William Bartholomay

William Conrad Bartholomay (August 11, 1928 – March 25, 2020) was an American business executive who made his living in the insurance industry in Chicago but became widely known as the owner who brought Major League Baseball (MLB) to the Southeastern United States with the Atlanta Braves in 1966. Although he sold the franchise to Ted Turner in late 1975, Bartholomay remained an executive with the Braves until his death, over 57 years since he acquired the team late in 1962 when it was still based in Milwaukee.

Early life

Bartholomay was born in Evanston, Illinois. His father, Henry, was an executive at Alexander & Alexander, one of the largest insurance brokerages in the United States. His mother, Virginia (née Graves), drove for the U.S. Army Motor Corps in World War I and was active in the American Red Cross during World War II. One of William's great-grandfathers, also Henry Bartholomay, emigrated from Germany to Rochester, New York, where he established Bartholomay Brewing Company in 1874. Another great-grandfather, Conrad Seipp, founded Chicago's Conrad Seipp Brewing Company. Henry and Virginia's family was friendly with Philip K. Wrigley, the chewing-gum magnate and longtime owner of the Chicago Cubs.

William was an alumnus of North Shore Country Day School and Lake Forest College and entered the insurance business after his graduation from college.

Baseball career

Chicago White Sox

Bartholomay first entered into baseball ownership at age 33 when, in 1961, he assembled a group of investors into the LaSalle Corporation, which acquired the 46 percent minority share of the American League's Chicago White Sox owned by Chuck Comiskey, grandson of the team's legendary founder. But his involvement with his hometown team did not last long.