Jerry Wolman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jerry Wolman
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Wolman in 1965
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Jerry Wolman
February 14, 1927 Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Died | August 6, 2013 (aged 86) Potomac, Maryland, U.S.
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| Resting place | King David Memorial Gardens, Falls Church, Virginia |
| Occupation | Property developer Owner, Philadelphia Eagles (NFL), Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) |
| Spouse(s) | Bobbie Wolman |
| Children | 2 |
Jerry Wolman was a smart businessman who built many buildings in Washington, D.C. He was also famous for owning the Philadelphia Eagles football team in the 1960s. He was born on February 14, 1927, and passed away on August 6, 2013.
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Early Life and Beginnings
Jerry was born in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. His family was Orthodox Jewish, and his dad owned a grocery store. Jerry helped out in the family store, even when he was in high school.
When his father had a stroke, Jerry left school without graduating. He joined the United States Merchant Marine, which is like a navy for merchant ships. After that, he moved to Washington, D.C. In the 1950s, he started his own company. He began building apartment buildings and offices.
Becoming a Sports Owner
In late 1963, when Jerry Wolman was 36 years old, he bought the Philadelphia Eagles football team. He paid $5,505,000 for the team. Before him, a group of investors called the "Happy Hundred" owned the Eagles from 1949 to 1963. When Jerry bought the team, he became the youngest owner in the National Football League.
Jerry also owned Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. This was the home field for the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team until 1970.
Expanding into Hockey
Jerry Wolman was also one of the people who helped start the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team. This was in 1967, when the National Hockey League was expanding.
However, over the next two years, Jerry's large business empire faced big financial problems. He had to give up his ownership in both the Eagles and the Flyers. In 1967, he sold his share of the Flyers to his business partners. Ed Snider then took control of the team with his partners.
In 1969, Jerry sold the Eagles to Leonard Tose. The team was sold for $16.1 million, which was a record price for a professional sports team at that time.
Later Life and Legacy
Jerry Wolman was a member of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. One of the Hall of Fame's local chapters is even named after him. Jerry was a very generous person. He never forgot his hometown of Shenandoah, which was a coal mining town. He stayed in touch with people there, no matter what was happening in his own life.
Jerry also started the building of the John Hancock Center. This is a very tall, 100-story skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois.
Jerry Wolman lived in Potomac, Maryland, which is a suburb of Washington, D.C. He lived there with his wife, Bobbie. He was a father of two children and a grandfather to eight grandchildren. Jerry passed away on August 6, 2013, at the age of 86.
