Donald Chase Lillis (September 6, 1901 – July 23, 1968) was an American business and sports executive who served as the president of Bowie Race Track and the New York Jets.
[1] Lillis was a vice president of the Manufacturers & Traders Trust Co. and manager of the trading department of Laurence M. Marks & Co. before joining Bear, Stearns, & Co. in 1943.
[5][6][2][7][8][9][10] In 1952, Lillis was part of a syndicate led by former New York Yankees executive Larry MacPhail that purchased Bowie Race Track.
[12] E. R. E. Carter, a Canadian mining executive, purchased controlling interest in the track in 1962, but retained Lillis as president.
[15] The group was led by Sonny Werblin until 1968, when Lillis and the three other partners (Leon Hess, Philip H. Iselin, and Townsend B. Martin), unhappy with their minor role in the team, asked to be bought out.