Dan Reeves (American football executive)
Dan Reeves | |
---|---|
Born | Daniel Farrell Reeves June 30, 1912 New York City, U.S. |
Died | April 15, 1971 New York City, U.S. | (aged 58)
Resting place | Gate of Heaven Cemetery (Hawthorne, New York) |
Education | Georgetown University (no degree) |
Occupation(s) | businessman and sports entrepreneur |
Known for | Owner of the NFL's Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams franchise, 1941–1971 |
Spouse | Mary V. Corroon Reeves (m.1935–1971, his death) |
Children | 6 |
Daniel Farrell Reeves (June 30, 1912 – April 15, 1971) was an American sports entrepreneur, best known as the owner of the
Reeves is remembered for his move of the Rams from
Reeves was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967.
Early years
He was born in
Reeves was a graduate of the Newman School in
The Reeves family's grocery chain was sold to
Purchase of Cleveland Rams
Together with his friend and business partner Robert Levy,
Despite its financial woes, the previously unsuccessful franchise began to turn around in
Move to Los Angeles
Immediately following the conclusion of the 1945 season, with the championship game having been played in icy Cleveland before 32,000 fans on December 15, Reeves announced his intention to move his team to sunny Southern California: the League approved the move on January 12, 1946.[10]
On January 15, Rams team representatives went before the Los Angeles Coliseum Commission with a plan to lease use of the facility for home games, as it was already the home venue for
Eventually, the team proved to be extremely successful on the field, with quarterback Bob Waterfield helping the team to three straight League Championship games from 1949 to 1951, culminating in the 1951 Championship trophy.
The previous closeness between Reeves and Levy fell away, though, and soon Levy was siding with Pauley against Reeves on most significant ownership decisions. Pauley eventually assumed Levy's stake, giving Pauley two-thirds ownership of the team but that did nothing to resolve the constant battles between Pauley and Reeves. Finally in 1962, the NFL stepped in to resolve the situation by holding a closed auction to result in one partner buying out the other. Reeves outbid Pauley for the team, valuing the Rams at $7.1 million against Pauley's bid of $6.1 million. Reeves once again assumed sole ownership.
He then raised the funds to support his bid by immediately selling 49% of the team to a group of minority owners that included Gene Autry.[13] By the time of Reeves' death in 1971, the team's value was estimated at $20 million.
Reeves also owned one of Los Angeles' first ice hockey teams, the Western Hockey League's Los Angeles Blades, which lasted from 1961 to 1967 and played nearby the Coliseum at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. Given the Blades' success, Reeves was an early favorite to get a National Hockey League franchise during the 1967 NHL expansion, but the league awarded the team to Los Angeles Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke.[14]
Innovations
The innovative Reeves made several other significant contributions to pro football. He instituted the famed "Free Football for Kids" program that enabled youngsters to enjoy the game in their formative years and then, hopefully, become ardent fans as adults. His signing of the ex-UCLA great, Kenny Washington, in the spring of 1946 marked the first time a black player had been hired in the NFL since 1933.
Reeves' experimentation in the early days of television provided the groundwork for pro football's current successful TV policies. He was also the first to employ a full-time scouting staff.
Relationship with George Allen
In 1965, Reeves lured away defensive coordinator and head of player personnel George Allen from the Chicago Bears. Allen made key trades and draft choices, which returned the team back to prominence within the next three seasons of his tenure. Allen allegedly had agreed on the deal with Reeves with two years remaining on his contract with the Bears, and a protracted legal battle followed.[15]
By 1968, Reeves had sought to go in a new direction as far as to find a new head coach for the team. On Christmas Day, Reeves attempted to fire Allen, but due to the wide public outcry of the Rams' fans over the dismissal, he finally relented and retained Allen as the head coach for the next two years, then fired him again after the 1970 season.[16]
Pro Football HOF enshrinement and death
Reeves was enshrined in the
After Reeves' death,
References
- ^ "Dan Reeves, LA Rams' owner, dies". Press-Courier. Oxnard, California. Associated Press. April 16, 1971. p. 24.
- ^ "Services held for Dan Reeves". Wilmington Morning Star. North Carolina. UPI. April 17, 1971. p. 5C.
- ^ "Dan Reeves proved Indians were gone". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. South Carolina. Associated Press. April 18, 1971. p. C3.
- ^ TOBIN, JACK (January 1969). "A MARRIAGE THAT WAS DOOMED".
- ^ "Cleveland grid team to be sold". Pittsburgh Press. May 1, 1941. p. 32.
- ^ "Cleveland Rams sold". St. Petersburg Times. Florida. INS. June 12, 1941. p. 9, section 2.
- ^ a b Tom Reed, "How Moving a Franchise from Cleveland to L.A. Benefited the Browns and Fostered Social Change," Cleveland Plain Dealer, www.cleveland.com, Feb. 3, 2014.
- ^ "Reeves sole Rams' owner". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. December 9, 1943. p. 14.
- ^ a b "Bob Waterfield: Biography," Pro Football Hall of Fame, www.profootballhof.com/
- ^ "Rams transfer to Los Angeles". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. January 13, 1946. p. 1, sports.
- ^ "Rams to Go After Coliseum Lease," San Mateo Times, vol. 35, no. 13 (Jan. 15, 1946), pg. 7.
- ^ "Los Angeles Pros to Use Coliseum," Tucson Daily Citizen, vol. 75, no. 20 (Jan. 23, 1946), pg. 12.
- ^ Edwin Shrake (October 3, 1966). "A Private Eye on the New Rams". Sports Illustrated.
- ISBN 978-1-4502-8605-3.
- ^ (Chicago) Bears take matter to court, AP article, The Miami News, Jan 12, 1966, accessed April 11, 2012.
- ^ Florence, Mal (December 31, 1970). "Allen fired by Rams' owner for second time in 2 years". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Florida. (Los Angeles Times). p. 1C.
- ^ "Colts' owner now sole owner of Rams". The Bulletin. UPI. July 14, 1972. p. 12.
- ^ Los Angeles (Rams) Owner Dan Reeves dies of cancer, UPI Article for The Palm Beach Post, Apr 16, 1971, accessed April 11, 2012.[permanent dead link]
External links
- Pro Football Hall of Fame - Dan Reeves
- Dan Reeves at Find a Grave