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Theo Nathaniel Epstein (born December 29, 1973) is an American Major League Baseball executive, who currently works for MLB as a consultant. He was the vice president and general manager for the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's ei ...
and then the president of baseball operations for the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
. He worked for each team for nine seasons. While working for both teams, Epstein became notable for helping to end two of the longest
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the Wor ...
droughts in the history of Major League Baseball. In
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
, the Red Sox won their first World Series championship in 86 years; in
2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh c ...
, the Cubs won their first World Series championship in 108 years.


Early life

Epstein was born to a secular Jewish family in New York City and raised in
Brookline, Massachusetts Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, in the United States, and part of the Boston metropolitan area. Brookline borders six of Boston's neighborhoods: Brighton, Allston, Fenway–Kenmore, Mission Hill, Jamaica Plain, and West ...
. He attended
Brookline High School Brookline High School is a four-year public high school in the town of Brookline, Massachusetts. It is a part of Public Schools of Brookline. The Headmaster is Anthony Meyer who holds a Master of Education in Teaching and Curriculum from Harvard ...
(a 1991 graduate), and played baseball for the Brookline High School Warriors, but dreamed of working for the Red Sox. Epstein attended Yale University, where he lived at Jonathan Edwards College. He served as sports editor of the '' Yale Daily News''. He graduated in 1995 with a degree in
American Studies American studies or American civilization is an interdisciplinary field of scholarship that examines American literature, history, society, and culture. It traditionally incorporates literary criticism, historiography and critical theory. Scho ...
. During his time as an undergraduate, he wrote letters to several teams expressing interest in working for them. His letter to the
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight char ...
reached team executive
Calvin Hill Calvin G. Hill (born January 2, 1947) is a retired American football player. He played running back in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons. Hill played for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Cleveland Browns. He also p ...
, a Yale alumnus and head of personnel, who invited him for an interview. Epstein interned for three consecutive summers for the Orioles.Fox, Nathan
"Prospectus Q&A: Theo Epstein, Part I"
''baseballprospectus.com'', February 9, 2004.
Eventually he was hired as the public relations assistant for the Orioles.


Career


San Diego Padres

Epstein then moved with Larry Lucchino to the San Diego Padres as director of player development. While working for the Padres, he also studied at the
University of San Diego School of Law The University of San Diego School of Law (USD Law) is the law school of the University of San Diego, a private Roman Catholic research university in San Diego, California. Founded in 1954, the law school has held ABA approval since 196 ...
and earned a Juris Doctor degree at Lucchino's suggestion. Epstein based his class selection on which professors seemed to be the most lenient with attendance policies given the Padres' often-late work hours. By studying law Epstein was invited to take part in high-level negotiations and discussions by then-GM Kevin Towers since few in the Padres' small operations division had a legal background to understand contract language. Epstein worked his way up to become the team's Director of Baseball Operations.


