Robert "Bob" Irsay was an American professional football team owner.
22 Facts About Robert Irsay
1.
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Robert Irsay was the father of current Colts owner Jim Irsay.
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Robert Irsay was born Robert Israel on March 5,1923, in Chicago, the son of Charles Israel and the former Elaine Nyitrai, Jewish immigrants from Hungary.
4.
In 1940, Robert Irsay enrolled at the University of Illinois, joining Sigma Alpha Mu, a Jewish fraternity.
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Years later, Robert Irsay later denied his Jewish heritage, asserting without evidence and contrary to his mother's testimony that his father was actually his step-father and that he was, and always had been, Catholic.
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Robert Irsay left the University of Illinois after attending just three semesters, plus the summer session of 1942.
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Robert Irsay left employment there on the last day of 1951, the instigator of a bitter family feud.
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Robert Irsay poached five employees from Acord at the time of his departure.
9.
Robert Irsay stole all our money and he said goodbye.
10.
Robert Irsay assumed ownership of the Baltimore Colts on July 13,1972, after acquiring the Los Angeles Rams from the estate of Dan Reeves and swapping franchises with Carroll Rosenbloom, all made official on the same day.
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Robert Irsay additionally announced the appointment of Joe Thomas as Baltimore's new general manager, succeeding Don Klosterman who accompanied Rosenbloom to Los Angeles.
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Robert Irsay had first gone to the press box to inform Thomas that he was the new head coach, and then to the locker room to announce his actions to the Colts players, before breaking the news to Schnellenberger in a heated discussion in the coaches office.
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Robert Irsay doesn't know a lot about football, but sometimes you lose control in an emotional situation.
14.
Robert Irsay was accused of bad faith bargaining and racial discrimination by running back Lydell Mitchell who was eventually sent to the San Diego Chargers on August 23,1978.
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Defensive end John Dutton contended that Robert Irsay had spread "too many lies" about him and sat out the early part of the 1979 campaign while demanding a trade.
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Robert Irsay claimed the city promised him a new football stadium, something they later denied, citing the team's poor attendance.
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The next day, fearing a dawn raid on the team's Owings Mills headquarters, Robert Irsay accepted a deal offered by the city of Indianapolis.
18.
Robert Irsay married the former Harriet Pogorzelski on July 12,1947, at Temple Sholom in Chicago, with Rabbi Louis Binstock officiating.
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Robert Irsay, who had divorced from Harriet, married Nancy Clifford on June 17,1989, at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis; Hudnut officiated the ceremony.
20.
Nancy Robert Irsay died November 7,2015, at the age of 65.
21.
Robert Irsay suffered a stroke in November 1995 and was in intensive care at St Vincent Indianapolis Hospital for several months.
22.
Robert Irsay was the first person inducted into the Indianapolis Colts Ring of Honor, being so memorialized on September 23,1996.