Mark McCormack facts for kids

Mark Hume McCormack (born November 6, 1930 – died May 16, 2003) was an American lawyer, sports agent, and writer. He started a big company called International Management Group, or IMG. This company helps famous sports stars and celebrities manage their careers.

Mark McCormack's Business Journey

Starting a Business in Sports

After serving in the Army, Mark McCormack became a lawyer. He worked at a law firm in Cleveland. In the 1950s, he helped set up special one-day golf events. These events featured professional golfers across the United States. In 1960, McCormack started his own company, IMG.

Best-Selling Author

McCormack also wrote several books. Two of his famous books are The Terrible Truth About Lawyers and What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School. His book What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School was a huge success. It stayed at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list for 21 weeks in a row.

In this book, McCormack shared a story about Harvard graduates. He said that a small group of graduates (three percent) had clear, written goals. This group earned ten times more money than the others. Many famous speakers, like Tony Robbins, have used versions of this story.

McCormack also published an annual book called The World of Professional Golf. This book started in 1967. It included his own unofficial world ranking system for golfers.

Creating Sports Rankings

Golf and Tennis Ranking Systems

Mark McCormack was a pioneer in creating ranking systems for sports. The system he used for golf rankings was later adapted. In 1986, it became the Official World Golf Ranking system. McCormack was the head of the committee for these rankings. This committee included people from all the major golf tours.

He also developed a similar ranking system for tennis players. McCormack met his second wife, Betsy Nagelsen-McCormack, through his work. She was a professional tennis player. Betsy won the Australian Open doubles championship twice. She was also a finalist at Wimbledon in doubles. They got married in 1986.

Together, Mark and Betsy founded the McCormack–Nagelsen Tennis Center. This center is located at the College of William & Mary. It is home to the ITA Women's Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame.

Mark McCormack's Legacy

Honors and Awards

Mark McCormack received many honors for his contributions to sports. In July 2006, he was chosen for the World Golf Hall of Fame. He was officially inducted in October 2006 for his lifetime achievements.

On January 23, 2008, he was also inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. This shows his impact on both golf and tennis.

McCormack was recognized as one of the Forbes 400 Richest Americans in 1995, 1998, and 2001. In 1990, Sporting News magazine called him the "Most Powerful Man in Sports." The Sport Management department at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst is named after him.

The British movie Wimbledon (2004) was dedicated to Mark McCormack. The director, Richard Loncraine, honored him in this way.

Special Medals and Awards

There are two important awards named after Mark McCormack:

• The Mark H. McCormack Medal is given to the top amateur golfer. This is based on their performance in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. It is awarded after the U.S. Amateur and the European Amateur tournaments.
• The Mark H. McCormack Award goes to the golfer who spends the most weeks at number one. This is based on the Official World Golf Ranking in a calendar year. Tiger Woods received this award for the first 13 years after it began.

Passing Away

Mark McCormack passed away on May 16, 2003, in a New York hospital. He was 72 years old. He had been in a coma for four months after a heart problem. His wife, Betsy Nagelsen, and his children shared his company's wealth.