Philadelphia, PA – Jerry Wolman, who owned the Philadelphia Eagles during the 1960s, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 86.
Wolman purchased the Eagles in 1963 for just over $5 million from a consortium known as the "Happy Hundred," becoming the youngest owner in the league at the time. One of the members of Wolman's front office staff was the man who would become synonymous with the Philadelphia Flyers -- Ed Snider.
However, the Birds were not synonymous with success during seven seasons under Wolman's control, recording only one winning season and losing 10 or more games two times. Philadelphia's most infamous losing campaign of that period came in 1968, when it finished 2-12 and out of the running for the following year's #1 overall pick, O.J. Simpson.
Wolman eventually sold the Birds in 1969 to businessman Leonard Tose for a then-record sum of $16.1 million.
"I had the pleasure of meeting Jerry on multiple occasions when he came back to watch an Eagles game," said Eagles chairman Jeffrey Lurie. "Each time, we enjoyed reminiscing about Eagles football and sharing in the enjoyment of owning such a historic franchise."
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