A longtime MLB owner passed away at the age of 94 on Saturday.
The Baltimore Orioles shared a statement from the family of their owner, Peter Angelos, that he had passed away on Saturday after being ill for several years.
“Today, Peter G. Angelos passed away quietly at the age of 94,” the Orioles said in a statement. “Mr. Angelos had been ill for several years, and the family thanks the doctors, nurses, and caregivers who brought comfort to him in his final years.
“It was Mr. Angelos’ wish to have a private burial, and the family asks for understanding as they honor that request. Donations may be sent to charity in lieu of flowers.”
Peter Angelos headed the consortium that acquired the Orioles franchise in 1993 for a reported sum of $173 million. His tenure as an owner was marked by active participation, notably during the 1994-95 labor stoppage in Major League Baseball.
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Angelos gained recognition for his principled stance against employing replacement players, a decision rooted in his background as a personal injury attorney representing union members in Baltimore.
The Baltimore Sun wrote this of Angelos regarding his legal career:
“Tough-minded and ego-driven, Angelos rose from a blue-collar background to amass a fortune as a lawyer. Casting himself as a defender of steelworkers against corporate irresponsibility, Angelos won more than $1 billion in damages from asbestos companies during the 1990s and built his personal wealth on the commissions.”
During Peter Angelos’ tenure as the principal owner of the Orioles, a notable milestone occurred on September 6, 1995, when Cal Ripken Jr. surpassed Lou Gehrig’s longstanding record for the most consecutive games played. Since Angelos acquired the club in 1993, the Orioles have secured six postseason appearances.
In addition to his legal career, Angelos served on the Baltimore City Council for four years and pursued the mayoral office of the city in 1967.
In recent years, Angelos’ declining health prompted his sons John and Louis to assume control of the franchise. Earlier this year, the Angelos family reached an agreement to sell the Orioles to David Rubenstein, a Baltimore native and co-founder of the private equity firm The Carlyle Group, for a price exceeding $1.7 billion. However, the sale is pending approval from other MLB owners.
Many tributes poured in for Angelos on social media following the announcement.