Boston Red Sox

After leaving the position as the Padres' President, Lucchino became
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
and
chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
(CEO) of the Red Sox on November 15, 2001 and hired Epstein to work under him. At the end of the 2002 season, Lucchino appointed Epstein to replace interim general manager (GM) Mike Port. Epstein is credited with initiating the trade of Nomar Garciaparra and making key contract acquisitions including those of
Bill Mueller William Richard Mueller ( ; born March 17, 1971) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB). Mueller's MLB playing career was spent with the San Francisco Giants (1996–2000, 2002), Chi ...
and
Curt Schilling Curtis Montague Schilling (born November 14, 1966) is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who is a commentator for conservative media outlet BlazeTV. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a World Series appearance ...
during his first tenure as Red Sox GM. Hohler, Bob
"Epstein was an old pro"
''boston.com''/
NESN New England Sports Network, popularly known as NESN , is an American regional sports cable and satellite television network owned by a joint venture of Fenway Sports Group (which owns a controlling 80% interest, and is the owner of Boston Red S ...
, October 29, 2004.
The new players were regarded as instrumental in breaking the so-called "
Curse of the Bambino The Curse of the Bambino was a superstitious sports curse in Major League Baseball (MLB) derived from the 86-year championship drought of the Boston Red Sox between and . The superstition was named after Babe Ruth, colloquially known as " T ...
" when the Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in the
2004 World Series The 2004 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2004 season. The 100th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Boston Red Sox and the National Leag ...
, their first championship since
1918 This year is noted for the end of the First World War, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, as well as for the Spanish flu pandemic that killed 50–100 million people worldwide. Events Below, the events ...
. On October 31, 2005, Epstein resigned, rejecting a three-year, $1.5-million-per-year contract for personal reasons. According to '' The Boston Globe'', "This is a job you have to give your whole heart and soul to", he said. "In the end, after a long period of reflection about myself and the program, I decided I could no longer put my whole heart and soul into it." Because it was Halloween the night he resigned from the Red Sox, Epstein left Fenway Park wearing a
gorilla suit Gorilla suits are a type of creature suit resembling a gorilla. The gorilla suit is a popular Halloween and costume party costume, and is also used as a source of humour, while more realistic suits have been used both to represent real gorillas i ...
in an attempt to avoid reporters. A witness reported spotting a person wearing a gorilla suit driving a Volvo similar to Epstein's that night. The suit was loaned to him and was later auctioned for $11,000. The money raised was given to
The Jimmy Fund The Jimmy Fund, established in Boston in 1948, is made up of community-based fundraising events and other programs that benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Since 1948, millions of people have given money to the Jimmy Fund to help save lives an ...
and the Foundation to be Named Later (FTBNL). Epstein remained in contact with the team's front office and in January 2006, he and Red Sox management announced he would return, resuming the title of general manager and add the title of executive vice president. The Red Sox went on to win the 2007 World Series, Epstein's second championship with Boston. In November 2007, Epstein announced, at the annual general manager meeting, that he had signed a new contract with the Red Sox but declined to disclose the terms of the deal.


Chicago Cubs

On October 12, 2011, Epstein agreed to a five-year contract worth $18.5 million with the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
. On October 19, 2011, it was reported that Epstein's official title with the Cubs would be President and that San Diego Padres general manager
Jed Hoyer Jed Hoyer (born December 7, 1973) is the president of baseball operations of the Chicago Cubs. He has been the general manager of the San Diego Padres and the assistant general manager of the Boston Red Sox. Early and personal life Hoyer was bor ...
would take the GM position with the Cubs. On October 23, 2011, he took out a full-page ad in '' The Boston Globe'', thanking Red Sox fans and the team's owners for their support. Two days later, the Cubs officially introduced Epstein as president of baseball operations. The Cubs finished in last place in the National League Central for the first three years of Epstein's presidency, as the focus was to acquire young talent rather than maximize short-term competitiveness. After a three-year rebuild, the Cubs clinched a playoff berth in 2015 and advanced to the
National League Championship Series The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National ...
, where they were swept by the New York Mets. Epstein signed an extension with the club on September 28, 2016, with a contract estimated to be worth up to $25 million. The Cubs would proceed to break the so-called "
Curse of the Billy Goat The Curse of the Billy Goat was a sports curse that was supposedly placed on the Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise in 1945, by Billy Goat Tavern owner William Sianis. The curse lasted 71 years, from 1945 to 2016. During game 4 of ...
" by defeating
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
in the
2016 World Series The 2016 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2016 season. The 112th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Chicago Cubs and the American Leag ...
, their first championship since
1908 Events January * January 1 – The British ''Nimrod'' Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton sets sail from New Zealand on the '' Nimrod'' for Antarctica. * January 3 – A total solar eclipse is visible in the Pacific Ocean, and is the 4 ...
. Epstein stepped down from his role on the Cubs on November 20, 2020.
Jed Hoyer Jed Hoyer (born December 7, 1973) is the president of baseball operations of the Chicago Cubs. He has been the general manager of the San Diego Padres and the assistant general manager of the Boston Red Sox. Early and personal life Hoyer was bor ...
, Epstein's long-time deputy, took over his position.


MLB consultant

In January 2021, MLB hired Epstein as a consultant for "on-field matters".


