban harbors, including Havana Harbor, Santiago Harbor, Cienfuegos Bay, and the Bay of Matanzas. The Congress of Cuba approved a USD$10 million contract ($345,535,714 in current dollar terms) for Huston's company, which was signed into law by José Miguel Gómez, the president of Cuba. His successor, Mario García Menocal, terminated the contract in 1913.
Huston was a baseball fan. He traveled back to the United States to see baseball games, and arranged for teams to visit Cuba for exhibition games. Huston became friends with John McGraw, the manager of the New York Giants of the National League, whom he met in 1911. Huston entered into a deal to buy the Chicago Cubs of the National League from Charles P. Taft in July 1914, in which McGraw would become a part-owner and manager. The deal fell through when Harry Hempstead refused to let McGraw out of his contract with the Giants. McGraw introduced Huston to Jacob Ruppert, a brewer who was also looking to purchase a baseball team. After meeting for thirty minutes at the Hotel Claridge, Huston and Ruppert entered into a partnership.
By the 1914 season, Frank J. Farrell and William Stephen Devery, the owners of the New York Yankees of the American League, were running out of money. The Yankees were not a competitive franchise on the field, and did not have their own stadium; they were tenants of the Giants at the Polo Grounds, paying $65,000 annually ($2,068,668 in current dollar terms) in rent. In December 1914, Huston and Ruppert entered into negotiations to buy the Yankees, and the deal was completed on January 30, 1915. They paid $463,000 ($14,735,280 in current dollar terms), each contributing half of the purchase price. Ruppert became team president, and Huston served as secretary and treasurer. Bill Donovan was hired to manage the team.
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Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston
Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston (July 17, 1867 – March 29, 1938) was an American civil engineer and businessman. He co-owned the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball with Jacob Ruppert from 1915 to 1923, turning them from one of the worst franchises in baseball into a World Series contender.
A civil engineer by trade, Huston worked for Cincinnati's waterworks before forming a company of volunteer engineers in the Spanish–American War. He was commissioned as a captain, earning him the nickname "Cap". He stayed in Cuba after the war as a private contractor, rebuilding infrastructure in Cuba and earning his personal fortune. Returning to the United States, Huston partnered with Ruppert to buy the Yankees in 1915. Together, they used their wealth to acquire talented players who improved the team, including Babe Ruth.
Huston returned to the military during World War I, and was promoted to major and then to lieutenant colonel. Following a dispute, Huston sold his interests in the Yankees to Ruppert in 1923. He purchased the Butler Island Plantation, which had fallen into disrepair, and rebuilt it as a dairy and lettuce farm. Huston resided at the plantation until his death in 1938.
Huston was born in Buffalo, New York, on July 17, 1867, to a schoolteacher from Kentucky and a civil engineer from Ireland. He was one of seven children, and was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he attended public schools. Huston's father named him after two engineers who he admired, and trained him to be an engineer. They worked together on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, and the Cincinnati Southern Railway. In 1890, he returned to Cincinnati and became the assistant chief engineer of the Cincinnati Waterworks, earning $135 per month ($5,225 in current dollar terms).
When the Spanish–American War began, Huston organized a company of engineers with expertise in waterworks and masonry for service in Cuba. His company earned the authorization of the United States Department of War, and was joined to the Second Regiment of the United States Volunteer Engineers under the command of Colonel Willard Young. Huston was commissioned as a captain, and was given charge of engineers during their training at Camp Meade. His company was integrated into the Second Army Corps and selected to go to Havana in December 1898. They took over maintenance of Havana's waterworks and also improved sanitation in leper colonies. Huston became an advisor to Leonard Wood, the military governor of Cuba.
In 1901, Huston resigned from the Army. He stayed in Havana, working as a private contractor, and made a personal fortune through government contracts. Huston worked with a company that was based in New York City, so he relocated his family there and visited frequently. He formed a partnership with Norman Davis, and they built highways, railroads, and buildings. In 1911, they were given the charge of dredging Cuban harbors, including Havana Harbor, Santiago Harbor, Cienfuegos Bay, and the Bay of Matanzas. The Congress of Cuba approved a USD$10 million contract ($345,535,714 in current dollar terms) for Huston's company, which was signed into law by José Miguel Gómez, the president of Cuba. His successor, Mario García Menocal, terminated the contract in 1913.
Huston was a baseball fan. He traveled back to the United States to see baseball games, and arranged for teams to visit Cuba for exhibition games. Huston became friends with John McGraw, the manager of the New York Giants of the National League, whom he met in 1911. Huston entered into a deal to buy the Chicago Cubs of the National League from Charles P. Taft in July 1914, in which McGraw would become a part-owner and manager. The deal fell through when Harry Hempstead refused to let McGraw out of his contract with the Giants. McGraw introduced Huston to Jacob Ruppert, a brewer who was also looking to purchase a baseball team. After meeting for thirty minutes at the Hotel Claridge, Huston and Ruppert entered into a partnership.
By the 1914 season, Frank J. Farrell and William Stephen Devery, the owners of the New York Yankees of the American League, were running out of money. The Yankees were not a competitive franchise on the field, and did not have their own stadium; they were tenants of the Giants at the Polo Grounds, paying $65,000 annually ($2,068,668 in current dollar terms) in rent. In December 1914, Huston and Ruppert entered into negotiations to buy the Yankees, and the deal was completed on January 30, 1915. They paid $463,000 ($14,735,280 in current dollar terms), each contributing half of the purchase price. Ruppert became team president, and Huston served as secretary and treasurer. Bill Donovan was hired to manage the team.
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