shaneo69
07-13-2005, 08:05 PM
GRETZ: Clark Hunt: Part 1
Jul 13, 2005, 6:01:45 AM by Bob Gretz
His first real recognition of the Kansas City Chiefs is not a good one. He was six years old and he was in the press box at old Municipal Stadium on Christmas Day 1971.
“It’s unfortunate that’s my first memory,” Clark Hunt said. “But I just remember being up there, sitting in the press box and sometime in overtime, I fell asleep.”
There have been many more pleasant memories added to the mental scrapbook for Lamar Hunt’s third child since the afternoon of the Longest Game. For the last 34 years, the Chiefs have remained an important part of Clark Hunt’s life.
And, no more so than now, with his new title of chairman of the board. Typical of the low-key manner that the Hunt family approaches these things, there has never been an official public pronouncement that Clark has replaced Jack Steadman as the franchise’s chairman of the board.
It became public in recent months when Clark took center stage in the question of the Chiefs and their future in Arrowhead Stadium.
And the title really is recognition of his increased role in the operation of the franchise, something that started several years ago.
“We set a path several years ago to get me more involved and the change in title is really just another step in that process,” said Clark.
When Clark Hunt was quoted in local newspaper stories about the future of Arrowhead Stadium, it left people wondering whether Lamar Hunt had retired, or was too ill to oversee the franchise anymore. The Chiefs founder has had health problems in recent years, with surgery for prostate cancer and a broken hip.
But he’s anything but retired, much to the chagrin of his wife Norma, who for years has been trying to get him to slow down the pace of his work.
“She’s been completely unsuccessful,” Clark said with a laugh. “Even though he’s had some health challenges in recent years, he’s as active as he has ever been. He probably still does more in a day than the rest of us combined.”
Any Chiefs fan who saw Lamar Hunt at the team’s open practice during mini-camp knows that the man who founded the franchise and the American Football League is anything but retired. The folks around Arrowhead still get his phone calls on a variety of subjects and the notes in the mail that have made Lamar famous for the last 45 years still arrive on a regular basis. He tires out more quickly than in his younger days, but that’s true for any man who will celebrate his 73rd birthday this summer.
Lamar Hunt’s vision helped create the NFL as we know it today. He also had great vision when it came to his franchise and his family. Over recent years, the actual ownership of the Chiefs has passed to Lamar’s four children: Lamar Jr., Sharron, Clark and Daniel. Lamar and Norma Hunt technically own just two percent of the team; the rest is divided equally among the children.
Families like the Robbies in Miami and the Cookes in Washington were forced to sell NFL franchises after the death of the family patriarch because of huge estate tax hits. Hunt has made sure the same thing will not happen in Kansas City.
“Very typical of Lamar, he had the foresight several years ago to put a process in place that would pass the team eventually to the four of us,” said Clark. “That process is essentially complete at this point. It’s part of his legacy that he wants this team to remain in his family for as long as possible.”
The particulars of the transactions are family business and not something outsiders need to know. But rest assured that Clark and his siblings are committed to the Chiefs and the NFL.
“Absolutely,” Clark said. “All of us have grown up around the pro sports business, the National Football League and the Chiefs and we all enjoy the association and look forward to being involved with the Kansas City Chiefs for many years to come.”
For the Chiefs to thrive, however, questions must soon be answered about the future of their current home, Arrowhead Stadium. Coming up on Friday, Clark Hunt talks about the stadium issue.
The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs.
http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2005/07/13/gretz_clark_hunt_part_1/
Jul 13, 2005, 6:01:45 AM by Bob Gretz
His first real recognition of the Kansas City Chiefs is not a good one. He was six years old and he was in the press box at old Municipal Stadium on Christmas Day 1971.
“It’s unfortunate that’s my first memory,” Clark Hunt said. “But I just remember being up there, sitting in the press box and sometime in overtime, I fell asleep.”
There have been many more pleasant memories added to the mental scrapbook for Lamar Hunt’s third child since the afternoon of the Longest Game. For the last 34 years, the Chiefs have remained an important part of Clark Hunt’s life.
And, no more so than now, with his new title of chairman of the board. Typical of the low-key manner that the Hunt family approaches these things, there has never been an official public pronouncement that Clark has replaced Jack Steadman as the franchise’s chairman of the board.
It became public in recent months when Clark took center stage in the question of the Chiefs and their future in Arrowhead Stadium.
And the title really is recognition of his increased role in the operation of the franchise, something that started several years ago.
“We set a path several years ago to get me more involved and the change in title is really just another step in that process,” said Clark.
When Clark Hunt was quoted in local newspaper stories about the future of Arrowhead Stadium, it left people wondering whether Lamar Hunt had retired, or was too ill to oversee the franchise anymore. The Chiefs founder has had health problems in recent years, with surgery for prostate cancer and a broken hip.
But he’s anything but retired, much to the chagrin of his wife Norma, who for years has been trying to get him to slow down the pace of his work.
“She’s been completely unsuccessful,” Clark said with a laugh. “Even though he’s had some health challenges in recent years, he’s as active as he has ever been. He probably still does more in a day than the rest of us combined.”
Any Chiefs fan who saw Lamar Hunt at the team’s open practice during mini-camp knows that the man who founded the franchise and the American Football League is anything but retired. The folks around Arrowhead still get his phone calls on a variety of subjects and the notes in the mail that have made Lamar famous for the last 45 years still arrive on a regular basis. He tires out more quickly than in his younger days, but that’s true for any man who will celebrate his 73rd birthday this summer.
Lamar Hunt’s vision helped create the NFL as we know it today. He also had great vision when it came to his franchise and his family. Over recent years, the actual ownership of the Chiefs has passed to Lamar’s four children: Lamar Jr., Sharron, Clark and Daniel. Lamar and Norma Hunt technically own just two percent of the team; the rest is divided equally among the children.
Families like the Robbies in Miami and the Cookes in Washington were forced to sell NFL franchises after the death of the family patriarch because of huge estate tax hits. Hunt has made sure the same thing will not happen in Kansas City.
“Very typical of Lamar, he had the foresight several years ago to put a process in place that would pass the team eventually to the four of us,” said Clark. “That process is essentially complete at this point. It’s part of his legacy that he wants this team to remain in his family for as long as possible.”
The particulars of the transactions are family business and not something outsiders need to know. But rest assured that Clark and his siblings are committed to the Chiefs and the NFL.
“Absolutely,” Clark said. “All of us have grown up around the pro sports business, the National Football League and the Chiefs and we all enjoy the association and look forward to being involved with the Kansas City Chiefs for many years to come.”
For the Chiefs to thrive, however, questions must soon be answered about the future of their current home, Arrowhead Stadium. Coming up on Friday, Clark Hunt talks about the stadium issue.
The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs.
http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2005/07/13/gretz_clark_hunt_part_1/