William Bartholomay
Encyclopedia
William C. Bartholomay is a Chicago executive who made his living in the insurance industry. In 1962 he was the leader of a consortioum who bought the Milwaukee Braves, a National League Baseball franchise, from the previous Braves owner Lou Perini
.
Despite the Braves success in Milwaukee, where the team had set league attendance records during the 1950s, Bartholomay was intent on moving the team to Atlanta, a growing regional center, where there was more television revenue, and where the new, 52,000 seat Fulton County Stadium had recently been built. Furthermore, Bill was an innovator and wanted to be the first man to bring a baseball team to the deep south. He worked with many social leaders to help attain his dream. After an extended legal battle with Milwaukee that kept the Braves in Milwaukee through the 1965 season, the National League agreed to the shift to Atlanta. The case ultimately led to baseball's guidelines on local ownership.
In 1976, he was approached by a friend, Ted Turner
. Bill and Ted knew a baseball team and network deal would be a good way to market the Atlanta Braves on a national scale and provided programing for Ted Turner's developing network. Bartholomay agreed, and sold the controlling interest of the Braves to Turner of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., and owner of CNN
, while retaining his interest as Chairman.
Bartholomay is a Life Trustee of Illinois Institute of Technology
.
Lou Perini
Louis R. Perini was the principal owner of the Boston/Milwaukee Braves of the National League from through . In 1945, he purchased the club from Bob Quinn, and he moved the club to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the season after complaining of poor attendance and revenue in Boston...
.
Despite the Braves success in Milwaukee, where the team had set league attendance records during the 1950s, Bartholomay was intent on moving the team to Atlanta, a growing regional center, where there was more television revenue, and where the new, 52,000 seat Fulton County Stadium had recently been built. Furthermore, Bill was an innovator and wanted to be the first man to bring a baseball team to the deep south. He worked with many social leaders to help attain his dream. After an extended legal battle with Milwaukee that kept the Braves in Milwaukee through the 1965 season, the National League agreed to the shift to Atlanta. The case ultimately led to baseball's guidelines on local ownership.
In 1976, he was approached by a friend, Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
. Bill and Ted knew a baseball team and network deal would be a good way to market the Atlanta Braves on a national scale and provided programing for Ted Turner's developing network. Bartholomay agreed, and sold the controlling interest of the Braves to Turner of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., and owner of CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, while retaining his interest as Chairman.
Bartholomay is a Life Trustee of Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly called Illinois Tech or IIT, is a private Ph.D.-granting university located in Chicago, Illinois, with programs in engineering, science, psychology, architecture, business, communications, industrial technology, information technology, design, and law...
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