Abe Pollin Owner of several sports clubs Date of Birth: 03.12.1923 Country: USA

Biography of Abe Pollin

Abe Pollin, the owner of several sports clubs, including the renowned basketball club 'Washington Wizards', stood at the helm of his team for a record-breaking 45 years. He always believed in his club, even when everyone else had given up on it. In addition to being a talented businessman and well-known philanthropist, Pollin also had faith in his own luck.

Abe Pollin was born in 1923 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, into a Jewish family. At the age of eight, his parents moved him to Washington. After graduating from George Washington University, Pollin joined the family business and founded his own construction company in 1957.

In 1964, Abe Pollin, along with two partners, bought the basketball club 'Baltimore Bullets' for a laughable sum of just over a million dollars. After a few years, Pollin bought out his partners, becoming the sole owner of the team. He moved the club to the capital, renaming it the 'Washington Wizards', as he believed the word 'bullets' had negative connotations due to the high crime rate, which could negatively impact the team's fans.

Pollin's interests extended beyond basketball. In 1974, he became the owner of the newly formed NHL team, the 'Washington Capitals'. Interestingly, to ensure his application for the team's creation was approved by the league commission, Pollin promised to build a new ice arena in Washington. However, bureaucratic barriers interfered with his plans, and as a result, the complex, known as the 'Washington', was built in Landover, Maryland.

In addition to basketball and hockey, Pollin also owned the American women's basketball team, the 'Washington Mystics', which competes in the WNBA. One of Pollin's notable achievements was bringing back the legendary Michael Jordan to the NBA. However, their partnership did not go as smoothly as Pollin had hoped.

Apart from the sports world, Pollin was known as a philanthropist and a kind, honest, and humble person. He donated money to various programs in medicine, education, and social services, among others. In 1997, he invested over 200 million dollars of his personal funds to build the grand sports complex 'MCI Center', now known as the 'Verizon Center'.

Abe Pollin passed away on November 24, 2009, at the age of 86. He suffered from a rare brain disorder called progressive supranuclear palsy, which affected his balance and coordination. He was mourned at one of the synagogues in Washington. During his lifetime, a street adjacent to the sports complex he built was named after him. Many Americans will remember Abe Pollin as a generous philanthropist, a lover of life, a talented entrepreneur, and an exceptional individual who lived a remarkable life and left a lasting impact.