Ex-Royals owner Glass dies at 84

KANSAS CITY, MO. » Former Walmart Inc. chief executive David Glass, who owned the Kansas City Royals for nearly two decades before selling the franchise last fall, died last week of complications form pneumonia. He was 84.

The Glass family said the businessman died Jan. 9. He had been dealing with health issues for some time.

Glass began negotiations early last year to sell the Royals, who reached the World Series twice under his ownership and won the title in 2015. The deal valued at about $1 billion with a group led by Kansas City businessman John Sherman was completed Nov. 26 after Major League Baseball owners voted unanimously to approve it.

“I am deeply saddened by the news of David’s passing,” Sherman said in a statement. “His voice among other owners was so respected . ... His passion for baseball and love for Kansas City was the driving force in bringing success on the field for this franchise.”

Glass was born in Mountain, View, Missouri, and joined the U.S. Army after he was graduated from high school. He earned a degree from Missouri State before beginning his business career at Crank Drug Company in 1960.

Glass left the company in 1968 and worked for two other companies until 1976, when Walmart founder Sam Walter recruited him to be his company’s chief financial officer. Glass helped to keep the Royals in Kansas City following the death of founding owner Ewing Kauffman in 1993.

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