John Fetzer

John Earl Fetzer

• Born March 25, 1901 in Decatur, IN USA
• Died February 20, 1991 in Honolulu, HI USA

Biographical Information

John Fetzer was a radio and television magnate who bought part of the Detroit Tigers in 1956 when the family of Walter Briggs decided to divest themselves from the team. Originally in partnership with Fred Knorr, he was the majority owner of the Tigers from 1961 to 1983, following Knorr's death. Fetzer held the title of team president from 1961 to 1978. He sold the club in 1983 to Tom Monaghan, founder and owner of Domino's Pizza.

During his time as Chairman of the Tigers, Fetzer was active in negotiating television contracts for Major League Baseball, thanks to his wide knowledge of the television industry.