Marlins Triple-A Affiliate Owner Lou Schwechheimer Dies of COVID-19 Complications

Lou Schwechheimer, the owner of the Marlins' Triple-A affiliate Wichita Wind Surge, has died after complications related to COVID-19.

Lou Schwechheimer, the owner of the Marlins' Triple-A affiliate Wichita Wind Surge, has died after complications related to COVID-19, the Wichita organization announced Wednesday. He was 62.

Schwechheimer spent 35 years with the Pawtucket Red Sox before buying the Rays’ high Class-A affiliate, the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the Florida State League and the Triple-A New Orleans Baby Cakes of the Pacific Coast League. The Baby Cakes moved to Wichita before the 2020 season, which was eventually canceled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Schwechheimer was inducted into the International League Hall of Fame in 2019.

“There are no words to express the loss of the entire Wind Surge family,” senior vice president/general manager Jared Forma said in a statement. “Lou was truly one of a kind, someone who never met a stranger. He will be deeply missed by his family and many friends, which included an extended baseball family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Lou’s wife and daughter at this difficult time.

“The Wind Surge team will work tirelessly to fulfill Lou’s dreams and visions for the great city of Wichita, a place he was proud to call home. We will ensure his legacy lives forever at Riverfront Stadium."

As of Wednesday afternoon, there have been more than 16.7 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus worldwide, causing at least 662,000 deaths. There have been more than 4.3 million confirmed cases in the United States.