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Sports Discussion => Baseball => Topic started by: TheNorm on February 10, 2017, 09:38:23 PM

Title: Tigers/Red Wings Owner Mike Ilitch Passes Away
Post by: TheNorm on February 10, 2017, 09:38:23 PM
 :-[

http://www.freep.com/story/money/business/columnists/2017/02/10/ilitch-detroit-pizza-red-wings-tigers-hockey-forbes/91475642/ (http://www.freep.com/story/money/business/columnists/2017/02/10/ilitch-detroit-pizza-red-wings-tigers-hockey-forbes/91475642/)

Really don't know what else to say here. Some of you might know him mainly as the owner of Little Caesar's Pizza, home of "Pizza! Pizza!" and the cheap and easy Hot N' Readys. But I have a feeling most of you know him as the owner of the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers. Without his guidance, Detroit probably doesn't become Hockeytown, and while the Tigers did struggle his first few seasons as owner, they too soon found some sustained success in the 2000s. While he wasn't able to fulfill his dream of seeing the Tigers win the World Series as owner, he did do what it took to get the Tigers back to competing again. And we all know what the Red Wings were able to accomplish during his time as owner: 4 Stanley Cup Championships, and a playoff streak that started in 1991.
His contributions to the city of Detroit are also worth mentioning. He helped restore the Fox Theatre back to its former greatness, and that entire district area will soon be home to not just one of his arenas (Comerica Park in 2000 for the Tigers), but two this coming fall when the new Red Wings hockey arena opens. He also has many charitable foundations in the Detroit area that support a number of different causes.
He was a native of Detroit that was able to build an empire, and had great love for the city. And as someone that also grew up in this town and will always consider Detroit home, I'm definitely bummed out by this news but also forever grateful for what Mike Ilitch has done for this city.