mrshelenbritton

Mrs. Helen Britton (LOC)

from The Library of Congress

• cotinis said:

  Mrs. Helen Britton was "owner of the St. Louis National League Club"--see New York Times, December 10, 1912, p. 13.

• pennylrichardsca (now at ipernity) said:

  Helen (or Helene) Hathaway Robison Britton (1879-1950) was from Cleveland; she inherited ownership of the St. Louis Cardinals (yes, the baseball team!) from her uncle, Stanley Robison, in 1911. So she's baseball history: bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&pid=16895&am... "It was her decision to lure women to games by introducing a Ladies Day, when all "fanettes" accompanied by male escorts were admitted to the grandstand free. She also hired a crooner to perform between innings. In an era when following baseball and attending games unescorted were considered unladylike, Helene abated society's misgivings while encouraging her own gender to develop an interest in the sport." She divorced Cardinals president Schuler Britton in 1917, sold the team in 1918 (after years of resisting offers), remarried, and died in Philadelphia at the age of 71.

• Nebula Galaxia said:

  she seemed like a fascinating woman.

• Richard Norton said:

  Here she is at Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helene_Hathaway_Britton

• Kristi (LOC P&P) said:

  Everyone, Thanks for your comments and information about Mrs. Britton and her very interesting life! We will expand the description when we update.