Larry Dolan

Lawrence J. "Larry" Dolan (born February 8, 1931, Cleveland Heights, Ohio) is an attorney and owner of the Cleveland Indians. He has three brothers, Charles (Cablevision Chairman); Bill (retired and living in Fort Myers, Florida) and; David who died in a glider plane crash in 1980.

Biography

Education

Dolan received a Catholic education at St. Ignatius High School and got his law degree from University of Notre Dame in 1956. He also received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Cleveland State University.

Professional career

Upon leaving Notre Dame, Larry served in the United States Marine Corps for two years where he attained the rank of First Lieutenant. Upon leaving the Marine Corps in 1958, Larry worked as Assistant Prosecutor in Geauga County, Ohio before going into private practice. He eventually became president and managing partner of Thrasher, Dinsmore and Dolan in Chardon, Ohio.

Cleveland Indians Owner

In 2000, Larry Dolan bought the Cleveland Indians of the MLB for $323 million from Richard Jacobs, who, along with his late brother David Jacobs, had paid $35 million for the club in 1986. Jacobs had taken the Indians public in 1997. As part of the deal, Dolan bought all of the stock at just over twelve dollars a share, making the franchise privately held once again. He has quickly become one of the most hated owners in Cleveland history, Art Moddell and former Cavs owner Ted Stepian only being more hated.

Dolan initially came under fire for ordering general manager Mark Shapiro to cut the team's payroll, resulting in the team falling from a division title in 2001 to three straight losing seasons. The team has since appeared in the post-season only once, in 2007, and most likely won't be going back anytime soon with the current braintrust.

In 2006 he started SportsTime Ohio to air Indians games. While this increased the team's television revenue, Dolan has continued to cut team payroll. It is a mark of his skill as an owner that the color commentator on STO knows more about managing a team than the current manager, Eric Wedge.

Larry Dolan has 6 children, among them Matthew and Paul who work for his law firm, Thrasher, Dinsmore & Dolan. Dolan has said his children will eventually assume ownership of the Cleveland Indians in his place. The thought of the Dolan family retaining ownership in the ball club for an extended period of time fills the average fan with a combination of trepidation, anger or outright apathy. In June, 2009, Dolan suffered a mild heart-attack after picking up a roll of quarters that he intended to offer Cliff Lee as part of a new contract proposal.

His nephew James Dolan owns the deplorable New York Knicks of the NBA and the New York Rangers of the NHL.

Larry Dolan has made the Cleveland Indians the first MLB franchise to trade the reigning Cy Young Award winner in back-to-back seasons, causing the once proud "Jacobs Field" to resemble its' empty, echoing predecessor, Municipal Stadium. Cleveland Indians fans have changed alliances to numerous National League teams as of July 30th 2009. His ineptitude in failing to acquire one of the top prospects from the Philadelphia Phillies in return for a reigning Cy Young winner was the subject of widespread laughter behind closed doors from other teams around the league and, indeed, the world.

Larry Dolan is now offering his counsel to the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dan Gilbert, as 2010 is fast approaching.

References

When will next year be this year. Thanks for nothign Larry you cheap piece of crap. Please sell the team NOW.