In 1903 he succeeded Harry Pulliam as the secretary of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
[1] He was a driving force behind the construction of Forbes Field and was credited with ousting ticket scalpers from the city.
In 1911, he attempted to purchase the Boston Braves from William Hepburn Russell, but the deal fell apart when Russell refused to give Locke controlling interest.
[2] In January 1913, Locke and his cousin, former New York City Police Commissioner William Baker, led a group that purchased the Philadelphia Phillies.
[3] On August 14, 1913, Locke died in Ventnor, New Jersey after a long illness.