Here is a press release the 49ers sent out on the passing of former co-owner Franklin Mieuli, who died Sunday:
San Francisco 49ers limited partner, Franklin Mieuli, passed away Sunday from natural causes after having been hospitalized recently. The 89-year old, San Jose native’s longtime interest and love for sports sparked his future involvement in the professional sports teams that brought him five Super Bowl championship rings with the 49ers and one NBA World Championship as the former owner of the Golden State Warriors.
“Franklin was unique,” said 49ers Owner Dr. John York. “He had his own style and thought process, as well as a tremendous enthusiasm for sports. He attended every 49ers game and cheered with all his heart. The 49ers organization is saddened by his passing, but grateful for having been able to experience his personality and support.”
“I have a lot of respect for Mr. Miueli,” said 49ers President and CEO Jed York. “He meant so much to Bay Area sports, in particular the 49ers family, and he will certainly be remembered for his contributions. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends during this tough time.”
In
1949, he accepted a position in the advertising department of the San Francisco Brewing Company,
makers of Burgermeister beer. “Burgie” sponsored broadcasts of 49ers football games and
in 1954, Mieuli produced the team’s first telecast. Through his
business relationship and friendship with Tony and Vic Morabito, the
original owners of the 49ers, Franklin was offered the opportunity to
purchase a share of the club, and today still holds stake in the 49ers
franchise.
When
the New York Giants
moved west in 1958, Horace
Stoneham offered Mieuli stock in the San Francisco Giants. In 1962, Franklin and a
group of his friends also purchased the Philadelphia
Warriors and the San
Francisco Warriors were born. He became the only sportsman to
have ownerships in three
major league sports teams in the same area.
In the
25 years after he acquired majority ownership, the San Francisco and
now Golden State Warriors
were in the playoffs ten times, won four division titles and a World
Championship in 1974-75. Mieuli is the first professional sports team owner
to have named an African American as his head coach, Alvin Attles, a member of the team
that moved west from Philadelphia. His longtime friend has served with
the Warriors as a player, head coach, administrator, vice president and
assistant general manager and in his 48th year with the club, is now a
Warriors’ ambassador.
Simultaneously,
as president of Franklin Mieuli and Associates Radio and TV Production
Co., he acquired radio and TV production rights to the Giants, 49ers and
Warriors’ games and engineered games for the A’s and Raiders’
broadcasts. He produced and handled the radio coverage for the 1960
Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley with Lon
Simmons, Russ
Hodges, Gordy
Soltau and Marty Martin as his broadcasting crew. Today, his
company, managed by long-time employee Shirley Figgins Mortensen,
continues to provide the radio engineering for 25 sports teams,
including baseball, football, hockey and basketball, throughout the U.S.
and Canada. He also owned radio stations, KPUP, (KHIP and KMPX) in San
Francisco and was an owner of KTMX in Colusa, CA.
Mieuli
received a degree in advertising from the University of Oregon and served a stint in the
U.S. Navy during World War II.
Mieuli
and his former wife, Hilles Parish Cribari, are the parents of three
children, seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Ms. Blake Green, Mieuli’s loving companion for the past 30 years, was
formerly a feature writer for the San Francisco Chronicle and Newsday in New
York.
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