04/26/24
November 25, 2009
D.C. sports icon, Wizards owner Abe Pollin dead at 85: Abe Pollin, longtime owner of the Washington Wizards basketball team and one of the area's leading philanthropists, died on Tuesday. He was 85. Over his years in the District, Mr. Pollin won a National Basketball Association championship, took the city's hockey team to its only Stanley Cup final, built two arenas, helped revitalize part of downtown, hired and fired the world's most famous basketball player and performed innumerable acts of charity.
posted by tommytrump to basketball at 07:57 AM - 5 comments
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posted by irunfromclones at 04:59 PM on November 25, 2009
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posted by tommybiden at 05:00 PM on November 25, 2009
He's a Washington sports franchise owner who had the good sense to change a team name that reflected badly on the city. Abe Pollin was in the mold of the original NBA owners like Walter Brown in Boston, Danny Biasone in Syracuse, Fred Zollner in Fort Wayne, and Ned Irish in New York. All of these men were members of their community and were consistent contributors to those communities. May Abe Pollin rest in peace.
posted by Howard_T at 05:01 PM on November 25, 2009
As someone who grew up in the DC area, I got to attend many sporting events (and concerts) at the two arenas he built. I remember when the Bullets won the title, and I was proud when Pollin changed the name of the team to the Wizards.
A great guy.
Indirectly Abe Pollin helped me see see The Who in 1982, by providing tickets to a friend who passed them on to me.
posted by scully at 11:47 AM on November 26, 2009
A wonderful philanthropist. He will be missed.