Theo Epstein

Theo Nathaniel Epstein (born December 29, 1973) is an American Major League Baseball executive who is the senior adviser and part-owner of Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball and Liverpool FC of the English Premier League, among other properties.

Epstein was the vice president and general manager for the Red Sox and then the president of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs, working for each team for nine seasons.

Following his tenure in Chicago, he joined MLB as a consultant.

While working for both teams, Epstein became notable for helping to end two of the longest World Series droughts in the history of Major League Baseball.

He attended Brookline High School (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.

During his time as an undergraduate, he wrote letters to several teams expressing interest in working for them.

His letter to the Baltimore Orioles reached team executive Calvin Hill, a Yale alumnus and head of personnel, who invited him for an interview.

Epstein interned for three consecutive summers for the Orioles.

Eventually he was hired as the public relations assistant for the Orioles.

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 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.

After leaving the position as the Padres' President, Lucchino became president and chief executive officer (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.

In 2004, the Red Sox won their first World Series championship in 86 years; in 2016, the Cubs won their first World Series championship in 108 years.

Epstein was born to a secular Jewish family in New York City and raised in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Epstein is credited with trading away Nomar Garciaparra and acquiring Bill Mueller and Curt Schilling, moves that helped break the "Curse of the Bambino" when the Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2004 World Series, their first championship since 1918.

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 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 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 role of general manager and adding 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.

On October 12, 2011, Epstein agreed to a five-year contract worth $18.5 million with the Chicago Cubs.

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 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, 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" by defeating Cleveland Indians in the 2016 World Series, their first championship since 1908.