416:'s contracts at the beginning of the 1981 season. The situation led to both players being dealt away by the Chargers. While Jefferson was replaced by Chandler, future Hall of Famer Dean's departure on defense coincided with the Chargers surrendering the most passing yards in the NFL in both 1981 and 1982. Dean went on to win two Super Bowls with the
238:
where he owned a very successful used-car dealership. He was an investor in
National Theaters and Television, Inc., which became National General Corp. When the company ran into severe financial difficulty, Klein stepped in to save his investment. As a member of the
397:. The city became highly engrossed in the franchise and pro football led all professional sports teams in the area; the baseball team and basketball team did not compete in their respective sports to nearly at the same level during this era. The Chargers won
332:. Schulman would be the active partner, serving as president of the basketball team and head of operations. Prior to this, Klein and Schulman had already made a major investment in sports following the June 1966 announcement of the merger of the
243:, he became actively involved in the company's restructuring and not only restored it to profitability but turned the company into an industry powerhouse. He would end up being appointed its president and chairman.
438:
said of Klein: "He made a great contribution to the league, not only in San Diego, but on the television committee, where he was a visionary" and that Klein "was a valuable and valued owner and he will be missed."
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In poor health, in 1989 Klein retired from racing, selling off his 146 horses just a few months before he died. In 1995, his stables at Rancho Santa Fe, California were sold to
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and assembled a very interesting team that kept people fascinated with the
Chargers because of the high scoring offense. During this time the Chargers offense had three future
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for $ 10 million, at the time, a record price for a
National Football League franchise. The majority owner, Klein served as the team's president and head of operations.
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270:. When Salinger lost, Klein hired him as National General's vice president in charge of advertising. In 1972 Klein left the Democratic party to support the
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In 1969, National
General Corp acquired Great American Holding Corp., owner of the Great American Insurance Company. In 1973 they merged to become
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Klein also started an offshoot business near his Rancho Santa Fe stables in the mid-1980s.. He developed two luxury residential
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Klein entered the thoroughbred horse racing business in 1982. He established Del Rayo Racing
Stables, a 237-acre (0.96 km)
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In just seven years of racing, Klein raced six champions, two of which are in the Hall of Fame, and earned a total of eleven
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projects called Del Rayo
Estates and Del Rayo Downs. Forbes.com ranked its 92067 as the second most expensive
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division titles in 1979–1981 and also made the playoffs in 1982. In 1980 and 1981, they reached the
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During his time with the
Chargers football club, Klein became involved in a much publicized feud with
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The
Baseball Journals with copy of letter from Klein to the president of the American Baseball League
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727:"CNNSI.com - NFL Football - Say It Ain't So: San Diego Chargers - Wednesday March 07, 2001 10:39 AM"
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Klein refused to renegotiate player contracts, most notably
Jefferson's and defensive end
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for the city of Los
Angeles; the American League baseball team went to "singing cowboy"
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Always an avid sports fan, but an entrepreneur who recognized the potential on the U.S.
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171:(January 29, 1921 – March 12, 1990) was an American businessman who was
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While he was the owner of the San Diego Chargers in the mid-1970s he hired coach
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778:"1982 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com"
752:"1981 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com"
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Klein was a benefactor to a number of charities and was a major donor to the
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New York Times: "Affinity for Tennis Turned a Mansion Into a Showplace"
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695:. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. March 13, 1990. p. C4.
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February 7, 1969 Time magazine article on National General Corp.
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340:. On August 25 they led a group of investors who purchased the
671:; they had two children: Michael Klein and Randee Klein King.
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In 1984, Klein sold his interest in the San Diego Chargers to
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Klein suffered in 1981. The verdict was overturned on appeal.
1063:
United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II
80:
Businessman, sports team owner, racehorse owner/breeder
355:. Their differences resulted in a lawsuit in which a
1053:
Jewish American sports executives and administrators
803:Horstman, Barry M.; Distel, Dave (March 13, 1990).
405:game but lost both times and never advanced to the
324:, plus a group of minority investors, obtained the
320:On December 20, 1966, Klein and business associate
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84:
76:
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35:
28:
884:obituary and detailed biography of Eugene V. Klein
532:Eclipse Award for Outstanding Three-Year-Old Filly
510:Eclipse Award for Outstanding Three-Year-Old Filly
183:, an insurance and entertainment company based in
625:real estate market in the United States for 2005
359:Superior Court jury held Davis responsible for a
528:Eclipse Award for Outstanding Two-Year-Old Filly
386:at wide receiver. Other notable receivers were
160:Eclipse Award for Outstanding Thoroughbred Owner
838:New York Times article on Klein's racing stable
707:"Klein, Eugene V. - 2001 Pillar of Achievement"
712:Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
904:
8:
853:New York times notice of Klein/Davis lawsuit
843:San Diego Chargers history, Official website
351:, the then managing general partner of the
191:. Klein was also a founding partner of the
911:
897:
889:
514:National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
492:National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
25:
234:, Klein made his money and reputation in
207:from 1966 to 1984, and a major figure in
858:Time magazine article on Pierre Salinger
680:
667:He married Frances Klein, who was also
614:three years running from 1985 to 1987.
