Lichtenhein was born in Chicago, Illinois, and moved to Montreal as a child. He became a successful businessman in Montreal, and bought two sports teams, the Montreal Royals base ball team, which upon its revival became the Brooklyn Dodgers' principal farm team, and the Wanderers. When Lichtenhein took over the Wanderers, the team was in financial trouble. He had trouble icing a team, and in 1918, the Montreal Arena, home of Wanderers' and the Montreal Canadiens, burnt down, the team folded. The decision was influenced by Lictenhein citing losses over $30,000 in 1918 money due to the fire.