Jerry Wolman | |
|---|---|
 Wolman in 1965 | |
| Born | Jerry Wolman (1927-02-14)February 14, 1927 Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | August 6, 2013(2013-08-06) (aged 86) Potomac, Maryland, U.S. |
| Resting place | King David Memorial Gardens,Falls Church, Virginia |
| Occupation(s) | Property developer Owner,Philadelphia Eagles (NFL),Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) |
| Spouse | Bobbie Wolman |
| Children | 2 |
Jerry Wolman (February 14, 1927 – August 6, 2013) was an American developer inWashington, D.C. and owned thePhiladelphia Eagles of theNational Football League in the 1960s.
Wolman was born to anOrthodox Jewish family inShenandoah, Pennsylvania,[1] the son of agrocer.[2] He worked in the family business into his high school years, when his father had astroke. Not graduating, Wolman joined theMerchant Marine, returned home, and moved to Washington, D.C. In the 1950s, he began his own construction company, building apartment units and offices.[3]
In late 1963, 36-year-old Wolman bought the Eagles franchise for $5,505,000 from the "Happy Hundred," a group of investors that owned the team from1949–1963,[4][5][6] and became the youngest owner in the league. He also ownedConnie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia, theballpark of thePhillies through1970.[7]
Wolman was also one of the founding owners, briefly in1967, of theexpansionPhiladelphia Flyers of theNational Hockey League. Over the next two years, his $100-million financial empire crumbled into bankruptcy, and he was forced to give up his interests in both teams. In 1967, he sold his Flyers interest to his co-owners, withEd Snider assuming control, along with his partners, Bill Putnam andJoe Scott. In1969, he sold the Eagles toLeonard Tose for a reported $16.1 million, then a record price for a professional sports team.
Wolman was a member of thePennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame; one of its chapters is named after him. Wolman was a philanthropic individual who never forgot his coal mining town roots. He kept in contact with his Pennsylvania hometown of Shenandoah through good and bad times.
Wolman also initiated the development of theJohn Hancock Center, a 100-storyskyscraper inChicago,Illinois.
Wolman lived in the Washington suburb ofPotomac, Maryland, with his wife, Bobbie. A father of two and a grandfather of eight, he died at age 86 on August 6, 2013.[8]