Lamar Hunt Fading...

Elspode · 12-12-2006, 02:41 PM

He may be just another gazillionaire, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but Lamar Hunt has meant a great deal to professional sports, especially here in my hometown of Kansas City. Lamar watched the Chiefs beat the Broncos on the first-ever Thanksgiving night game, something Hunt had fought to bring to KC for over twenty years, adding to the annual Detroit/Dallas tradition, possibly as a permanent fixture featuring the Chiefs. Lamar watched that game from a hospital bed in Dallas, too sick to attend. He had missed only a small handful of Chiefs games since their founding as the Dallas Texans in 1960.

Hunt founded the AFL, rubbing it in the faces of the elitist NFL, until the NFL had to beg to merge with the upstart, gritty league. Hunt was the driving force behind the creation of the Superbowl (he named it as well), profit sharing to equalize large market and small market teams and many other concepts that are now standard practice in pro sports. Lamar Hunt is beloved in KC, and hailed by other pro sports owners, investors and players as one of the finest examples of leadership and humanity in the business.

The news on Lamar is not good. Kansas City, America and professional sports are about to lose a giant, and I wanted to take this moment to publicly speak of my admiration and gratitude for all he's done for my community. I am an unabashed sports fan, and Lamar Hunt is one my largest heroes.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061212/...hospitalized_1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Lamar Hunt was fighting for his life in a Dallas hospital Tuesday, and friends and family of the 74-year-old pioneer of the modern NFL were hoping for "miracles."

Hunt has battled cancer for several years and was hospitalized the day before Thanksgiving with a partially collapsed lung. Doctors discovered that the cancer has since spread, and Hunt has been under heavy sedation since last week.

"They're trying to make him as comfortable as possible," said Carl Peterson, president and general manager of Hunt's Kansas City Chiefs. "He's battling a very courageous fight. We'll continue to hope that miracles will happen."

The son of Texas oilman H.L. Hunt tried unsuccessfully to buy an NFL team in the late 1950s, and when continually rebuffed, he persuaded several other wealthy sportsmen to form the American Football League to compete with the NFL.

His Dallas Texans moved to Kansas City in 1963 and became the Chiefs. Several years later, the NFL was forced to merge with Hunt's successful AFL, and the modern league was born.

Long an eloquent spokesman for the league and for small-market teams such as Kansas City, Hunt in 1972 became the first AFL figure inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The AFC championship trophy is named after him and, coincidentally, it was Hunt who gave the Super Bowl its name.

He and his family also have been active in professional soccer, and he's a minority owner of the NBA's Chicago Bulls.

Clark Hunt, one of his four children, has been gradually assuming his father's oversight of the family's sports interests.

"I was with Clark Hunt yesterday, and of course I speak with the family every day," Peterson said. "There's not any improvement."

Hunt and other early day owners who put the health of the league above the best interests of their individual clubs have been credited with helping the NFL avoid the big market-small market disparity that has plagued major league baseball.

Peterson said he visited Hunt's hospital bed last week.

"He's giving it everything he can," Peterson said. "The doctors are also. We hope and pray for good results.

"All the family is there. Everybody's there," Peterson added. "It's extremely hard for everybody. And on a personal note, certainly I've been with this guy a long time and have the utmost respect and love for him. I've known him since 1976 when I came into the league, and I know what he's contributed to the National Football League, to Kansas City, to this community.

"It's a difficult time for everybody."

lookout123 · 12-12-2006, 10:24 PM

Thanks Els. once again i want to point out what a great job you do at pointing us in the direction of those we should remember.

Elspode · 12-14-2006, 08:40 AM

Lamar Hunt passed away last night. He will be missed here in KC.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061214/..._chiefs_hunt_9

lookout123 · 12-14-2006, 08:16 PM

he was also the major driving force behind pro soccer in the US. such as it is.

12-12-2006, 02:41 PM	#1
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	Lamar Hunt Fading... He may be just another gazillionaire, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but Lamar Hunt has meant a great deal to professional sports, especially here in my hometown of Kansas City. Lamar watched the Chiefs beat the Broncos on the first-ever Thanksgiving night game, something Hunt had fought to bring to KC for over twenty years, adding to the annual Detroit/Dallas tradition, possibly as a permanent fixture featuring the Chiefs. Lamar watched that game from a hospital bed in Dallas, too sick to attend. He had missed only a small handful of Chiefs games since their founding as the Dallas Texans in 1960. Hunt founded the AFL, rubbing it in the faces of the elitist NFL, until the NFL had to beg to merge with the upstart, gritty league. Hunt was the driving force behind the creation of the Superbowl (he named it as well), profit sharing to equalize large market and small market teams and many other concepts that are now standard practice in pro sports. Lamar Hunt is beloved in KC, and hailed by other pro sports owners, investors and players as one of the finest examples of leadership and humanity in the business. The news on Lamar is not good. Kansas City, America and professional sports are about to lose a giant, and I wanted to take this moment to publicly speak of my admiration and gratitude for all he's done for my community. I am an unabashed sports fan, and Lamar Hunt is one my largest heroes. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061212/...hospitalized_1 KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Lamar Hunt was fighting for his life in a Dallas hospital Tuesday, and friends and family of the 74-year-old pioneer of the modern NFL were hoping for "miracles." Hunt has battled cancer for several years and was hospitalized the day before Thanksgiving with a partially collapsed lung. Doctors discovered that the cancer has since spread, and Hunt has been under heavy sedation since last week. "They're trying to make him as comfortable as possible," said Carl Peterson, president and general manager of Hunt's Kansas City Chiefs. "He's battling a very courageous fight. We'll continue to hope that miracles will happen." The son of Texas oilman H.L. Hunt tried unsuccessfully to buy an NFL team in the late 1950s, and when continually rebuffed, he persuaded several other wealthy sportsmen to form the American Football League to compete with the NFL. His Dallas Texans moved to Kansas City in 1963 and became the Chiefs. Several years later, the NFL was forced to merge with Hunt's successful AFL, and the modern league was born. Long an eloquent spokesman for the league and for small-market teams such as Kansas City, Hunt in 1972 became the first AFL figure inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The AFC championship trophy is named after him and, coincidentally, it was Hunt who gave the Super Bowl its name. He and his family also have been active in professional soccer, and he's a minority owner of the NBA's Chicago Bulls. Clark Hunt, one of his four children, has been gradually assuming his father's oversight of the family's sports interests. "I was with Clark Hunt yesterday, and of course I speak with the family every day," Peterson said. "There's not any improvement." Hunt and other early day owners who put the health of the league above the best interests of their individual clubs have been credited with helping the NFL avoid the big market-small market disparity that has plagued major league baseball. Peterson said he visited Hunt's hospital bed last week. "He's giving it everything he can," Peterson said. "The doctors are also. We hope and pray for good results. "All the family is there. Everybody's there," Peterson added. "It's extremely hard for everybody. And on a personal note, certainly I've been with this guy a long time and have the utmost respect and love for him. I've known him since 1976 when I came into the league, and I know what he's contributed to the National Football League, to Kansas City, to this community. "It's a difficult time for everybody." __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

12-12-2006, 10:24 PM	#2
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	Thanks Els. once again i want to point out what a great job you do at pointing us in the direction of those we should remember. __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

12-14-2006, 08:40 AM	#3
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	Lamar Hunt passed away last night. He will be missed here in KC. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061214/..._chiefs_hunt_9 __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

12-14-2006, 08:16 PM	#4
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	he was also the major driving force behind pro soccer in the US. such as it is. __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

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