Former U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-Wisconsin), who owned the Milwaukee Bucks for 29 years, died Wednesday at the age of 88,
Former Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl, who owned the Milwaukee Bucks for 29 years, died Wednesday at the age of 88.
“Senator Kohl was a lifelong and proud Wisconsinite who cared deeply for his state and the city of Milwaukee. As the Bucks owner, he was steadfast in making sure the team remained in the city and his generosity led to the building of Fiserv Forum, which is on Herb Kohl Way. Even after selling the team, Senator Kohl loved the Bucks and was always seen in his team cap around town,” the Bucks said in a statement released Wednesday night.
“The Senator leaves behind an unmatched legacy in philanthropy, often anonymously, and through his incredible Herb Kohl Foundation. His impact in sports, public service, and business will also always be remembered in our state. The Bucks express our deepest condolences to the Senator’s family and friends.”
Kohl bought the Bucks in 1985 from founding owner Jim Fitzgerald for a then-record $18 million, beating out a number of other interested parties including two groups from the Minneapolis-St. Paul market, who both hoped to relocate the franchise to the Twin Cities.
Just days after Kohl and Fitzgerald announced their deal, local philanthropists Jane Bradley Pettit and her husband, former Chicago Blackhawks announcer Lloyd Pettit solidified the Bucks’ long-term future in Milwaukee when they announced that they would finance construction of a new arena that they’d gift to the city.
Despite essentially saving the franchise for Milwaukee, Kohl’s tenure as owner was not without controversy.
The Bucks were a perennial Eastern Conference powerhouse during the early 1980s.
