Cleveland -- Lawrence J. Dolan, the esteemed owner of Cleveland's major league baseball team since 2000, has passed away at the age of 94. The Cleveland Guardians released a statement on Monday confirming that Dolan died on Sunday night from natural causes.
"Mr. Dolan invested his entire life in Greater Cleveland and impacted our community on so many levels," noted Bob DiBiasio, Guardians' senior vice president of public affairs. "From his service to our country as a First Lieutenant in the United States Marines, his many philanthropic acts of kindness, career in law, business, education, and sports, many benefited from his engagement, influence, and passion. Especially in the world of sports."
Dolan, a native of Cleveland, acquired the team from Richard Jacobs in 2000 for a reported $320 million. The Dolan family holds a 75% stake in the club, marking them as the longest-tenured owners in Cleveland's franchise history.
Guardians chairman and CEO Paul Dolan, Larry Dolan's son, assumed the role of the team's primary control person in 2013. "We are saddened by the loss of our Dad, but lucky to have him as part of our lives as long as we did," Paul Dolan expressed in a statement. "He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather who was passionate about his family, work, our community, and his love of our local sports teams, including owning the Cleveland Guardians."
The franchise, formerly known as the Cleveland Indians, rebranded as the Guardians after the 2021 season. Over the past 24 seasons, the team has achieved remarkable success, securing seven American League Central Division titles, making nine postseason appearances, and advancing to the 2016 World Series, where they fell to the Chicago Cubs in a thrilling seven-game series. Additionally, Cleveland had the honor of hosting the 2019 MLB All-Star Game.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred expressed his condolences: "I am saddened by the passing of Cleveland native Larry Dolan, whose family's quarter-century ownership has made their hometown team a consistent winner and a staple of their community. He strongly believed in mentoring young people and using the Guardians as a way to impact Greater Cleveland. Larry also served the industry by bringing his professional expertise to the Major League Executive Council and the Ownership Committee, and he served on two labor negotiating committees."
