John Alevizos
John Peter Alevizos (December 11, 1919[1] – August 1, 2005[2]) was an American businessman and also a front-office executive in professional baseball. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, he was a Boston-area real estate developer for over forty years and a former member of the faculty of the Boston University School of Management.[2]
Alevizos was an alumnus of Boston University, where he earned both bachelor's and master's degrees, and held a certificate in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also attended Harvard Business School. He was a United States Army veteran of World War II, where he served in the Pacific Theater of Operations and was awarded the Bronze Star.[3]
A lifelong fan and former youth baseball coach, Alevizos became involved in professional baseball when he owned the Manchester Yankees, Double-A Eastern League affiliate of the New York Yankees in 1969–70. He then joined the Boston Red Sox as vice president, administration, in 1971–74. Functioning as the team's business manager, he helped expand the Red Sox' spring training facilities, then based in Winter Haven, Florida. After leaving the Red Sox on December 29, 1974, Alevizos returned to baseball 15 months later when he was named general manager of the Atlanta Braves in March 1976 by the club's new owner, Ted Turner. Alevizos served six months in the post before his replacement by Bill Lucas in September. One month into Alevizos' tenure, the Braves signed free agent pitcher Andy Messersmith, whose court case against the reserve clause led to the arbitrator's ruling permitting free agency in baseball.
In 2004, Alevizos, then 84, made headlines when he proposed to buy the MLB-owned Montreal Expos franchise with the intent to move them to Connecticut.[4] Instead, the Expos relocated to Washington, D.C., where they now play as the Washington Nationals.
John Alevizos died in Weston, Massachusetts, at age 85.
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| Preceded by | Atlanta Braves General Manager March–September 1976 |
Succeeded by Bill Lucas |
