Chargers owner Spanos, an ‘American success story’, dies at 95
Alex Spanos, the son of Greek immigrants who used a self-made fortune from construction and real estate to buy the Chargers in 1984, died Tuesday. He was 95.
The Chargers announced Spanos’ death. Faye Spanos, his wife, died in August at 92.
After building a nationwide construction empire based in Stockton, his Northern California hometown, Spanos realized a lifelong dream of owning an NFL franchise when he bought controlling interest in the San Diego Chargers from Gene Klein in 1984 for about $50 million. He eventually bought all but 3 percent of the team.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell hailed Spanos as “an American success story, driven by a tireless work ethic inspired by his humble beginnings.”
Spanos hadn’t been in charge of day-to-day management of the Chargers since 1994, when he turned over the responsibilities to Dean Spanos, his oldest son. Dean Spanos decided to move the Chargers from San Diego to Los Angeles last year.
The team announced in 2008 that Alex Spanos was suffering from dementia, and he eventually stopped attending games.
Born in Stockton on Sept. 28, 1923, Spanos took an unlikely road to NFL ownership. After working in his father’s bakery and serving in the Air Force during World War II, Spanos borrowed $800 from a banker to buy a truck from which he sold sandwiches to migrant farm workers in the San Joaquin Valley. He began investing in real estate and started a construction company that mostly built apartment buildings, eventually expanding its footprint across the Sunbelt and Midwest.
Spanos and his wife were generous philanthropists, giving to many causes related to hospitals, universities and youth programs. He gave extensively to the University of the Pacific, his alma mater in Stockton,
where the Alex G. Spanos Center houses the Tigers’ basketball and volleyball teams.
The Chargers last year left San Diego, their home of 56 years, and moved north after years of fruitless attempts to secure funding for a new arena to replace aging Qualcomm Stadium. The Chargers are currently in the midst of their second of three seasons playing at StubHub Center in suburban Carson, but they will share a multibillion dollar
stadium complex in Inglewood with the Los Angeles Rams upon its completion in 2020.
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Taliaferro was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1981. In the NFL, he played seven positions and earned Pro Bowl honors in 1951-53.
Taliaferro spent six years in the NFL. He totaled 2,266 rushing yards, 1,300 receiving yards, 1,633 passing yards and accounted for 37 touchdowns while playing for franchises in New York, Dallas, Baltimore and Philadelphia. He lined up at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, punter, kick returner, punt returner and defensive back. CHIEFS-BENGALS GOES PRIME TIME >> The Kansas City Chiefs got a sixth prime time game when the NFL moved their home game on Sunday, Oct. 21 against the Cincinnati Bengals to the night slot.
The Chiefs are one of only two 5-0 teams, along with the Rams. The Bengals and the Saints are 4-1.
The Chiefs beat the Broncos 27-23 in a Monday night game Oct. 1. They also have a Monday night game against the Rams on Nov. 19, Sunday night games against the Patriots and Seahawks, and a Thursday night game against the Chargers. CHARLES SIGNS WITH JAGS >> The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed former Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles to help during Leonard Fournette’s absence.
The 31-year-old Charles worked out for the team Tuesday morning and signed a one-year contract in the afternoon. The Jaguars (3-2) lost third-string running back Corey Grant (foot) for the season and don’t expect to have Fournette back for several more weeks.
Charles spent nine years in Kansas City and played 14 games with Denver last season. He has 7,556 yards rushing and 44 touchdowns.
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