Richard Jacobs

Richard E. Jacobs

• Born June 16, 1925
• Died June 5, 2009 in Cleveland, OH USA

Biographical Information

Richard Jacobs was a successful real estate developper who became owner of the Cleveland Indians from 1986 until 2000, when Larry Dolan bought the club for approximately $323 million. Jacobs and his brother David Jacobs bought the club from the estate of Steve O'Neill, where it had fallen on hard times for the previous three decades. When the team opened its new ballpark, Jacobs Field, in 1994, it was named after him (it has since been renamed).

Under Jacobs' leadership, the Indians became contenders again, reaching the World Series in 1995 and 1997. The on-field success led to a huge boom in attendance, including a then-record 455 consecutive sellouts of Jacobs Field from June 12, 1995 to April 2, 2001.

Further Reading

• David Bohmer: "Cleveland Indians team ownership history", Team Ownership History Project, SABR. [1]

Related Sites

• Richard Jacobs at the SABR Bio Project