Peter Ueberroth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Ueberroth
Olympic Order
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Ueberroth in 1985
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| President of the United States Olympic Committee | |
| In office 2004–2008 |
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| Preceded by | Marty Mankamyer William C. Martin (Interim) |
| Succeeded by | Larry Probst |
| 6th Commissioner of Baseball | |
| In office October 1, 1984 – April 1, 1989 |
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| Preceded by | Bowie Kuhn |
| Succeeded by | Bart Giamatti |
| President of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee | |
| In office August 3, 1980 – August 12, 1984 |
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| IOC President | Juan Antonio Samaranch |
| Preceded by | Ignati Novikov (Official Representative) |
| Succeeded by | Roh Tae-woo |
| Chair of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee | |
| In office March 26, 1979 – August 12, 1984 |
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| Preceded by | Committee established |
| Succeeded by | Position dissolved |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Peter Victor Ueberroth
September 2, 1937 Evanston, Illinois, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | San Jose State University |
Peter Victor Ueberroth (born September 2, 1937) is an American sports and business leader. He is well-known for his work with the Olympics and Major League Baseball.
Ueberroth was the chairman of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee. This group helped bring the 1984 Olympic Games to Los Angeles. For his great success in organizing these games, Time magazine named him their "Man of the Year" in 1984.
After the Olympics, he became the sixth Commissioner of Baseball. He held this important role from 1984 to 1989. Later, he was the chairman of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee from 2004 to 2008.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Peter Ueberroth was born in Evanston, Illinois. His father had German and Austrian roots, and his mother had Swedish and Irish family. As a child, he worked as a caddy at a golf club in Northfield, Illinois. He grew up in Northern California.
High School and College Sports
While attending Fremont High School, Peter was a talented athlete. He was great at football, baseball, and swimming. After high school, he went to San Jose State University on a sports scholarship. He joined the Delta Upsilon fraternity there.
In 1956, Ueberroth tried out for the United States Olympic water polo team. He did not make the team, but he continued his studies. He graduated from San Jose State in 1959 with a degree in business.
Starting a Travel Business
After college, at just 22 years old, Ueberroth became a vice president and part-owner of Trans International Airlines. This airline was owned by future billionaire Kirk Kerkorian. Ueberroth worked there until 1963.
In 1963, he started his own travel company called First Travel Corporation. By the time he sold it in 1980, it had become the second-largest travel business in North America.
Sports Leadership Roles
Leading the 1984 Olympics
For five years, Peter Ueberroth worked as the main organizer for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He played a very important part in the success of the games. At the end of the Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) gave him the Olympic Order in gold. This award recognized his outstanding work.
The 1984 Olympics were the first in history to be paid for entirely by private money. Under Ueberroth's leadership, the games made a profit of almost $250 million. This success became a guide for future Olympic Games. The money earned was used to support youth and sports activities across the United States.
Ueberroth put together a committee of more than 150 people, mostly business leaders. Their job was to come up with new ideas and solve problems. He was very good at finding sponsors for the 1984 Olympics. This approach helped create the Olympic sponsorship programs we see today.
Baseball Commissioner Role
Peter Ueberroth was chosen to be the new Commissioner of Baseball on March 3, 1984. He officially started the job on October 1 of that year. One condition of his hiring was that he could fine teams or players up to $250,000, a big increase from before. His salary was also much higher than the previous commissioner's.
When Ueberroth started, baseball umpires were threatening to go on strike during the postseason. He helped solve the disagreement quickly, and the umpires were back at work before the League Championship Series ended. The next summer, he also helped prevent a long players' strike, limiting it to just one day.
During his time as commissioner, Ueberroth brought back two famous players, Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle, who had been kept from working in Major League Baseball. He also helped negotiate a large television contract with CBS for $1.8 billion. He started an investigation into Pete Rose's betting activities.
In 1985, the League Championship Series expanded from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven series. Ueberroth also encouraged the Chicago Cubs to install lights at Wrigley Field. This allowed them to play night games. He also found new ways for Major League Baseball to earn money by having big companies pay to have their products endorsed by the league.
Under Ueberroth, Major League Baseball saw more people attending games, setting new attendance records for four years in a row. There was also better control of crowds and alcohol at ballparks. The league's financial situation improved greatly. When Ueberroth started, most teams were losing money. By 1988, his last full season, all teams were either making money or breaking even.
Ueberroth stepped down as commissioner before the start of the 1989 regular season. He was replaced by National League president A. Bartlett Giamatti.
After Baseball
After leaving his role as Baseball Commissioner, Peter Ueberroth continued to be active in the business world. He was a corporate director for The Coca-Cola Company from 1986 until he retired in 2015.
He is an investor and chairman of the Contrarian Group, Inc., a business management company, a position he has held since 1989. He is also co-chairman of Pebble Beach Company. He has served on the boards of several other companies, including Hilton Hotels Corporation and Aircastle.
In 1990, Ueberroth, along with his brother John and business partner J. Thomas Talbot, bought a controlling share of Hawaiian Airlines.
Three years after leaving office, he led the "Rebuild Los Angeles" project. This project helped the city recover after the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
In 1999, Ueberroth, along with famous golfer Arnold Palmer and actor Clint Eastwood, bought the Pebble Beach golf course.
In 2003, Ueberroth ran for Governor of California as an independent candidate during a special recall election. His campaign focused on California's money problems. He later pulled out of the race, but his name still appeared on the ballot.
Ueberroth was also the chairman of the United States Olympic Committee Board of Directors from 2004 to 2008. In 2010, he was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame. He is a Life Trustee of the University of Southern California.
Peter Ueberroth and his wife, Ginny, were among the founders of Sage Hill School. He also served on the school's Athletic Advisory Council for a short time. He is a board member for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, an award given to college football's top defensive player.
Personal Life
Peter Ueberroth married Virginia "Ginny" Nicolaus in 1959. They have four children together.
See also
In Spanish: Peter Ueberroth para niños
