Henry Killilea

Henry J. Killilea (June 30, 1863 – January 23, 1929) was one the five men who founded baseball's American League as a major league in 1899. The other members of the group were his brother Matthew Killilea, Connie Mack, Charles Comiskey, and the leader of the effort, Ban Johnson. Their first meeting was held in Killilea's Milwaukee home. He attended the University of Michigan.

For several years thereafter Killilea served as the league's legal counsel.

The American League started play as a major league in 1901. Killilea owned the league's Milwaukee Brewers franchise that first season, but during the offseason he sold the club, which was moved to St. Louis and renamed the St. Louis Browns before the 1902 season. Killilea also owned the Boston Red Sox from 1903 until 1904.

In 1928 he acquired the Milwaukee Brewers, in this incarnation a minor-league American Association club.

Killilea died in a Milwaukee hospital on January 23, 1929, aged 62, from the effects of a heart attack and then a stroke earlier in the month.