Personal life

Epstein has a twin brother, Paul, who is a social worker at
Brookline High School Brookline High School is a four-year public high school in the town of Brookline, Massachusetts. It is a part of Public Schools of Brookline. The Headmaster is Anthony Meyer who holds a Master of Education in Teaching and Curriculum from Harvard ...
in
Brookline, Massachusetts Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, in the United States, and part of the Boston metropolitan area. Brookline borders six of Boston's neighborhoods: Brighton, Allston, Fenway–Kenmore, Mission Hill, Jamaica Plain, and West ...
. He and Paul are co-founders of "The Foundation to be Named Later", established in 2005. Epstein's grandfather,
Philip G. Epstein Philip G. Epstein (August 22, 1909 – February 7, 1952) was an American screenwriter most known for his screenplay for the film ''Casablanca'' (1942), which won an Academy Award. He had written it in partnership with his twin brother Julius and ...
, and great-uncle, Julius J. Epstein – with
Howard E. Koch Howard E. Koch (December 12, 1901 – August 17, 1995) was an American playwright and screenwriter who was blacklisted by the Hollywood film studio bosses in the 1950s. Background Born to a Jewish family in New York City, Koch grew up in Kingst ...
– won
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for the screenplay of ''
Casablanca Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
'', while his father, novelist
Leslie Epstein Leslie Donald Epstein (born May 4, 1938 in Los Angeles) is an American educator, essayist, and novelist. Epstein is currently Professor of English and Director of the Creative Writing Program at Boston University. Career Epstein was born to an A ...
, heads the Creative Writing Program at
Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with ...
. His mother, Ilene (Gradman), opened a clothing store. Epstein's sister, Anya, is a screenwriter and television producer ('' Homicide: Life on the Street'' and '' Tell Me You Love Me''). On January 12, 2007, Epstein married Marie Whitney, a Roman Catholic, who is the founder and creative director of Two Penny Blue."This day in Jewish history/Red Sox manager who removed 'curse of the Bambino' moves on"
haaretz.com, October 21, 2013.
The couple have two sons, Jack and Andrew. An initial report on the marriage from ''
Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' sportswriter Gordon Edes said the site of the wedding was Nathan's Famous hot dog stand at
Coney Island Coney Island is a peninsular neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach to its east, Lower New York Bay to the s ...
. Edes later published a correction, noting that he had fallen for a prank by Theo's father, Leslie. The site and actual date of the wedding was never released, but the ''
Boston Herald The ''Boston Herald'' is an American daily newspaper whose primary market is Boston, Massachusetts, and its surrounding area. It was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It has been awarded eight Pulit ...
'' later published a story claiming the wedding took place on Red Sox owner John Henry's yacht in Saint Thomas.


Charity

Epstein's "Hot Stove Cool Music" are biannual Boston and Chicago benefit concerts that have raised millions of dollars for the "disadvantaged youth and families" of the respective cities. Epstein said in advance of the 2015 event, "We've collectively raised more than $6 million and look forward to increasing that total this year through another great night of music, baseball and giving back."


Honors and awards

As a front office executive, Epstein is a three-time World Series Champion, winning twice with the Red Sox (2004 and 2007) and once with the Cubs (2016). In 2007, the
United States Sports Academy The United States Sports Academy is a private university focused on sports and located in Daphne, Alabama. It offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs as well as certificate programs. Founded in 1972, the academy has provided its ...
named Epstein the recipient of its "Carl Maddox Sport Management Award." In December 2008, ''Baseball America'' named Epstein its ''Baseball America'' Major League Executive of the Year. In March 2009, the book '' Theo-logy: How a Boy Wonder Led the Red Sox to the Promised Land'' is published. In September 2009, Epstein was named ''Sporting News'' Executive of the Decade. At the same time, the Red Sox were named ''Sporting News'' Team of the Decade. In December, ''Sports Illustrated'' named him MLB's Best General Manager of the Decade and number 3 on its list of the Top 10 GMs/Executives of the Decade (in all sports). In November 2016, Epstein was named the ''Sporting News'' Executive of the Year. Also in November, Epstein won the Esurance MLB Award for Best Executive. In March 2017, Epstein was announced as Yale's Class Day Speaker. Fortune Magazine also ranked Epstein #1 in their 2017 list of the "World's Greatest Leaders". In April 2017, ''
Time Magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published Weekly newspaper, weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New ...
'' named Epstein one of the world's 100 most influential people.


References


Further reading

*


External links

* *
Theo Epstein News Video ClipsSox Make An Executive Revision
article discussing Epstein's rehiring, from '' The Boston Globe'', January 25, 2006. {{DEFAULTSORT:Epstein, Theo 1973 births Living people Sportspeople from New York City Sportspeople from Brookline, Massachusetts Jewish American baseball people American twins Yale College alumni University of San Diego School of Law alumni Major League Baseball general managers Boston Red Sox executives Chicago Cubs executives San Diego Padres executives Twin sportspeople Brookline High School alumni Baseball people from Massachusetts 21st-century American Jews