Francis T. “Fay” Vincent Jr. ’56, P’85, Former President of the Board, Eloquent Chronicler of Hotchkiss Life, and Former Baseball Commissioner

A former CEO, former commissioner of Major League Baseball, and author of several books, Francis T. “Fay” Vincent Jr. ’56, P’85 died on Feb. 1, 2025, at age 86. In coming to Hotchkiss, Vincent, who attended on scholarship, followed in the footsteps of his father, Francis T. Vincent, Class of 1927. He loved Hotchkiss and cared deeply about its continued distinction. 

Vincent appreciated the enduring values instilled during his four years at Hotchkiss and greatly respected the late George Van Santvoord, Class of 1908 (“the Duke,” as the students dubbed him), headmaster from 1926-1955. In 2012, with the help of his classmate, the late John Barrett ’56, Vincent published The Gift of His Example: George Van Santvoord of Hotchkiss. In the preface, he wrote of the legendary headmaster: “He provided direction, inspiration, and wisdom to boys at a time in their lives when he could have maximum impact.” 

“The Duke had the greatest influence on me of anyone besides my family,” Vincent said of Van Santvoord. “He stood for the life of the mind, for excellence and civility.  I once asked [former Supreme Court Justice] Potter Stewart ’33 who, besides his family, had the greatest influence on him, and he said it was the Duke.”

Vincent’s career accomplishments speak to the range of his interests and talents: lawyer specializing in corporate banking; former CEO of Columbia Pictures Industries and executive vice president of Coca-Cola; commissioner of Major League Baseball, 1989-92; owner of Vincent Enterprises; and president and chairman of the board of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. But Vincent shone especially as a writer. In his essays and columns in The Wall Street Journal, and in his books on baseball and other topics, he conveyed a warmth and depth of feeling that expressed his essence. Although he enjoyed following sports in general, baseball remained a lifelong interest and source of unending delight. In three volumes of the Baseball Oral History Project published between 2007 and 2010, he recorded the memories of some of the 20^th century’s best-known men of baseball, holding a special respect for the players of the old Negro Leagues. Ever respectful of history, he wanted to share all the stories he had heard or observed firsthand with younger generations.

In a Wall Street Journal column titled “Life as the Ninth Inning Nears,” published on Feb. 24, 2016, he wrote of the slowed-down patterns and habits of his life in his 70s. He said, in part: “I write, but with acute knowledge that my values and opinions are outdated. I still think duty, honor, and country should be the national mantra. I know better.”

Fay Vincent enrolled at Hotchkiss in 1952. He played tackle on the football team and was the team’s captain, showed talent as a track and field competitor, and also played basketball and baseball.

He did well in the classroom, earning a place on the honor roll each year. He showed a special ability in language, studying French, Latin, and German. He was a member of Dramatics and served on the board of the yearbook. On campus, he became known as an all-around good citizen. 

After graduating cum laude, he enrolled at Williams College on a full academic scholarship.  As captain of the undefeated freshman football team, he learned from coach Frank Navarro, who became known as the inventor of the “monster defense.”

Then, an accident in the dormitory changed his athletic career. When friends pulled a prank that involved locking him in his dorm room, he climbed out of a window to a ledge, where he slipped and fell four floors.  Halfway down, he hit a balcony railing. The accident damaged his spine, and his legs were paralyzed. There were fears he would never walk again, but a talented surgeon repaired the damage. Vincent was able to walk unassisted until about age 50, when he began the use of a cane, and years later, a wheelchair.

He completed four years of the Williams curriculum in three years, graduating cum laude in 1960. He then earned his L.L.B. degree from Yale in 1963 and began his professional career practicing law at the firm of Whitman and Ransom. He became a partner at Caplin & Drysdale in Washington, DC, a law firm specializing in corporate banking and securities. He left the practice of law for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he was associate director of the division of corporate finance. In 1978, he was selected to become president of Columbia Pictures Industries, and in 1982, when Columbia was acquired by The Coca-Cola Company, he was appointed chairman and CEO of Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. He also served as executive VP of Coca-Cola and president of the entertainment division. During his decade-long tenure at Columbia, he led the company out of severely difficult times and saw the production of movie successes like Tootsie, which Vincent said was perhaps “the best picture Hollywood ever made.” 

In 1988, he rejoined Caplin & Drysdale as a practicing lawyer in New York City. Then, several months later, he was asked by A. Bartlett Giamatti, commissioner of Major League Baseball, to become the deputy commissioner. When Giamatti died suddenly several months later, Vincent was elected by baseball owners to a four-and-a-half year term as Major League Baseball’s eighth Commissioner. His tenure began in September 1989. 

Almost immediately, Vincent faced a major crisis: in October a massive earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay area, where the World Series was taking place. After meetings with city officials, he announced that the Series would resume. This early crisis foreshadowed the difficulties that followed; there were multiple labor disputes and negotiations between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. During his tenure, he gained admiration from baseball people for his leadership; he resigned as Commissioner in 1992. He then returned to practicing law with Caplin & Drysdale.

Among his business distinctions, Vincent was a former director of AOL/Time Warner Inc., Culbro Corp., Carson Pirie Scott, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Tri-Star Pictures, and the Motion Picture Association. He served as a trustee of Carleton College and Williams College, and received an honorary degree from Williams in 1990. Inducted into the Connecticut Sports Hall of Fame in 1994, he received a gold key from the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance in 1999.

An active Hotchkiss alumnus, he served as a class agent and won election as an alumni trustee in 1976. He became a term trustee in 1982 and served until 1989 on the Board, including as president from 1985 to 1987. He formed the long-range planning committee, worked on the drafting of a new mission statement for the School, and served as head of the search committee that selected Robert Oden as headmaster in 1989. With Dan Lufkin ’49, he created the Lufkin-Vincent Travel Fellowship Program, a fund that made it possible each year for a Hotchkiss language teacher to travel and experience firsthand the life, culture, and language of another country. He also established the Francis T. Vincent '27 Scholarship, in memory of his father. He received the Alumni Award, the School’s highest honor, in 1991.

He is survived by his cherished wife, Christine Clarke Vincent; daughter Anne Vincent Gleason ’85; twin sons William and Edward; three stepchildren, Jake, Ned and Nilla Watkins; his sisters, Dr. Joanna Vincent and Barbara Vincent; and several grandchildren.