Bill Wrigley

William A. Wrigley III

• School Yale University
• Born January 21, 1933 in Chicago, IL USA
• Died March 8, 1999 in Chicago, IL USA

Biographical Information

Bill Wrigley was the son of Philip K. Wrigley and the grandson of William Wrigley. A graduate of Yale University, he was heir to the family fortune based on the manufacture of chewing gum. He was president of the family company, the "Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company", founded by his grandfather, from 1961 until his death in 1999.

He inherited ownership of the Chicago Cubs after his father died in 1977. However, the need to pay significant estate taxes upon the death of both of his parents made it impossible to keep the team in the family, and he concluded a deal to sell his majority ownership shares to the Chicago Tribune in 1981. During his brief tenure, he continued to honor his father's wishes that no lights be installed at Wrigley Field, a policy which the subsequent owners would change in 1988.