610:, including being personally voted the
294:, in 1960 Klein unsuccessfully lobbied
19:For other people named Gene Klein, see
1068:United States Army Air Forces officers
1023:American racehorse owners and breeders
868:Seattle Times article re NBA franchise
266:in his 1964 election campaign for the
1013:Philanthropists from New York (state)
7:
1003:20th-century American businesspeople
689:"Klein, former Chargers owner, dies"
470:Among Klein's famous Thoroughbreds:
805:"Ex-Charger Owner Klein Dead at 69"
612:Eclipse Award for Outstanding Owner
488:Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
1033:Owners of Preakness Stakes winners
455:operation, and training center in
14:
1028:Owners of Kentucky Derby winners
262:supporter, Klein helped finance
16:American businessman (1921–1990)
1008:American film studio executives
500:- 1988, became only the third
434:On his death, NFL Commissioner
326:National Basketball Association
197:National Basketball Association
572:Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
524:Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
1:
998:Businesspeople from the Bronx
643:. He was also active in the
286:Sports franchise investments
181:National General Corporation
921:Los Angeles Chargers owners
645:San Diego Hall of Champions
537:Klein had horses win seven
457:Rancho Santa Fe, California
272:1972 Presidential candidacy
130:Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
69:Rancho Santa Fe, California
1084:
1048:Seattle SuperSonics owners
783:Pro-Football-Reference.com
757:Pro-Football-Reference.com
657:Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
641:Scripps Research Institute
420:and was inducted into the
328:franchise for the city of
309:, which began play as the
18:
1043:San Diego Chargers owners
943:
928:
443:Thoroughbred horse racing
422:Pro Football Hall of Fame
179:and chief stockholder of
1018:American philanthropists
338:National Football League
334:American Football League
248:American Financial Group
205:National Football League
653:American Cancer Society
649:San Diego Museum of Art
134:University of San Diego
630:Sidney and Jenny Craig
546:Breeders' Cup Juvenile
504:in history to win the
372:Hall of Fame inductees
126:National General Corp.
1038:Eclipse Award winners
589:Breeders' Cup Distaff
296:Major League Baseball
600:Lady's Secret (1986)
554:(1986) (partnership)
512:. Inducted into the
490:. Inducted into the
298:owners to obtain an
268:United States Senate
122:Board member of
486:- 1986, voted the
418:San Francisco 49ers
330:Seattle, Washington
193:Seattle SuperSonics
169:Eugene Victor Klein
89:Seattle SuperSonics
50:The Bronx, New York
934:San Diego Chargers
382:at tight end, and
342:San Diego Chargers
241:board of directors
201:San Diego Chargers
177:board of directors
162:(1985, 1986, 1987)
93:San Diego Chargers
975:
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882:Los Angeles Times
824:September 6, 1971
809:Los Angeles Times
733:on April 13, 2001
368:Don "Air" Coryell
274:of the incumbent
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1058:Scripps Research
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729:. Archived from
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693:Spokesman-Review
685:
583:Open Mind (1988)
479:Preakness Stakes
477:- 1985, won the
403:AFC Championship
378:as quarterback,
260:Democratic Party
64:
46:January 29, 1921
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558:Success Express
475:Tank's Prospect
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353:Oakland Raiders
300:American League
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264:Pierre Salinger
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218:Business career
199:, owner of the
107:Political party
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608:Eclipse Awards
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578:Twilight Ridge
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530:. 1989, voted
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506:Kentucky Derby
498:Winning Colors
495:
481:
461:D. Wayne Lukas
444:
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436:Paul Tagliabue
391:John Jefferson
384:Charlie Joiner
380:Kellen Winslow
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101:Winning Colors
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85:Known for
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65:(aged 69)
61:March 12, 1990
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663:Personal life
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539:Breeders' Cup
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522:- 1988, won
521:
518:
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511:
508:. Voted 1988
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484:Lady's Secret
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409:under Klein.
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280:Richard Nixon
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787:. Retrieved
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761:. Retrieved
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735:. Retrieved
731:the original
721:
710:
701:
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683:
666:
638:
627:
616:
605:
595:Life's Magic
536:
469:
467:his horses.
446:
433:
426:
411:
395:Wes Chandler
365:
361:heart attack
346:
322:Sam Schulman
319:
289:
258:A long-time
257:
245:
221:
212:horse racing
209:Thoroughbred
168:
167:
113:(1942-1972)
63:(1990-03-12)
21:Eugene Klein
993:1990 deaths
988:1921 births
966:Dean Spanos
962:(1984–2018)
960:Alex Spanos
956:(1966–1984)
950:(1959–1966)
938:(1961–2016)
634:weight loss
619:real estate
459:. He hired
429:Alex Spanos
185:Los Angeles
117:(1972-1990)
982:Categories
954:Gene Klein
789:2010-07-02
763:2010-07-02
737:2008-10-19
675:References
564:Is It True
424:in 2008.
407:Super Bowl
393:and later
307:Gene Autry
292:West Coast
276:Republican
236:California
226:family in
222:Born to a
189:California
115:Republican
111:Democratic
42:1921-01-29
30:Gene Klein
520:Open Mind
414:Fred Dean
376:Dan Fouts
357:San Diego
303:franchise
228:The Bronx
871:Archived
655:and the
623:ZIP code
541:races:
526:, voted
516:in 2000.
453:breeding
399:AFC West
388:All-Pros
349:Al Davis
336:and the
254:Politics
232:New York
173:chairman
148:Children
143:Joyce F.
494:in 1992
449:stables
203:of the
195:of the
175:of the
669:Jewish
651:, the
647:, the
636:fame.
597:(1985)
580:(1985)
566:(1988)
560:(1987)
552:Capote
311:Angels
224:Jewish
156:Honors
140:Spouse
71:, U.S.
52:, U.S.
502:filly
465:train
374:with
315:1961
58:Died
36:Born
632:of
463:to
313:in
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