Francis Lykins Dale (July 13, 1921 – November 28, 1993) was an American business executive and Republican political operative. He was also owner and president of the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

for six years, and served as commissioner of the Major Indoor Soccer League for two years. Dale was a commanding officer in the United States Navy during World War II.

Early life

Dale graduated from

Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James ...

and obtained a law degree from the University of Virginia. During World War II, he served in the United States Navy from May 1943 until June 1946. He was a commanding officer of , an antisubmarine craft that captured the , among other exploits.

Career

After returning to civilian life, Dale served as a partner in the Cincinnati law firm of Frost & Jacobs. He was also publisher of '' The Cincinnati Enquirer'' from 1965 to 1973. He was the last publisher to preside over the ''

Los Angeles Herald-Examiner The ''Los Angeles Herald Examiner'' was a major Los Angeles daily newspaper, published in the afternoon from Monday to Friday and in the morning on Saturdays and Sundays. It was part of the Hearst syndicate. It was formed when the afternoon ' ...

''. Dale led an investment group that purchased the

for $8 million from

Bill DeWitt William Orville DeWitt Sr. (August 3, 1902 — March 4, 1982) was an American professional baseball executive and club owner whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned more than 60 years. His son William Jr. is currently the principal o ...

on December 5,

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

. As team president from 1967 to 1973, Dale was a supporter of building the downtown Riverfront Stadium, the Reds' home when the park opened in 1970. Generally, Dale was a hands-off owner; he left the Reds in the hands of general manager Bob Howsam. Dale sold his interest to minority partner Louis Nippert in 1973. Dale served on

Richard M. Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was t ...

's Citizens

Committee to Re-Elect the President A committee or commission is a body of one or more persons subordinate to a deliberative assembly. A committee is not itself considered to be a form of assembly. Usually, the assembly sends matters into a committee as a way to explore them mor ...

during 1971–1972, and was appointed by Nixon to serve as United States representative to the United Nations in Geneva in 1972 with the rank of ambassador.

Later years

During 1985–1986, Dale served as commissioner of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). In 1988, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) degree from Whittier College. Dale died of a heart attack on November 28, 1993, while visiting Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. He is buried at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati.

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dale, Francis L. 1921 births 1993 deaths People from Champaign, Illinois United States Navy personnel of World War II Duke University alumni University of Virginia School of Law alumni 20th-century American lawyers The Cincinnati Enquirer people Major League Baseball executives Major League Baseball owners Major League Baseball team presidents Cincinnati Reds owners Cincinnati Reds executives Members of the Committee for the Re-Election of the President Ohio Republicans Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) commissioners