Major League Baseball is mourning the loss of Lorinda “Linda” de Roulet, a pioneering figure in professional baseball and former owner and president of the New York Mets. De Roulet passed away on October 26 at the age of 95, though the news was not made public until Friday night.
Jay Horwitz, the team’s historian, confirmed her passing and noted that de Roulet was the daughter of Joan Whitney Payson-the Mets’ first owner-and businessman Charles Shipman Payson.
Joan Payson made history as the first woman to purchase majority control of a major U.S. sports franchise, serving as president of the Mets beginning in 1962.
When de Roulet assumed control of the team in 1975, she inherited a franchise lacking star power, operating on limited funds, and with only two playoff appearances in its history.
What was Linda de Roulet’s cause of death?
Neither the de Roulet family nor the Mets have disclosed Lorinda’s cause of her death. However, Horwitz shared a message on behalf of the team: “We extend our condolences to the de Roulet family upon the death of Lorinda ‘Linda’ Payson de Roulet.”
De Roulet became the first woman to oversee the day-to-day operations of a Major League Baseball team. “After the death of her mother in 1975 and until the club was sold to Doubleday & Company in 1980, Linda… served as team president and later chairwoman of the board,” Horwitz noted.
In a 1978 interview with The New York Times, de Roulet reflected on her unexpected leadership role: “I guess I thought my mother would keep running things, and my husband was interested too,” she recalled.
The de Roulet Era at the Mets
M. Donald Grant’s tenure as Chairman of the Board was widely regarded as disastrous. During his 17 years with the team, the Mets posted only six winning seasons.
Even Grant’s ousting in 1978-prompted by shareholder pressure-failed to reverse the team’s fortunes. Under de Roulet’s leadership, the Mets finished the 1978 season with a 66-96 record and followed with a 63-99 record in 1979.
Although the franchise was sold to Doubleday & Company in 1980, it took six more years for the Mets to capture a World Series title. Since then, the team has become a regular playoff contender and a fixture in MLB history.
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