Billy Lush was a popular name in baseball, especially in the late 1800s and the early 1900s. He was also a collegiate and university-level athletics coach and an administrator. Moreover, he was equally good at basketball.
Lush was associated with Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1895 to 1904, playing seven seasons. He then got into the coaching business, mostly with baseball and basketball.
He served as a college athletics coach at Columbia University, Yale University, Fordham University, the University of Baltimore, St. John’s University, St. John’s University, the United States Naval Academy, and Trinity College, Hartford.
In fact, he was the athletic director at the University of Fordham and the US Naval Academy.
Moreover, he served as a coach for the athletic teams at Sing Sing prison in Ossining, New York, in the 1930s.
Lush is long gone but still remembered by baseball enthusiasts. Today, we will be talking about Billy Lush without excluding anything worth mentioning that had happened in his life.
Quick Facts about Billy Lush
| Full Name | William Lucas Lush |
| Known As | Billy Lush |
| Birth Date | November 10, 1873 |
| Birth Place | Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States |
| Death | August 28, 1951 |
| Age at the time of death | 72 years old |
| Place of death | Hawthorne, New York, United States |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | American |
| Horoscope | Scorpio |
| Father’s Name | Charles H. Lush |
| Mother’s Name | Annie Lush |
| Siblings | Two Brothers |
| Brothers’ names | Walter Lush George Lush |
| Height | 5’8″ (172.72 cm) |
| Weight | 74.84 kg (165 lbs.) |
| Build | Athletic |
| Hair Color | Not Known |
| Eye Color | Not Known |
| Marital Status | Married (twice) |
| Spouse’s Name | Mary E. Lush, Lillian Goodwin Lush |
| Children | Six |
| Children’s Name | Mary Lush (named after her mother) Elizabeth Lush William Lush Frances Lush Edward Lush and two more |
| Major Profession | Baseball Player Baseball Coach (College athletics and Sing Sing Prison) |
| Position | Outfielder |
| Affiliation | Major League Baseball |
| Played for | Washington Senators (1895–1897) Boston Beaneaters (1901–1902) Detroit Tigers (1903) Cleveland Naps (1904) |
| Coached at College Athletics | Columbia University, Yale University, Fordham University, the University of Baltimore, St. John’s University, St. John’s University, the United States Naval Academy, and Trinity College, Hartford. |
| Further Ventures | Coached Sing Sing prison’s athletic teams Tea room and a guest house in Ossining |
| Other Jobs | Physical Director at the Naval Academy Cigar maker in a cigar factory |
| Net Worth | Not Known |
| Social Media | N/A |
| MLB Merch | Hats, Bats |
| Last Update | April, 2024 |
Billy Lush | Early Life, Family, and Later Life
Billy Lush was born on November 10, 1873, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States. He was born to parents Charles H. Lush and Annie Lush.
Charles was a native of Massachusetts who worked in a sewing machine factory.
Likewise, Billy had two brothers: Walter Lush and George Lush. The late player was seven years old at the time of the 1880 United States Census.
Marriage and Children
The NFL legend Billy Lush married twice in his life. He was first married to Mary Lush, who was born in 1872. Mary was also a native of Connecticut. The couple tied the knot in approx. 1897.
They had five children together. Their first child Mary Lush, named after her mother, was born in 1900. Their second and third child, Elizabeth Lush and William Lush, were born subsequently in 1901 and 1902.
Similarly, their fourth child, Frances Lush, was born in 1904, and their fifth child, Edward Lush, was in 1906.
Billy Lush then married another woman named Lillian Goodwin Lush. He had a sixth child as well. However, his/her name is not known.
Moreover, it’s not out whether he had the child was with his first or second wife.
Death
Billy Lush died at the age of 77 on August 28, 1951, in Hawthorne, New York, United States.
The sports enthusiast had varied experiences while living, from a baseball star to a cigar maker. He lived his life on dimensions that were far distinct from each other. He then had his last breath, at his convalescent, accompanied by family.
His second wife, Lillian, and six children survived him.
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Billy Lush | Baseball Career
It is no secret that Billy Lush gained name and fame from his association with Major League Baseball. He played seven seasons in MLB with four different teams.
Similarly, he played for the Washington Senators from 1895 to 1897, Boston Beaneaters from 1901 to 1902, Detroit Tigers in 1903, and Cleveland Naps in 1904.
Lush was a participant in 489 major league games. He was an outfielder in 461 out of total. Also, he averaged .249 in batting in his career. Similarly, his on-base percentage was .360, fueled by 291 walks in 2,096 plate appearances.
He contributed to leading the American League with 34 sacrifice hits for his team, Detroit Tigers, in 1903. Moreover, he had the fourth-best on-base percentage in American League with .379 for the Detroit Tigers in 1903.
