22 Facts About Bob Short

Robert Earl Short was an American businessman, sport teams owner, and politician.

Bob Short served as the treasurer of the Democratic National Committee from 1968 to 1969.

Bob Short graduated from the College of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota, before receiving his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC In 1942, he enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II, and rose from ensign to commander before resigning in 1946.

Bob Short practiced law for several years and started to invest in business ventures after buying an interest in Mueller Transportation, a small trucking line.

Bob Short built the company into a major freight carrier known as Admiral Merchants Motor Freight, then expanded into real estate and the hotel business.

Bob Short was a longtime supporter of the University of Notre Dame and served as a member of its Law School Advisory Council from 1974 until his death in 1982, when he was succeeded by his wife in both business and at Notre Dame.

Bob Short endowed the Robert and Marion Short Chair in Law at Notre Dame Law School, which his son attended.

Bob Short bought the Minneapolis Lakers of the National Basketball Association in 1957 and moved the team to Los Angeles in 1960 due to terrible attendance in the Twin Cities.

Bob Short dealt his best starting pitcher and the left side of his infield to the Detroit Tigers for former Cy Young Award and 30-game-winner Denny McLain, who had spent most of the 1970 campaign suspended because of gambling allegations.

When no credible offers surfaced from Washington-area interests, Bob Short successfully petitioned the AL to move the franchise to Arlington, Texas, where it became the Texas Rangers in 1972.

Bob Short is remembered in Texas for drafting high-school phenom David Clyde in 1973 and then acceding to Clyde's insistence that he pitch two games with the Rangers before being assigned to the minor leagues.

Bob Short injured his arm in 1974, spent some time in the minors, and retired in 1981.

The Rangers went into rebuilding mode under young manager Whitey Herzog, but when the Detroit Tigers fired Billy Martin, Bob Short quickly replaced Herzog with Martin, who immediately turned the Rangers around, piloting them to second place in 1974.

Lurie believed that since he lived in San Francisco and Bob Short lived in Minneapolis, he should be the senior member of the partnership.

Bob Short refused to agree to these terms and pulled out of the partnership.

Bob Short first ran unsuccessfully for US Congress in 1946, and in 1966 he lost a run for lieutenant governor in Minnesota.

Bob Short served as treasurer of the Democratic National Committee during Hubert Humphrey's 1968 presidential campaign, remaining involved in the DNC for a number of years.

Bob Short was a close friend of Humphrey and ran for his seat after Humphrey's death.

Bob Short went down to defeat along with almost the entire DFL ticket, including incumbent DFL Senator Wendell Anderson, who had maneuvered to get himself appointed to Walter Mondale's seat while serving as governor two years earlier, as well as Anderson's successor as governor, Rudy Perpich.

Bob Short anonymously gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to the University of Notre Dame.

Bob Short died of lung cancer at age 65 on November 20,1982.

Bob Short's funeral was held at St Olaf Catholic Church in downtown Minneapolis, and he was interred at Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights, Minnesota.