34 Facts About Peter Ueberroth

Peter Victor Ueberroth is an American sports and business executive known for his involvement in the Olympics and in Major League Baseball.

Peter Ueberroth was born in Evanston, Illinois, the son of Laura and Victor Peter Ueberroth.

Peter Ueberroth's father was of German and Austrian descent, and his mother was of Swedish and Irish ancestry.

Peter Ueberroth caddied at Sunset Ridge Country Club, in Northfield, Illinois.

Peter Ueberroth competed in the 1956 United States Olympic water polo trials but failed to make the team.

Peter Ueberroth ultimately graduated from San Jose State in 1959 with a degree in business.

Peter Ueberroth worked at Trans International until 1963, when he founded his own travel company, which would become First Travel Corporation.

For five years Peter Ueberroth served as the organizer of the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles.

Peter Ueberroth was a prominent figure in the games, receiving the Olympic Order in gold at its conclusion from the International Olympic Committee.

Peter Ueberroth created a committee of over 150 members to generate ideas, opportunities and solve problems.

Peter Ueberroth's aggressive recruiting of sponsors for the 1984 Olympics is credited as the genesis for the current Olympic sponsorship program.

Peter Ueberroth was elected to succeed Bowie Kuhn on March 3,1984, and took office on October 1 of that year.

Peter Ueberroth's salary was raised to a reported $450,000, nearly twice what Kuhn was paid.

Just as Peter Ueberroth was taking office, the Major League Umpires Union was threatening to strike the postseason.

Peter Ueberroth managed to arbitrate the disagreement and had the umpires back to work before the League Championship Series were over.

The next summer, Peter Ueberroth worked behind the scenes to limit a players' strike to one day before a new labor agreement was worked out with the Players Association.

Also, Peter Ueberroth suspended numerous players because of cocaine use, negotiated a $1.8 billion television contract with CBS, and initiated the investigation against Pete Rose's betting habits.

Peter Ueberroth then found a new source of income in the form of persuading large corporations to pay for the privilege of having their products endorsed by Major League Baseball.

Nonetheless, following the announcement of the first of three large awards to the players following the collusion findings, Peter Ueberroth stepped down as commissioner before the start of the 1989 regular season; his contract was to have run through the end of the season.

Peter Ueberroth was succeeded by National League president A Bartlett Giamatti.

Peter Ueberroth has been a director of The Coca-Cola Company since 1986.

Peter Ueberroth is an investor and chairman of the Contrarian Group, Inc.

Peter Ueberroth has served as Chairman of the Board of Aircastle since 2012 and been on the board since 2006.

In 1989, Peter Ueberroth considered purchasing Eastern Air Lines, then crippled by a strike and bankruptcy from Texas Air.

In 1990, Ueberroth bought controlling interest of Hawaiian Airlines with his brother John and business partner J Thomas Talbot.

Peter Ueberroth ran for Governor of California in the 2003 California recall election as an independent, though he was a registered Republican.

Peter Ueberroth's campaign focused on California's economic and budget crisis, avoiding social issues.

Peter Ueberroth placed 6th in a field of 135 candidates.

Peter Ueberroth was chairman of Ambassadors International, Inc but was replaced by his son, Joseph Peter Ueberroth in April 2006.

Peter Ueberroth was the chairman of the United States Olympic Committee Board of Directors from 2004 to 2008.

Peter Ueberroth was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame in 2010.

Peter Ueberroth is a Life Trustee of the University of Southern California.

Peter Ueberroth additionally served briefly on the school's Athletic Advisory Council.

Peter Ueberroth is a board member for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which is named after Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back Ronnie Lott, and is awarded annually to college football's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year.