Lorinda de Roulet

Lorinda "Linda" de Roulet (née Payson; born 1931/32) 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.

Lorinda de Roulet
Born
Lorinda Payson

1931/1932 (age 88–89)
OccupationPresident of the New York Mets (1975–1980)
President of the Patrina Foundation
Known forPhilanthropy
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1951; died 1974)​
Children3
Parent(s)Joan Whitney Payson
Charles Shipman Payson

Early life

Lorinda 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. Though christened "Lorinda", she prefers to be referred to as "Linda".[1]

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]

Career

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 a Major League baseball franchise.[3] She succeeded M. Donald Grant as chairman of the board when he was forced out in 1978.[3]

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.[4] De Roulet remains a fan of the team, attending games after the sale.[5]

Personal life

In 1951, she married Vincent de Roulet.[6] Her husband owned a printing business, and died in 1974.[7] The couple had three children:

  • Whitney de Roulet, who married Clark Lewis Bullock.[8][9]
  • Bebe de Roulet
  • Daniel de Roulet, who worked in the Mets' front office during de Roulet's presidency.[3]

De Roulet lives in Manhasset, New York.[10][11]

Philanthropy

De Roulet founded the Patrina Foundation,[7] which supports education and social services for women.[10] 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]

References
  1. St. Petersburg Times - Google News Archive Search
  2. St. Joseph News-Press - Google News Archive Search
  3. The Madison Courier - Google News Archive Search
  4. Durso, Joseph (January 26, 1980). "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 July 11, 2012. (subscription required)
  5. Star-News - Google News Archive Search
  6. 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)
  7. RITA REIFPublished: September 8, 1989 (September 8, 1989). "A Rose-Period Picasso Is to Be Auctioned - New York Times". Nytimes.com. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  8. Times, Special To The New York (December 18, 1977). "Clark Bullock, Miss de Roulet Are Betrothed". The New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  9. Times, Special To The New York (May 21, 1978). "Whitney de Roulet Married". The New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  10. "Alexandra Bullock, Matthew Olsen". The New York Times. August 15, 2009. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  11. Solnik, Claude. "Daniel de Roulet takes seat as NS-LIJ chairman". Long Island Business News. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
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