Former Milwaukee Bucks owner Jim Fitzgerald died at the age of 86 - NBA Update
Former Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors owner Jim Fitzgerald breathed his last on Monday morning.
According to Bucks, the 86-year-old died on Monday, however the immediate cause of his death has not been disclosed. He died at Janesville, his home town and the funeral services will be held on Thursday morning at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Janesville.
Fitzgerald started his joint venture business in 1948 and formed the Shell Oil jobbers for Janesville, Wisconsin. The business grew and over the years Fitzgerald owned chain of service and gas stations across the state.
He moved on to invest in shopping plazas and hotel chains. By the end of 1960’s he became a business tycoon and his group owned cable television franchises in Janesville. Finally in 1975 he led a group of private investors to buy Milwaukee Professional Sports and Service, Inc. that was the parent company of the Milwaukee Bucks.
In 1973 Jim joined Bucks’ board of directors and went on to assume the responsibility of president and in 1976 he became the chairman of the board of directors.
John Steinmiller, Bucks’ VP of basketball operations extended his condolences for Jim’s family and said that he was a benign force for the franchise.
"Jim Fitzgerald was the right man at the right time for the Bucks franchise," said team vice president of business operations John Steinmiller. "He will be dearly missed by the entire Bucks family."
He remained Bucks chairman till 1985, and then the franchise was sold to Herb Kohl.
Junior Bridgeman, former Milwaukee player said that he was like family for them. He along with a group of players visited Fitzgerald last year, something that is not practiced by former players normally. But Jim meant a lot to them.
"Jim was a great man and he taught us more than just basketball," former Bucks player Junior Bridgeman said in a statement."It was a family, and today we lost a member of that family.”
During his regime Bucks won 7 consecutive division titles from 1979 to 1985 season. After handing over the Bucks to Kohl, he took over the Golden State Warriors.
Fitzgerald led the team that owned Warriors; they however sold the franchise in 1995.
He lived a successful life and has been survived by 6 children and a wife. He also left behind 15 grand children and 9 great-grandchildren.
He will be buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery on Thursday.
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