Yawkey Commuter Rail stop will change to Lansdowne, MBTA says

BOSTON — The Yawkey stop on the Commuter Rail line will be renamed Lansdowne, the MBTA announced Thursday.

Almost a year after the Red Sox switched the name of Yawkey Way back to Jersey Street, the nearby Commuter Rail stop will also shed the name of the former Red Sox owner.

Yawkey infamously refused to integrate the Red Sox for years. His controversial tenure in Fenway has been the subject of the campaign to remove his name from the street signs and Commuter Rail stop.

"Following the name change of a municipal roadway in the vicinity of the station, the MBTA selected Lansdowne as the station’s new name," The MBTA said in a news release. "The selection was made in accordance with the MBTA’s station naming policy, which includes guidance to prioritize local geography such nearby streets, squares, or neighborhoods; the policy also emphasizes the selection of names based on simplicity, brevity, and distinctness."

The name change will be made official just before the Sox' first home game on April 8.

The name change has no effect on Commuter Rail schedules.

In a statement Thursday night, the Yawkey Foundations said they were "disappointed by this decision.

"“While we are disappointed by this decision, the Yawkey Foundations will carry on the mission of Tom and Jean Yawkey, a legacy of giving that has provided more than $500 million to organizations in Boston and beyond," the Yawkey Foundations wrote. "The work Tom and Jean began while they were alive is as important as ever, and we will continue to focus our efforts on sustaining their dedication to helping those in need.”

MORE: City votes to change Yawkey Way back to Jersey Street