Further, his 70 bases on balls were considered second-best in the league.
Lush was an excellent fielder in the outfield. He scored 24 assists as the Boston Beaneaters’ center fielder in 1902. Similarly, his range factor was 2.37, which was 0.44 points higher than the league average.
When he joined the Detroit Tigers in 1903, he had a range factor of 2.42, which was 0.50 points higher than the American league average.
Billy Lush | Coaching Career (Baseball and Basketball)
Lush had quite a successful coaching career. He worked as became a coach of college baseball and college basketball right after the end of his playing career.
He was associated with various institutes, including Columbia University, Yale University, Fordham University, the University of Baltimore, St. John’s University, St. John’s University, the United States Naval Academy, and Trinity College, Hartford, in the course of coaching.
1905 -1914
He served as a baseball coach at Yale University in 1905. Walter Camp worked as the team’s advisory coach then.
Yale reached its first baseball championship in six years in Lush’s first year of mentorship, proving how good a coach Lush was.
Lush also worked for the Plattsburgh minor league franchise in the years 1905 and 1906. He even mentored Baseball Hall of Fame member Eddie Collins in1906.
Lush got associated for a term of 3 years with Yale from 1906 to 1908. However, Tad Jones replaced him in 1908. Yale made the decision not to retain Lush as they decided to stop using professional coaches.
Since Lush’s contract with Yale said one more year, they paid fully and properly for his services.
Lush then got associated with the basketball team at the United States Naval Academy. Actually, he was, if not equally, then almost as good in basketball too. He served them in the 1908–1909 seasons.
Yale University then rehired their favorite baseball coach, Lush, in February 1909. He remained associated with Yale through the 1911 season. Yale then again dropped as their baseball coach in August 1911.
The Montreal professional baseball team hired Lush as the manager in 1912. Columbia University then hired him in 1914.
You can watch Billy Lush’s career statistics on the website of MLB >>
1915 -1919
Similarly, He joined the Fordham University baseball team as a coach in the middle of the 1915 season. The team made a record of 8-2 under Lush’s mentorship.
Fordham University then made him their physical director. They provided him with the responsibility to check all branches of athletics at the school. Like so, he had to oversee the baseball and track teams as well.
Moreover, they gave him the entire responsibility to see assistant coaching duties with the football and crew programs.
His contract demanded him to serve as a coach in the New York University basketball team in the winter of 1915–1916. He then began his coaching job with the New York University basketball team in November 1915.
Billy Lush bought a fifty percent interest in the baseball club at Bridgeport, Connecticut, in July 1916. He made the declaration of serving as a team manager.
The Naval Athletic Association then recruited Lush in November 1916. He has to coach the baseball and basketball teams at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis
The 1918–1919 basketball team of the institute finished the season with a 16–0 record. They were then named the 1918–1919 national champion by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll, proving Lush’s ability to mentor right.
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1922-1931
However, he left his position at the Naval Academy in May 1922. The press came up saying that mutual dissatisfaction existed between Lush and the Navy Athletic Association.
Lush then went to St. John’s College in Maryland, coaching their baseball and basketball teams. He held the position of in charge of athletics at St. John’s by 1923.
He coached the basketball tea at St. John’s through the 1926–1927 seasons.
The University of Baltimore then appointed Lush as their head basketball coach in October 1931.
Lush has worked as a coach with Sing Sing prison’s athletic teams and assisted in their medical department as well.
Visit the website of ESPN to see an overview of Billy Lush’s biography.
Billy Lush | Profession outside coaching
Lush worked as a cigar maker in the cigar factory in 1930. The 1930 United States Census recorded the detail. Similarly, he owned and ran a tea room and guest house in Ossining, New York, in the 1930s.
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Billy Lush | FAQs
Is Billy Lush (baseball player) still alive?
No, Billy Lush is dead long ago. In fact, he died more than 80 years ago, on August 28, 1951, at the age of 77.
Does the Billy Lush Paddle Board and Brew belong to the late baseballer?
No, the Billy Lush Paddle Board and Brew probably do not belong to the late baseballer. Moreover, the name seems like a coincidence.
Who is Billy Lush?
People often get confused between Billy Lush (baseball player) and actor Billy Lush. The latter is in his late 30s/early 40s, while the former lived a century before this.
Did Billy Lush starr in Law and Order: Criminal Intent and Generation Kill?
No, the baseballer did not starr in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Generation Kill series made in the early 2000s. However, the actor Billy Lush with the same name as the late baseballer, acted in those series.
Likewise, the actor can also be recognized as the voice of The Outsider in the Dishonored video game.
