Charles Rupert

Charles B. Rupert
(Chuck)

• Born c. 1921 in Springdale, PA USA
• Died September 23, 1985 in Hillsborough, CA USA

Biographical Information

Charles Rupert was the son-in-law of San Francisco Giants owner Horace Stoneham through his marriage with his daughter Valleda Mary. He was an officer in the United States Air Force who rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. When he retired from the military in 1966, he went to work for the Giants and became the team's vice-president (Stoneham's son, Peter, was also on the team's Board of Directors but was an alcoholic, explaining why he was kept away from sensitive matters).

Rupert had a relatively low profile, not surprising given how prominent a figure his father-in-law was. However, when Stoneham was looking to sell the Giants after the 1975 season, it was Rupert who announced the sale of the team to Labatt Breweries, based in Toronto, ON, for $13 million, on January 9, 1976. The sale fell through, however, due to protests from the team's fan base which prompted San Francisco mayor George Moscone to intervene by filing for an injunction to prevent the move. In any case, Toronto was soon granted an expansion of 1977 franchise in the American League, and when the Giants were sold for good this time, two months later, it was to Bob Lurie, a local owner.