Born: 1879 (Cleveland, Ohio)
Died: 1950
Biography:
Helene Hathaway Britton (née Robison; January 30, 1879 – January 8, 1950) was an American baseball executive and the first woman to own a Major League Baseball franchise. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Britton was surrounded by baseball from an early age. Her father, Frank DeHass Robison, and her uncle, Stanley Robison, owned a streetcar business in Cleveland and also owned the Cleveland Spiders, a baseball team in the National League.
In 1899, the Robison brothers purchased the St. Louis Cardinals, another National League team, and shifted some of the best players from Cleveland to St. Louis. Despite the success of the Cardinals, the Spiders were eventually eliminated from the league after the 1899 season. However, this did not deter Britton’s passion for the game, and she would often travel to St. Louis with her father and uncle to watch the Cardinals play.
Britton received her education at the Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights, Ohio. On October 29, 1901, she married Schuyler P. Britton, an attorney, and together they had a son, Frank DeHaas Britton, and a daughter, Marie R. Britton.
In 1908, Britton’s father passed away, and then in March 1911, her uncle also passed away. In his will, he left three-fourths of his estate to Britton, making her the owner of the St. Louis Cardinals and the first woman to own a Major League Baseball team. However, there were challenges to the will, with the treasurer of the Cardinals, Frederick N. Abercrombie, contesting it. Britton supported Edward E. Steininger, the president of the Cardinals, as the executor of the will, and ultimately prevailed in keeping ownership of the team.
Despite facing pressure from other owners, who were skeptical of a woman owning a team, Britton remained determined to hold onto the Cardinals. In 1911, she renamed the team’s ballpark from League Park to Robison Field in honor of her late uncle. Additionally, Britton introduced a Ladies’ Day promotion on Mondays, allowing women free entry to the park if accompanied by a man.
However, financial pressures eventually led Britton to sell the team in 1917. Although her tenure as the owner of the Cardinals was relatively short-lived, her legacy as the first woman to own an MLB franchise remains significant. Britton’s pioneering role in a male-dominated industry paved the way for future female executives in professional sports.