Publisher, ex-Mets owner Doubleday dies

NEW YORK (AP) -- Nelson Doubleday Jr., the publishing scion who bought the New York Mets and shepherded the team to a 1986 World Series title, has died. He was 81.

His son-in-law, John Havens, said Doubleday died of pneumonia at his home in Locust Valley, New York, on Wednesday.

Doubleday was the grandson of Frank Nelson Doubleday, who founded the publishing company in 1896 and a descendent of Abner Doubleday, the mythical inventor of baseball.

After taking over the company from his father, Doubleday partnered with Fred Wilpon to become a majority owner of the last-place Mets in 1980. He was bought out by Wilpon in 2002.

The Mets released a statement saying "Nelson had a love of baseball and the Mets" and they were saddened to hear the news of his passing.

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